NORTHERN Rivers residents can help gather important information about local mosquito breeding habits by taking part in a new online survey

The survey is asking people to count the number of water-holding containers in their backyards to provide valuable information on breeding habitat in our region.

Tweed Shire Council environmental health officer Kelly Piazza said habitat inspections in December 2017 revealed that at least 94 per cent of properties had at least one water-holding container suitable for mosquito breeding.

"Pot plants, buckets and bromeliads were the top three actual and potential container-inhabiting mosquito habitats,” she said.

"Even an upturned soft drink bottle lid can contain enough water for mosquitoes to breed - mosquitoes that could be carrying serious diseases.”

While dengue mosquitoes hadn't been found in the Northern Rivers, NSW Health Pathology entomologist Dr Cameron Webb said residents couldn't rule out the possibility that adult dengue mosquitoes could travel further south.

"Everyone can play a part by looking around their backyards and being aware of where mosquitoes might be breeding and take the opportunity to tip them out, cover them up or throw them out,” he said.

The data collected through the project will help council develop the Northern Rivers Mosquito Control Plan for the region.

The survey closes on March 23.

To complete the survey, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/tackling mozzies.