Mosquitos are out for blood

[jaxs]

That's just what mosquitos do and the fewer we have the less blood we involuntarily donate. For those with open containers like rain barrels,water features and such I believe you will like this method of organic control. Where there's a valve at bottom of barrel 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil will cover surface in 55 gallon barrel making it impossible for wiggle tails to get air and they soon die. If you dip water from barrel,don't use oil because it will get on the bucket and your hands plus the oil will be removed along with water. A piece of kitchen cling wrap large enough to cover 40-60% of surface will smother all the little devils in a few hours because they surface every few minutes and will randomly come up beneath plastic and unable to find the edge sooner than later and suffocate. I set a couple of barrels in a grove of trees where tree frogs spawn and the plastic wrap is tailor made because tadpoles always hangout against side of barrel where there is no wrap covering surface. And that friends is the kind of stuff old men come up with while sitting in the shade drinking beer and whitling toys for grandkids.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

And me, I'm just out there spraying my yard with Permathrin to knock down the blood sucking bastages.

Good tip about open standing water though.

 

[oosik]

I have a ten acre lake. Five of those acres are cattails. However - no worries about mosquitos. I have a "flock" of 500 to 600 cliff swallows that nest in the rock cliff at the lake. It's been quite a while since I've seen a mosquito.

No oils, no poisons - just Mother Nature.

 

[rekees4300]

How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes: DIY and Professional Options

Get expert advice on improvements to your home, including design tips, how much you'd expect to pay for a pro and what to ask when hiring experts.

www.forbes.com

 

[oldnslo]

Neighbor has bats living in his barn and I have barn swallows. Both of these do thin the mosquito population and have never bothered us while outside. I also prefer nature over poisons.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Morning Jaxs,
Not so bad with the mosquitos yet but our black flies are pretty nasty ! They will give you a nice welt in places that you dont want !

 

[Torvy]

Good Morning Jaxs,
Not so bad with the mosquitos yet but our black flies are pretty nasty ! They will give you a nice welt in places that you dont want !

I don't think I want welts anywhere, but to each his or her own.

 

[oosik]

I have the cliff swallows by day - the little brown bats by night. The swallows will find a particular area on the lake surface where the mosquito larva are hatching. They dive and turn this area to a froth - getting at all the larvae.

 

[Oaktree]

Bat population here has dropped way off compared to what it was 10-15 years ago mostly due to some fungus or disease that affects the young. Needless to say, the mosquito population has gone up correspondingly. I do put screens over my rain barrels. Add me to list of those who prefers not to use insecticides.

 

[ponytug]

We have both barn swallows and bats, and we seem to have fewer mosquitos and flies than when used fly spray on the horses.

I love watching both bats and swallows fly. I find it fascinating.