Q on Mosquito Fogger thingies...& dunks

[LeeAnne]

Living surrounded by woods and swampy areas the mosquito problem is HORRENDOUS. Seriously, I step outside my backdoor and head toward the flower garden and whammo, they're all over me.

West Nile is the least of my worries, I just cannot stand being attacked by them. I've got a mosquito magnet going, but I think I'd need like three more in various places to make a sizeable dent (it's caught a lot, but not enough). A couple friends of mine have those backyard mosquito fogger things - usually they'll pull them out at a BBQ and make a circle of the yard parameter and I've wondered about them. I honestly don't recall how well they worked (chalk that up to drinking at a BBQ all day) ;-)

Does anybody have experience w/these? Are they using a pesticide to actually kill mosquitoes, thereby killing everything else too, or are they just spraying a fog of mosquito deterrent around? I don't like the 'kill everything' mentality, I hardly use any poisons (the occasional hornet/wasp nest on the side of the house) and I'd hate to get a fogger and kill everything living in the yard or area surrounding it.

Also, a Q on BT rings -- these only harm the mosquitoes, right? Even if a gold fish took a nibble it wouldn't hurt them?

Thank you, LeeAnne

-bitten in Boston-

[Paulo]

Have you try placing bat houses, i heard are quite effective to control them

[The Watcher]

If you think they are bad there, you should go down to the swamps of Louisiana in the warm part of the year. When I was young I forgot once and tried to go camping with some friends. We got there just before dark, started setting up the tent, and I tried starting a fire. I arranged the tinder and lit a candle, but when I put the candle under it to light it the mosquitos flocked to it so badly that they extinguished it. They were also attacking us so badly that we gave up and packed everything up. (snip)

[madgardener]

hornet/wasp

[madgardener]

[Suzie-Q]

They're pretty bad here in central Texas, too. I've had some luck with Off! Mosquito Coils (the ones you burn like incense). They last about four hours. You could put two or three out while you're gardening, surrounding yourself. Of course, they won't work if it's windy out.

Is there any reason you don't want to use a spray (or cream) on your body? They work well.

Raid Yard Guard works well, too. I don't know how it works -- if it kills insects or just repels them or just mosquitoes. If you go to alt.consumers.pest-control there are people there who could probably tell you exactly how they work.

[rosie read and post]

indeed...............i YARD GUARD before i do any picking or weeding garden areas!

[Lar]

:) :) Purple martin houses are MUCH better. They eat millions of :) skeeters................known fact Actually martins would probably be more of an ally to the mosquito since it's diet is largely made up of mosquito predators...dragon fly, damsel fly

Lar

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

[Lar]

:) Does anybody have experience w/these? Are they using a pesticide to :) actually kill mosquitoes, thereby killing everything else too, or are they :) just spraying a fog of mosquito deterrent around? I don't like the 'kill :) everything' mentality, I hardly use any poisons (the occasional hornet/wasp :) nest on the side of the house) and I'd hate to get a fogger and kill :) everything living in the yard or area surrounding it.

The foggers will be a killing agent along with a repelling trait. It may use pyrethrin which is a natural insecticide or one of the man made pyrethroids, which is a copy cat of the natural. The man made you will find probably will be permethrin which will be a bit more stable than the natural and last a few hours longer. Another option would be instead of using fog that drifts you can also a spray at stronger dosage or a different pyrethroid that will be more a longer term repellant (2-6 weeks), but you have to decide where the trade off for no chemicals or to be able to use your yard when you want to is.

The B.T. is a bacteria that will only effect the mosquito larvae in the pond.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

[Layne]

I'm originaly from Hawaii and we get mosquitos *all year round*. Everybody and their grandma use these things and they work. They don't kill, just repel and last a long time. They're green coils. Keep one or two near you while you garden and that should keep them away from you.

Layne

[dr-solo]

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[LeeAnne]

Now, that is a great idea. Tx

[LeeAnne]

yeah, they smell bad and if I am just outside doing some light putting around I don't want to have to take a shower :-)

I'll have to check that out, thanks.

[LeeAnne]

yeah, I just got it going the first weekend in June. I figure every one I catch is helpful, but I had been looking at it for weeks saying 'gotta get that thing out' and just lazed about it.

maybe next year I'll get it out in early May?