Posted: 7/2/2013 5:57:00 PM EDT
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Hey all,
I saw how the hive mind worked for Chef Morris with grasshopper control, and wanted to ask for help on mosquitos at my in-laws place. They live on a small pond/lake, that gets treated with larvicide monthly, but the mosquitos are pretty bad. They use the lake water for their lawn irrigation, and I suspect that may have something to do with it. Plus, since the water is free, they water daily. They have a ton of bats, which have become pests in their attic, and we have been working to eradicate them as well (and seal up all of the offending openings in the process). I have seen the hose attachment Adulticide and the fogger machines at places like Home Depot, but I want to know what actually works, and for how long. The bats aren't keeping up, and I'm not going to fart around with other "natural remedies." What kind of scorched earth campaigns should I try? Thanks in advance, Rob |
| I use the Bitefighter Fuel in my tiki torches in the back. The school in back of me waters there field from the irrigation canal and it floods the field for days. Although this torch fuel does not kill the mosquitoes, it really does keep them away and make it tolerable when outside. |
| Put up a bat house to help the bats migrate out of your attic and thrive. If you have a place where it's better for them to roost then they will go there and leave your attic alone. Trying to eradicate them is counterproductive--doesn't eliminate them but does harm their efforts to eat the bugs and reduces the number of them working towards solving your problem. The bats will be enough if you help them rather than wanting to get rid of them, and unlike the sprays and foggers they'll keep working for free. The universities of Florida and Texas have people who work with bats as insect control, so give them a call. |
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If you want a cheap solution, go to a hardware store and find a bottle of backyard bug control and give it a shot. Off and Cutter both make them and they work! They keep the mosquitoes from landing in the grass and in turn, you won't kick them up when you walk around. In my experience it works for about 4 weeks on average but that can change based on the weather.
Here are links to what to look for: Cutter Off Edit for myself because I'm a grammar nazi. |
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The govt used to spray a very light coating of diesel fuel on the water via an aircraft , It smothers the eggs and breaks the reproductive cycle. Diesel is probably not PC now but some other type of oil coating that would suffocate the eggs / larvae is likely being used. Bats are way cool to watch eating the blood suckers, but as you have discovered, they cannot get them all. The diesel thing was a weekly occurrence until they achieved control.
Contact your county vector control for some updated suggestions. |
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I have a Flowtron BK80D light that I purchased last summer.
It is absolutely amazing. I have a .25 acre and a 2 acre pond about 100 yards from my back porch. The light attracts/distracts anything coming my way. I only have it mounted on a shepherds hook in the yard about 10 yards off my deck. I have had less than a handful of bites this year, whereas a few years ago I could not even sit on the deck. It literally leaves piles of dead bugs on the ground and you can hear it zapping them every second. For under $80 (at amazon) you can't beat it. |
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Quoted: I have a Flowtron BK80D light that I purchased last summer. It is absolutely amazing. I have a .25 acre and a 2 acre pond about 100 yards from my back porch. The light attracts/distracts anything coming my way. I only have it mounted on a shepherds hook in the yard about 10 yards off my deck. I have had less than a handful of bites this year, whereas a few years ago I could not even sit on the deck. It literally leaves piles of dead bugs on the ground and you can hear it zapping them every second. For under $80 (at amazon) you can't beat it. Ok I'm really interested in this. I don't get bit much but our 3 year old daughter is fair skinned and the mosquitoes flock to her in our 1/2 acre yard. So what does the Flowtron do that is different from the $25 bug lights that you buy at Walmart? It looks just like it. I'm interested in this if it works! |
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Quoted:
What's living in the lake? Any way to aerate the lake? How about some goldfish (feeders cost very little) to eat the mosquitoes? Are you sure the lake is the source? Maybe there's standing water somewhere else (old tires and yard junk, non-draining gutters, etc.) +1 Mosquitoes will avoid laying eggs in water that contains fish. There is usually some standing water somewhere. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
What's living in the lake? Any way to aerate the lake? How about some goldfish (feeders cost very little) to eat the mosquitoes? Are you sure the lake is the source? Maybe there's standing water somewhere else (old tires and yard junk, non-draining gutters, etc.) +1 Mosquitoes will avoid laying eggs in water that contains fish. There is usually some standing water somewhere. they water the lawn every day. The standing water is in the lawn. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
I have a Flowtron BK80D light that I purchased last summer. It is absolutely amazing. I have a .25 acre and a 2 acre pond about 100 yards from my back porch. The light attracts/distracts anything coming my way. I only have it mounted on a shepherds hook in the yard about 10 yards off my deck. I have had less than a handful of bites this year, whereas a few years ago I could not even sit on the deck. It literally leaves piles of dead bugs on the ground and you can hear it zapping them every second. For under $80 (at amazon) you can't beat it. Ok I'm really interested in this. I don't get bit much but our 3 year old daughter is fair skinned and the mosquitoes flock to her in our 1/2 acre yard. So what does the Flowtron do that is different from the $25 bug lights that you buy at Walmart? It looks just like it. I'm interested in this if it works! Just get it. Trust me it works. I'll try to upload one of my videos soon. |
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Just please don't use the foggers purchasable at most hardware stores. The commercials years ago with the mom walking around fogging the perimeter of her back yard made it look so cool. But what most people don't know is how insanely toxic that chemical is to most everything else in nature. Its like pure cancer for birds, worms, frogs, many beneficial bugs like lady bugs etc.
Google it. Nasty stuff. I wouldn't want that in my back yard. |
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Sorry for the late response, just got back into town from the holiday weekend.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all of the varied and thoughtful responses. I would have to agree with tveddy that the reason for the mosquitoes is because of how often the lawn is watered an insane amount. The lake/pond is pretty large, with a ton of bluegill, bass, and crappie, with a few pike in there to keep things interesting (and to break my line!). The lake is fairly large (about 20 suburban lots surround it), and there can be a good chop on the water when the wind picks up. It is part of a larger river system, so I don't think it's stagnant. With regards to the bats, a bat house would be a great idea.... if it wasn't specifically prohibited by the HOA. So that's a no-go. I believe it's the same story for the Flowtron BK80-D. My folks have one at their cottage, and it is sumpremely fun to just sit out with a beer and listen to the zaps. Under different circumstances, the Flowtron would already have a UPS tracking number to my house. The Cutter product looks to be pretty effective, so I'll be looking into that. So long as the neighbors don't join in with spraying, the bats will have plenty to feast upon. I'm not too worried about them going hungry. I'll give the "better living through chemistry" a shot. Thanks again for all of your help. |