Mosquito control

[jdbower]

I live in a swamp in NJ - needless to say mosquitoes are an issue these days. Other than aerial spraying of DDT (and it's getting tempting!), anyone have any better solutions?

Lowes has a bug zapper that seems to be designed for mosquitoes, a traditional bug zapper is non-targeted and would probably kill more moths or even beneficial insects than mosquitoes. The down side is getting power to the places that need it plus a fairly small coverage area.

I've been interested in some of the propane-based traps, especially the cordless model, but there are quite a few bad reviews (especially of the Mosquito Magnets) saying they only last a season and they're quite pricey for a few months of operation. Maybe a SkeeterVac is a bit better built? I've noticed a lot of cross pollination in the reviews, some hate one and recommend the other as flawless so it's hard to say if these are legitimate or just poor maintenance coupled with high sales volumes and the way the Internet amplifies issues.

Citronella based products are nice when we're out there for extended periods, but most of the time it would take us longer to light them than we'd be outside.

DEET sprays have a similar issue, we'd use them frequently during the day and they do nasty things to the plastics I'm always working with. Besides, repellents don't have the satisfaction of seeing the volume of corpses generated

Some cheaper but more passive traps include buckets of water with soap and WD-40 to use as toxins and to break the surface tension - the mosquitoes land in the buckets to lay eggs and drown. I don't see these as being too effective where I am since there is so much standing water the overall population wouldn't have much of an impact.

Soon I hope to attract some predators using a bat house, I wonder if I can attract dragonflies... Too bad the breeding grounds aren't large or stable enough to support fish.

I've got two areas I'd like to protect, probably 0.75-1 acre each. While I'm not too price conscious on the solution as long as it works well, spending $1400 for a season (two cordless Mosquito Magnets) may be a little excessive but if they'll last a good long time I would be willing to invest the money.

 

[zeuspaul]

Mosquito Bits WILL KILL mosquito larva in standing water. It is a bacteria...not a poison. It may not be practical or cost effective in your situation. At minimum I would use one of the propane units. I can't help with which one as it has been a few years since I researched them.

Perhaps a combination of breeding control (Bits) and one of the propane units. Maybe the county vector control would provide the bits free of charge??

Mosquito Bits (selected at random)
Mosquito Bits 30oz

Zeuspaul

 

[LMTC]

From a post I made last year:

"Re: the mosquitoes, just began using Mosquito Barrier 2-1/2 weeks ago. So far it is making a believer out of us. Sprayed app. an acre around the house. Normally we are under siege by now (pond 200' away, woods 250'), and the front and back porch are "mosquitoless" so far."

We applied this stuff (which has a powerful garlic odor on application, but the odor soon dissipates) twice, app. 8 weeks apart. Based on when we started seeing skeeters again I probably should have done it at 6 weeks. It had a profound positive impact, all be eliminating them in the area around the house where I sprayed.

 

[jdbower]

Thanks, I don't know how I missed the Mosquito Barrier in my previous search. Not only does it fit the bill of long term effectiveness but it's also an excuse to get a sprayer

I'll probably keep an eye out for propane units as well, many places around here are sold out but I think I saw one at Costco once and Lowes sells Blue Rhino stuff so they may have the SkeeterVac.

 

[N80]

I've heard that large quantities of diesel fuel dumped in the swamp works.

Of course, there's no way to justify such measures........with the price of diesel being what it is!

 

[jdbower]

Of course, there's no way to justify such measures........with the price of diesel being what it is!

It's real easy to justify when your neighbors have an external heating oil tank

 

[BTDT]

From a post I made last year:

"Re: the mosquitoes, just began using Mosquito Barrier 2-1/2 weeks ago. So far it is making a believer out of us. Sprayed app. an acre around the house. Normally we are under siege by now (pond 200' away, woods 250'), and the front and back porch are "mosquitoless" so far."

We applied this stuff (which has a powerful garlic odor on application, but the odor soon dissipates) twice, app. 8 weeks apart. Based on when we started seeing skeeters again I probably should have done it at 6 weeks. It had a profound positive impact, all be eliminating them in the area around the house where I sprayed.

Did you have to order it from them or can/did you buy it local?

 

[LMTC]

I ordered online. I found it on Amazon for less $$ than the company site. I think I spent app. $20/qt buying a lot of 6 qts. That means $40-$60 a season for really good (not complete, but really good) mosquito relief. We also saw zero ticks after using the stuff....usually find a few.

 

[czechsonofagun]

This is somewhat related. Overseas the traditional tree for the pub garden - yes, we have pubs with outdoor tables for centuries - is horse chestnut (buck eye if you are from Ohio)

There are two reasons except the obvious nice shade. The chestnut emits some kind of a smell birds and bugs dont like - and you can sit in nice shade with your beer safe from mosquitos and bird's dropping bombs on you.

My favored pub:

 

[rox]

czech,
Are those pics from Czechloslavia? I had to go to Google to ge the right spelling of Czechloslavia, sorry my copu paste made this post be in bold. Ayway that sure does look like a nice pub and i had no idea about the tree keeping mosquitos away, that is pretty interesting.

 

[BobRip]

Jeff, I have a Coleman Mosquito Deleto which I have used for about three years. I do have to blow out the gas line every year or two, but I am generally pleased with the results. I have a swamp area about 75 feet from my toolshed and house and I tend to attract mosquites. With the unit running full time, I get very few bites. When I go over to my neighbors yard (he is much further from the swamp) I get bitten several times an hour. I think the unit works and plan to get another one for the front yard. The present one seems to protect the side and back yard. It is advertised to protect about 1/2 acre and I agree.

 

[BTDT]

Did you have to order it from them or can/did you buy it local?

I just ordered a quart bottle. We are having a get together at the end of the month, hopefully it will get here and I can get it sprayed before then. Sure hope it works. Getting hard to go to garden. I like tomatoes, mosquitos like me.

 

[czechsonofagun]

czech,
Are those pics from Czechloslavia? I had to go to Google to ge the right spelling of Czechloslavia, sorry my copu paste made this post be in bold. Ayway that sure does look like a nice pub and i had no idea about the tree keeping mosquitos away, that is pretty interesting.

Yes, from Prague. And the spelling actually was Czechoslovakia but we split in 1993 and it is Czech Republic and Slovak Republic since.

I learned about the tree short time ago too - it never pays to underestimate our ancestors

 

[KaiB]

I just got my quart of Mosquito Barrier. I have to say the lawn and gardens smell like a French kitchen!

One complaint; the fines in the solution clogged the intake screen on my hose end sprayer so badly and so often that it was unuseable...had to resort to lugging the pump sprayer.

It seems to work, as no mosquitos where I sprayed. The back door of the shop now has a gazillion (they don't hang out there normally and I did not spray there.

This evening will tell...

 

[BTDT]

I got mine on Tuesday. Mixed it up and sprayed. Seems to work well. We leave our outside light on by the front door, and it's usually a race to get into the house before the bugs. That night and following, no problem. Seems they all disappeared. My shed where I work on tractor and store tools, still has unbearable mosquitos. I didn't spray out there.