Mosquitoes?

witzend

Well-Known Member
This little Northerner is down here trying to figure out your Southern ways, and hasn't a clue. We belong to Angie's List, and I have been getting lots of moving type help with them. Last night was a very pleasant evening, and husband and I went to sit on the deck, and the mosquitoes were thick! Angie's List has a daily special today for Mosquito Treatment. This is something we never did in the NW. Their deal is $49 for

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our trained applicators will spray the front, back and both sides of your yard creating a barrier which will deter and eliminate 85-90% of your mosquitoes guaranteed. If there is standing water in your yard our applicators are trained to larvacide those instances to further protect you and your family from mosquitoes. Make sure to call early to schedule service before the Memorial Day holiday! [/FONT]


What do you think? Is this something you do? Does it work?
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Another idea, one I love.

Go to a nursery and get a few citronella plants. They don't smell as bad as the candles, and they work better.

Also, you can get mosquito "donuts" at many hardware stores, usually you float them in standing water like a bird bath. They help a bit.

Spraying is great, however when it rains (and it will), the skeeters will come back as the spray wears off.

If you can stand insect repellent, stock up. I had some that was organic, lemon & eucalyptus and I loved the smell. So clean. Not sticky.

After a summer or two, you won't be fresh meat to them...
 

keista

New Member
Was gonna say marigolds as well. And stock up on the OFF bug spray.

I've never paid anyone to spray my yard, but the city drives through and sprays all the neighborhoods periodically - depends on conditions and budget. It helps, but doesn't eliminate anything. Don't see how spraying could eliminate for any period of time since mosquitoes FLY. If their spray lingers in the air for a long time to constantly kill the buggers, they you are also breathing the stuff. I just don't get it.
 

Tiapet

Old Hand
A tip I had found was dryer sheets, used ones. Stuff them anywhere around yourself in pockets, sleeves, etc. The pests don't like the smell of it.
 

skeeter

New Member
Just invite me over. I am the "original" mosquito magnet (hense my name on here). I can walk outside, no one will have a single bit, and I'll be covered in 5 minutes. I've tried everything.
We do have a "seep" behind our house which is where I know most of them come from. Unfortunately it's owned by the neighbor from hell and she won't let us treat it, even when we offered to pay for it.
I really want to put up bat and purple martin houses...........
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
How often are they going to spray? Just once? If they were going to spray weekly or even every other weekly maybe. Then the plants definitely. Also make sure the dogs have the frontline or advantage because they will need it. We have lots of woods outside and we use those big plants, candles and lots of insect repellent. They now sell those things you can wear on your shorts or pants that keep them away from you and they do seem to work.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
We have a company up here and I think the name is Mosquito Squad or Mosquito Guard. It's a company that comes out and treats your property for the season. My neighbors two doors up had their property treated (they have a large gold fish pond in their backyard and the mosquitos were intense) last summer and it was amazing. The folks next door said it made a difference over in their yard as well!

 

susiestar

Roll With It
Witz, please don't think I am nuts. I don't know if it is just here in OK, but it is pretty common for new people and visitors to end up with very large, irregular shaped mosquito bites. If you have ANY of these, please take benadryl IMMEDIATELY. I have had to take people to the ER for this because they insisted that mosquitoes couldn't cause a reaction that made you sick. They can and do, and some types are worse than others. Please keep benadryl on hand and take it at the first sign of lots of bites or any irregularity to the bites. A friend of mine almost didn't make it to the ER and we were only 3 blocks away when she had trouble. They had to treat her for shock and anaphylaxis and some type of other problem that was contributing to or caused by the amt of swelling she had. She was in the hospital for 2 days from mosquito bites. People stll think it can't happen and the ER here treats people every week with this in the summer.

Those mosquito dunks are awesome. For a while the neighbors had a pond that they did not maintain and it was really really bad in our yard with the bugs. I just got the dunks because I was tired of them not treating it and they worked really fast and lasted almost a month each time.

Have you seen those bug bite sticks at the store? The ones to treat the itch of mosquito bites? If you read the label, they are just ammonia and maybe a fragrance. So you can save a bunch of $$ (the sticks are $3 here this year) by getting a small spray bottle and putting ammonia in it. I tend to use half ammonia half water, but you can use full strength if you want. Just a dab on the bite stops the itch immediately.
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Welcome to the south, Witz. Have you thought about screening in part of your deck? Early evening is the worst time. We just stay inside.

On the other hand, were you here in time to see the azaleas and dogwoods bloom? I love springtime in the south.

~Kathy
 

witzend

Well-Known Member
Susie, thanks for the tip on the amonia! I always have benadryl around for the dogs, and there were definitely some fleas in the carpet and/or lawn when we moved in and they ate me alive! Well, from the shins down, anyway. I was doped up on benadryl for days! The dogs got their Frontline and heartworm medications right on time, and between that and vacuuming up and washing all the dog beds - as if I didn't have anything else to do - I've been ok since then. I did do some research about what to put into carpets that might be safe, and apparently the expensive "safe" flea powders on the market are essentially Boric Acid, which is safe to pets and humans. Boric Acid = Boraxo. Cheap, cheap, cheap! I'm going to sprinkle the carpets the next time I vacuum, and the beds will be washed with it from now on.

Katherine, I did get here in time for the Azaleas, they're beautiful! I missed the dogwoods, though. I'm seeing the magnolias in bloom now. Everything is WAY ahead of what we would see at home.

I decided to go ahead and spend the $49 on the mosquito spray. The reviews on Angie's list are good, and if it doesn't work, then I'm not out a lot of $$$ and lesson learned.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
DO IT -------------YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. For yourself and your dogs. We live near a lake and are surrounded on 4 sides by woods. We did have it done one year and it made a HUGE difference. We also planted citronells and we burn tiki torches, AND we used the OFF lanterns. We also do not skimp on the Heartguard. ALSO there is a product that I wipe on the kids when it's especially bad - (like after a rain and humidity - when they seem thickest - it's called.....brb.....PetGuard insecticide gel. I put a little on a washcloth that I use just for them - and usually wipe around face, legs, and torso.

$49.00 is a really good deal -

You can ALSO check with your county to see when they are scheduled to come and spray - they drive like they're on FIRE ------so it doesn't really seem like it helps but it does. AND the feed store sells some little ring things that we used to put in standing water that stops the larve from breeding but is okay for the dogs......can't think of what they are....or maybe it wasn't okay for the dogs and we got rid of them. Not sure I don'thave them any more.
 
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