Got mosquitoes eh?

[TomG]

There are few mosquito comments here and there. Bet you haven't got them like here in Northern Ontario.
The big ones are out, but baritone versions don't bite much. Wait for the soprano version. Bug shirts work; repellant doesn't. But it gets worse. The black fly appeared yesterday (swarms of gnats with teeth) They will be followed by deer fly, which follow hikers, canoeists and swimmers and horse fly, which fortunately specialize in moose (unless there aren't moose handy). Then come the noseeum and tex fly.

Tex fly look like biting house flies and last until frost. They can convert a dog's ears into bloody scabs. The government raises them because they go after tent caterpillars. Like a lot of government things, small biting and long lasting. I'd rather call them tax fly.

Some of the local remedies are: Repellant (only good for light days), Bug shirts (hot), Cut the grass short, stay in your yard and burn citronella (sounds suburban). Don't take baths. Put ammonia on bites. Put heat on bites (there's an electronic version if there's not a cigar handy).

Any more remedies? Myself, I think I'll escape the agony and take a vacation to Williamsburg.

 

[MChalkley]

TomG - Touche'. Give me a ring when you get there, and I'll buy you lunch. If you can make it before being consumed by the critters, you earned it!

Mark

 

[Thomas]

Haven't seen any mosquitoes yet inmy area,but did notice for the last couple of evening small groups of so call black flies.
Once the frost has left the ground and the grass greens up I'm sure the little boogers will spend the summer hanging out with me.
The only gel or spray I found that works the best is call Woodsman Fly dope,but I been unable to purchase any in my area,guess I'll have to skip across the broder and buy somemore.
Stay low and have fun.

 

[Bird]

Tom, most folks probably think you're exaggerating, and I haven't seen much of eastern Canada, but I have driven across the western part up to Alaska a few times, and it's almost impossible to exaggerate about the mosquitos, noseeums, etc. up that way. Compared to that part of the country, Texas ain't got any mosquitos!

Bird

 

[Roy]

Mark, aren't you going to break the bad news to him before he gets there... that the mosquitoes are waiting in Williamsburg too (unless we talking about the areas they spray for the tourist, like Busch Gardens or the golf courses). Granted, not as big as their northern cousins, but sure make up for it in numbers.

I have heard of an electronic device that puts out the frequency of a dragonflies (or so I'm told) beating wings. Since it is a natural predator, suppose to keep the pesky varmints away. Anyone actual see or try one of these devices?

 

[W5FL]

Do the propane bottle foggers work? They seem to be for outdoor areas and advertise that you can kill all the bugs around a pretty large area by using the fogger.

 

[gordon]

Never heard of a propane fogger and I would also love to here if they work.
Seems like each area has there own worst enemy and no matter what you do they will always win there are strengh in numbers thats for sure and the bugs know it.
What worries me most in this area are the deer ticks very small and tough critters.
But Tom is right it seems the further north you go watch out come dusk. Between the no see ums and the mosquitoes you still have it way worse in the way of bugs than we do around here. Must be the fresh air./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Gordon

 

[Bird]

The deer ticks would undoubtedly be a problem, too, but all you folks up north just don't know what you're missing by not having fire ants. You can think (if you're new to the country) that you have them eradicated, but the first time it rains, new mounds pop up everywhere. Down here in drought country, I've gotten a little over 2" of rain this past week, and I've probably "doctored" at least 4 or 5 dozen fire ant mounds.

The good news is that the garden has really taken off; had to wear my rubber boots in the mud, but I had to get out there and harvest a few beets, turnips, onions, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and potatos today. And the corn must have grown over a foot this week.

Bird

 

[gordon]

Bird how big do those mounds get and do you have any problems with them getting into the house. Seems like each area has it's own worst bug or creature.
You do make me feel guilty this will be the first year without a garden to speak of for me. Its new property and I've got so many things to do so this year only a few tomatos peppers and cukes is about all I will plant. Congrats on the rain you guys down there sure have needed it.
Rode by my old property and they don't even have a garden planted it's a shame had that dirt worked very well. But they are probley just like me to much to do.
Gordon

 

[Bird]

Gordon, when I bought this place 5 years ago, there were some fire ant mounds over 2 feet in diameter and a foot high. They usually wouldn't kill the engine, but they sure would bog down a B7100 with a 4' brush hog, and they cause some of the farmers a lot of trouble clogging up their hay cutters and things like that. We've never had any get in the house; maybe because they usually stay in areas of vegetation and maybe because I spray Diazinon all around the outside of the house 3 or 4 times a year. It's next to impossible to control them in pastures and fields, but not too bad in the yard and around the house if you spread one of the fire ant baits a couple of times a year and then use a liquid like Diazinon when you see a mound starting.

And yep, I have to have my garden. Besides the things I picked today, we have radishes, cabbage, yellow squash, cucumbers, corn, okra, green beans, black-eyed peas, 5 varieties of tomatos, red, yellow and green bell peppers, cantalouple, watermelon, and pumpkins in the garden, and then we have a dozen pecan trees, big red plums, and lots of blackberries.

Bird