Mosquitoes and moths indoors?

[crows_32]

I am hoping someone can offer some useful *CHEAP* advice.

Quite often on hot summer nights, if someone opens the door at home for more than a split second, the house ends up literally swarming with moths and mosquitoes. Whole squadrons of these damn pests. I have read a little bit online about these insects recently, since it has become such a nuisance. I am sick and tired of going into battle time and again, armed with fly spray. I was hoping that there might be some sort of cheap simple traps that can be built for luring and killing moths and mosquitoes indoors. I am definitely not at all interested in spending big dollars on some fancy device. No chance at all. Zero. Forget it. Surely there must be something that can be rigged up to attract and trap moths and mosquitoes? Since it's an indoor problem, it doesn't need to attract insects from miles around. The thing to keep in mind is, *repelling* these moths and mosquitoes defeats the whole purpose, since they are already indoors and simply swarm about. I have read that the U.V. Light bug zappers generally do not attract mosquitoes.

[Lar]

In article , crows_32 @yahoo.com.au says... :) I am hoping someone can offer some useful *CHEAP* advice. :) :) Quite often on hot summer nights, if someone opens the door at home :) for more than a split second, the house ends up literally swarming :) with moths and mosquitoes. Whole squadrons of these damn pests. I have :) read a little bit online about these insects recently, since it has :) become such a nuisance. :) I am sick and tired of going into battle time and again, armed with :) fly spray. I was hoping that there might be some sort of cheap simple :) traps that can be built for luring and killing moths and mosquitoes :) indoors. I am definitely not at all interested in spending big dollars :) on some fancy device. No chance at all. Zero. Forget it. :) Surely there must be something that can be rigged up to attract and :) trap moths and mosquitoes? Since it's an indoor problem, it doesn't :) need to attract insects from miles around. :) The thing to keep in mind is, *repelling* these moths and mosquitoes :) defeats the whole purpose, since they are already indoors and simply :) swarm about. I have read that the U.V. Light bug zappers generally do :) not attract mosquitoes. :) If the moths are small and are always inside look for them in food products and get rid of the source. If they are nickle sized ones coming from the outdoors they are probably accumulating around the porch lights then entering around the doors. Spray a pyrethroid insecticide in areas they would accumulate, cypermethrin will be one of the better that also repels. Treat the shady spots, damp areas, shrubbery with cypermethrin to help reduce the amount of mosquitos hanging around the property.

[Cheryl Isaak]

I have a "decoy" light away from the door. I turn the porch light out and that one on. Moths head thataway and very few things follow us in.

Cheryl

[animaux]

Try turning the light off outside before entering the house. We have a similar problem, year round. We use yellow bug bulb and when we enter or exit the house, have access to turn it off for the door opening.

[fredi]

Get an electric bug racket off Ebay. It's about $10-14.

It's shapped like a small badmington racket and theres this button that you press with your thumb and you wave it on flying insects and ... adios buggos. I've never met a bug it couldn't kill or take out of commission (burns their wings and legs).

It runs of 2 AA batteries (which last pretty long) so it's not dangerous. But it's not a good idea to use it on people unless you are into S&M stuff which some people buy these rackets for btw.

[JNJ]

Two things:

1) Cedarcide. Sprayed with a hose attachment, you can spray the door and around it. Another option of the same ilk is a garlic extract based spray such as Mosquito Barrier. The former is relatively inexpensive and seems to do a decent job against skeeters -- considering it's contents it may well work on other insects as well (the packaging claims it does at least). Mosquito Barrier is highly touted however it's a bit more expensive (really only available online so shipping factors in) so I have not given it a swing.

2) The Mosquito Deleto Inhibitor. These look kind of like little lamps and they spread a sort of citrus scent about the area. They work pretty well.

In addition to the above, Cutter has a candle based repellent (candle heats a tab at the top of a lamp) that works well in a yard area and there are any of a number of other burning sticks/coils/etc. that are touted as helping. The above two are the ones that I have found most effective with my mosquito issues. I also run a Mosquito Deleto in the back yard where their breeding areas are heaviest. The Mosquito Deleto isn't too bad -- we bought ours a couple of years back for about $80 although the newer models have a few more bells and whistles coming in around $125-$150 or so.

If you have Mosquito problems as bad as you describe, then it might just be time to sock away the money for a Mosquito Magnet. The price really stinks IMHO, but one thing you can't argue is their effectiveness. I'm afraid we'll likely suck it up and buy one next summer ourselves.

Additionally, the standard/sub-standard applies -- empty standing water, find any damp spaces and sprinkle BT pellets about liberally, place mosquito dunks (also BT) in ponds and such, and so forth. If it weren't for the fact my neighbor started clearing out his swampland that adjoins my property (little 50x50 area that is low lying and just a huge bog) I was going to start tossing BT pellets over there myself.

Good luck....

James

[Emile Menier]

try spraying your yard with "Back Yard Guard" it works like a charm. you will be insect free for months.

[Tom Baker]

Now, that is a method I can agree with.

TB

[ericm1600]

Invariably, we'll find a spider who has made his way into our house. We'll either give him a friendly escort outside or to a place where a web is out of the way, such as over the doorway in our foyer. There, he can build a big web without our worrying about walking through it. It's high enough off the ground that it's of no concern to us. Big light up there, as well as a huge window. You wouldn't believe the amount of bugs caught each summer in that web alone.

I'd rather have one spider than many flying things. :)

Eric

[Salty Thumb]

crows [e-mail] wrote in news:f88273ed.0312020523.11e9eff3 @posting.google.com:

Genericly, get yourself the Australian equivalent of bat or gecko. Certain carnivorous plants may help as well. But specifically, it would help to know if there is a particular species of moth or mosquito you are targeting. Particularly, if what you are calling a mosquito is really a mosquito and not some other type(s) of biting flies (not that I really know if it makes a difference, bait-wise).

To keep insects away from the door (so they don't get in when you enter), you might want to try citronella candles. You'll probably have to burn them continously, though (my experience is they don't have immediate effect, YMMV).

he he, I guess you won't me shipping me to Au (see other message).