Misquito Myths

[rockyridgefarm]

No one likes misquitos. Malaria, west nile, who wants 'em.

But it seems that there are as many myths as real solutions. After some research here are some findings:

Purple Martins. Seems someone studying these communal little birds, likened the amount of daily consumption to a quantity of misquitos. Now everyone deems to know they eat 10000 of those buggers a day. Problem is they don't.

Bats. A famous test studying Bat Radar had the little winged rats snapping misquitos left and right in the lab. Trouble is, the flying mammals weren't given a choice of diet. In the open they fly high above the misquito traffic lanes, enjoying other nocturnal treats.

Misquito Dunks: OK, these probably work.

Drain standing Water: Ditto!

If I get bored enough, I'l try and link to the referces to my claims, while you folks trample me.

Now, should I mess with WNV vaccine for my 9 very healthy horses? We started them out last fall...

 

[cowboydoc]

Without a doubt vaccinate your horses!!!! It's your only defense.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

This one is not a myth - control water levels to control egg production. Here's a link to our County's award winning mosquito control site. Be sure to review the salt marsh management section - our County was a pioneer in this method. There's even a web cam that will let you look live at one of the impoundment areas. St. Lucie County, Florida, Mosquito Control

 

[TresCrows]

If you think those Missquitos are bad you should beware of Malesquitos, oh, well, I forgot where I was going with that but it was probably someplace that would get edited /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.
Mosquitos really are a pest I could do with out. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
J

 

[PhilNH5]

How about dragonflies? Did you see any data on them? I have a small pond. By July there are tons of dragonflies . I watch them "hunt" in a group. They swirl and circle until there is a cloud of tiny bugs in the center and then they eat. But even though I have tons of dragonflies I still have lots of skeeters.

Phil

 

[Dozernut]

The June issue of Popular Science has an article by Gregory Mone, about the elimination of the Anopheles gambiae breed of mosquitoes. A London scientist, Austin Burt, says that a genetically engineered gene could eliminate the strain in a year. I personally would not miss them.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Dragon flies eat mosquitos as adults and larva in the water. Get rid of the purple martins. Martins eat bugs. Dragon flies are big bugs. Yum Yum to a Martin trying to feed its young.
I watched flocks of Martins on the coast flying to the nest with Dragon Flys hangin out their beaks all day.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

In about two months our little farm here is going to turn into a mosquito nightmare. No going out after dark. Period. The swine seem to get along okay as long as they have access to a little mud to coat themselves. The goats just deal with it as do the pasture dogs, althought the dogs are on advantage with mosquito treatment.

One thing I have learned. Standing water can be treated with a cheap dishwashing liquid. It forms a film over the surface of the water and the mosquito will not lay eggs in it nor will any eggs previously laid in it hatch. I treat low spots nearest the house, also apray a watered down solution into bromeliads and other water hoarding plants. It's environmentally freindly, relatively speaking, and it makes the prettiest buubles when it rains. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[NIXON]

To keep mosquitos from dining on you ,take vitamin B complex . It puts something on your skin that is noxious to the little critters . It is not anything that a human nose can pick up , and my dog hasn't tried to roll on me , so it isn't objectable to us . It's a trick I picked up working on the flightline in SEA . The other choice was Mil Grade insect repellant ... Good for removing paint from aircraft,and stunk so bad that the bug bites were a better choice . John