# HELP! Mosquitos have overtaken my yard! X-Post



## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

We just moved to our new home in September of last year. We have a big beautiful backyard. We put up a swingset for the kids and it just looks like so much fun!

However, the backyard is completely INFESTED by black and white mosquitos! You can't go outside without them landing all over you. I have looked everywhere for their source. The only standing water anywhere around is the dog bowl. I have been emptying it daily and refilling it with only a small amount of water at a time.

The mosquitos are ruining our ability to enjoy our backyard.

Any ideas? TIA


----------



## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

Also thought I would add that this is an older home built in the late 40's early 50's. Don't know if that makes a difference about the possible mosquito control though.


----------



## Abarat (Jan 22, 2007)

I don't know about getting rid of all the mosquitos....we have those black and white ones here and mosquitos are just horrible here.
But, I thought I might post an idea about a repellant. We spend a lot of time gardening and such in the evenings and have been using a homemade bug repellant (works for the gnats too! yay!) that's even safe for our young son. It's oil based so it doesn't wear off easily.
I use grapeseed oil for my carrier and use a spray bottle to apply it. It'll spray more of a stream since it's oil, but still works well.
I eyeball everything but here's an estimate of what I use. For about every cup and a half of grapeseed oil I use about 25 drops of citronella eo, 20 drops of cedar eo, 10 drops lemon grass eo, 10 drops tea tree eo, 10 drops eucalyptus eo.
Here's an article about making your own bug repellant too, it might help.
http://tinyurl.com/2jk4bs


----------



## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

Thank you! I am going to make some of that up! I was dreading the thought of spraying off or some similar product on my babies.


----------



## CariOfOz (Jun 30, 2005)

I live in semi tropical australia and I can totally empathize.. our backyard is unbearable with them sometimes. And since we're in total drought, there is NO standing water... heck, there's just no water full stop! Our answer has been these great sandalwood insect repellent sticks.. you burn them like incense and they stick in the ground. If the mozzies are being a pain I'll go light a couple and stick them in places like under the slide where the kids won't knock them over.. or right next to the fence. I also put them around the perimeter of the patio in the evening if we want to go out.. and after giving them about 15mins it's safe to go out! Good luck battling the evil critters!


----------



## jocelyndale (Aug 28, 2006)

Are you talking about asian tiger mosquitoes--the blue/white/black striped ones? Those things are vicious and they're out during the day. I haven't found *anything* which works on the ones in my area and they can breed in a droplet of water.

Our local natural home store sells a mosquito yard treatment which is mostly garlic juice, along with some EOs like citronella. I've never tried it.

I'm allergic to asian tiger mosquitoes, so I tend to do my gardening during downpours and on super windy days. If I have to go out on nice days, I wear a full-length tulle veil (hey, I have one and it's easier than buying a mosquito suit).


----------



## JanB (Mar 4, 2004)

Have you considered a bat habitat? I think you can find instructions on the Internet for building one, and I've actually seen them for sale at a local department store. I've heard some people swear by bats for mosquito control.


----------



## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jocelyndale* 
Are you talking about asian tiger mosquitoes--the blue/white/black striped ones? Those things are vicious and they're out during the day. I haven't found *anything* which works on the ones in my area and they can breed in a droplet of water.

Oh THANKIE! I had no idea what they were called. I just googled Asian Tiger Mosquitos. Those are exactly what are in my backyard!







:

I was eaten alive today! I have hard knots coming up all over my arms. One even bit me through my shirt!

I wouldn't be so worried if we weren't in an area with such high rates of West Nile Encephalitis. There were 2 reported cases, one which ended in death, on the street directly behind ours last year.









I think I am going to look for the repellant sticks, and I am going to find out how to entice bats into my backyard. I wouldn't mind having some bats around.


----------



## LoveMyLil'B (Dec 19, 2004)

We just got one of those propane Skeeter Vacs for the backyard. It was expensive, but totally worth it if we can play outside without getting eaten alive. We've had it for about 3 weeks, and I haven't seen any mosquitoes yet, but there are some in the trap.
I think it attracts the females and they die, thus getting rid of the population. You have to have it for about a month before it really controls the population.

Those tiger mosquitoes are bad. I don't think they even need standing water, they can hatch anywhere it seems.


----------



## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

We got one of those propane things at the end of last summer, too. Hopefully having it going when they first start hatching out will make a difference. If you have Asian Tiger mosquitoes, make sure to get the special attractant for them. We caught a lot more after we added that. Like I said, we didn't get ours going until the end of the summer so I can't say whether it really will do the trick.

We just didn't wear shorts or sandals much if we were going to be outside at home. It wasn't so bad if we went to a playground or someplace with less overgrown plant life. Our yard is pretty woodsy.


----------



## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CalenandEllasmomma* 
I wouldn't be so worried if we weren't in an area with such high rates of West Nile Encephalitis. There were 2 reported cases, one which ended in death, on the street directly behind ours last year.









My take is that people with compromised immunity might have a problem but the average healthy person will not. We've had West Nile around here for at least a few years now. Many people must have been infected by it and had little to no symptoms. It's one of those things that you can't prevent. I always come in with bites no matter how careful I am!


----------



## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

If you can stand some poultry--geese, chickens, ducks-- (and get away with it in your neighborhood)...they will eat any and all bugs they can find. Geese can get kind of mean, though, so you may not want them around your children.


----------



## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

Bats can carry rabies. Just keep that in mind.


----------



## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *A&A* 
Bats can carry rabies. Just keep that in mind.

So can squirrels....


----------



## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

My DS is immunocompromised. That is why I am worried about West Nile.


----------



## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CalenandEllasmomma* 
My DS is immunocompromised. That is why I am worried about West Nile.

Got it.

I'd take a many pointed approach. Dress the kids in long clothes, use repellant of some kind, try to go out on windy days instead of still ones, avoid stationary outdoor activity (like sitting in a sandbox), cut back as much foliage as possible, keep the lawn short, get a propane fueled mosquito trap if financially feasible. I'm going to check out that spray at Home Depot next time I go and see what's in it besides garlic and pepper.

I used to encourage ds to hold his breath and run away if he had mosquitos hovering, since they find you by following the carbon dioxide from your breath. They are wicked though because they don't hum and you don't know you've been bit until after the fact. They also seem to bite multiple times.


----------



## Marvelleaux (Oct 2, 2006)

Has anyone tried American Beautyberry bush leaves as mosquito repellent? I'm thinking of planting the entire perimeter of our backyard in them--If they work, of course







.


----------



## Cherry Alive (Mar 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *4evermom* 
So can squirrels....

Rodents rarely to never carry rabies (this is even true of rats). The same is true of opossums and rabbits for some odd reason (not that they can't have other dangerous diseases).

Skunks, foxes, deer, raccoons and bats are more often infected.

Bats are a problem, because they live in such dense populations that they are more likely to catch it than more solitary animals. I've heard it's very contagious with racoons too, but I'm not sure why.

A set of my parents live in Frederick, MD. It has one of the highest incidents of rabies in the US. For a while it'd seem like my stepmom would find about 3 sick bats in the backyard or in the pool (bats love to drink from it) every summer, and they'd always test positive for rabies. My stepmom loves bats and she'd have a bat house, but she worries it will attract even more sick ones.


----------

