Mosquitoes

[Dwamon]

Friends,

 

Please tell me your industrial strength methods to keep mosquitoes and other bugs at bay when it’s at night. Lighting a bug candle isn’t doing it.

 

Curious to see what tried and true methods are out there.

 

Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bijan]

It seems there are bug zappers specifically designed to attract mosquitoes (via methods other than light:

https://thanoshome.com/do-bug-zappers-kill-mosquitoes/

"Use Electronic Bug Zappers/Killers

These devices are designed to kill mosquitoes by attracting them with fans, UV lights, and octenol lures

 

When mosquitoes fly into the device, they get electrocuted by wire grids with high voltage. Electronic bug killers can serve areas as large as an acre and a half acres. They work best when plugged in 25 feet away from areas of high human activity.".ty.

[Shrimpchips]

We’ve been using thermacell repellents.  Work well, but it has to be a completely windless night or else it disperses too much and they don’t work well.  
 

FWIW, lighting up a good cigar seems to be just as good.

[cigcars]

       *Just smear yourself with AVON Skin-So-Soft bath oil. It just has properties in it to where NO bugs will bite you - be it Bedbugs, Skeeters, other blood suckers - NUTHIN'.  And it works so flawlessly well that we all out here know instinctively not to broadcast it too much.  Corporate organizations will jump it; cheapen it; spread it in a more weakened state...and then charge Boo-Coo more to provide the original strength solution to us again.  Reminds me of General Cigar *

[Fuzz AI]

4 hours ago, cigcars said:

       *Just smear yourself with AVON Skin-So-Soft bath oil. It just has properties in it to where NO bugs will bite you - be it Bedbugs, Skeeters, other blood suckers - NUTHIN'.  And it works so flawlessly well that we all out here know instinctively not to broadcast it too much.  Corporate organizations will jump it; cheapen it; spread it in a more weakened state...and then charge Boo-Coo more to provide the original strength solution to us again.  Reminds me of General Cigar *

It's the jojoba oil in the product that repels the mosquitos.

[Chibearsv]

I just use a fan or two to create a breeze.  Mosquitos are terrible at flying in the wind so it works pretty well to keep them away.  That and plenty of cigar smoke.  Bug candles are useless, citronella candle smell ruins my cigar experience and are useless, and I'm not schmearing myself with baby powder smelling perfume.

[Squarehead]

8 hours ago, Bijan said:

It seems there are bug zappers specifically designed to attract mosquitoes (via methods other than light:

https://thanoshome.com/do-bug-zappers-kill-mosquitoes/

"Use Electronic Bug Zappers/Killers

These devices are designed to kill mosquitoes by attracting them with fans, UV lights, and octenol lures

 

When mosquitoes fly into the device, they get electrocuted by wire grids with high voltage. Electronic bug killers can serve areas as large as an acre and a half acres. They work best when plugged in 25 feet away from areas of high human activity.".ty.

The problem with those zappers is that the attract the mosquitoes from all over the neighborhood and some of them will find you

[Pinkbottles]

I have a couple citronella plants in pots by my porch as well as some mint. It’s been working pretty well. I think since the smell is always there they migrate away to the neighbors yard. I’m told if I add some lemongrass I’ll have the trifecta of bug repellent plants. I’ve tried every chemical I can find. Skeeters are actually not my biggest problem. It’s the gnats and no-see-ums that kill me. You can spray for skeeters but not for the other two

[Gansett13]

19 hours ago, Shrimpchips said:

We’ve been using thermacell repellents.  Work well, but it has to be a completely windless night or else it disperses too much and they don’t work well.  
 

FWIW, lighting up a good cigar seems to be just as good.

Second this, it’s a great product on a calm night.

[westg]

Their is no better mosquito repellent on this planet that is effective as cigar smoke. Fact ! 

[mrmessy]

I mist/fog bifenthrin and pyrethrin every three weeks. Bifenthrin for the long lasting control and the pyrethrin for the immediate knock down.

I also put a bowl of water with mosquito bits/dunks on the edge of my yard as a honey trap. Could do that with any other attracting bug killer as well.



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[riderpride]

Stay away from sugary bevvies (cocktails) as it attracts them and use odorless garlic pills as has been recommended by Cuban doctors as a deterrent. 

Long pants in light colours too.

Cheers

 

[RedLantern]

Live in a west coast city, no bugs to speak of

[clickbangdoh]

DEET is your friend. It's a little annoying to have to apply, but it is the one thing that is relatively fool proof. There are some botanical repellents that work almost as well, but in my experience they don't provide protection for quite as long. For "area" protection, the Off lanterns also work well (assuming no wind) and I've heard good things about Thermocell devices too, but they are pricier options as well, a can of DEET lasts much longer. Citronella candles provide zero protection (maybe Florida mosquitos just ignore them, I dunno, they just stink up the area for no benefit).

For the record, live in Florida, smoke outdoors exclusively, mosquitos looooove me, so have some experience here.

[Jack]

If you really want to go crazy there are consumer level propane based devices.  These were originally developed for the U.S. military (if I remember correctly) to help clear remote areas of large mosquito populations.  I believe they require an electrical connection (and propane tank.)  The pricing kept me away.  They basically simulate a person exhaling and then vacuum in the bugs as they fly close.  For all biting insects.

One brand: https://www.mosquitomagnet.com/

The next one is something new I'm interested in trying and they are available inexpensively on amazon.  I read a short article that interviewed the inventor (he has something like 50 years of mosquito research under his belt) and it sounded like he may have come up with something cheap and easy.

https://www.inzecto.com/inzecto-mosquito-trap-usa

[Fugu]

Second the DEET suggestion. If you’re looking for some repellent to spray on, look no further than products based on DEET (orig. developed for use in the US-Army during WW2). There are some Pro-formulations in the market with >50% active agent, sans perfume. (Nothing more annoying than those added needless odorants). Works for me (mosquitoes, midges, tics), use it professionally since ages. The smell of the pure formula (usually in ethanol which evaporates soon) is tolerable. Normally, I wouldn’t need it at home, when smoking in the garden. But might be worth a trial in your setting.

Though that baby oil-option of Janet’s sounds enticing, too. 😄

Hint: I wouldn’t use higher concentrations than 50 percent DEET. Even lower (20-30) might work in your case, since the concentration, and as such the amount applied, acts mainly on the duration of the protective effect. So, for a Double Corona or two it might just be fine, while keeping residual odour to a minimum.

Other than that keep rain water tanks and other potential mosquito hatching grounds on the property covered.

I would strongly advise against using pyrethroids (Pyrethrin, Bifenthrin). Doesn’t work against mosquitoes (well, it kills them but outdoors the next bug will stand in line to follow), kills non-specifically all insects, and has strong detrimental effects on aquatic life.

[El Presidente]

Hi concentration DEET is the only thing that works in some parts here. A swarm of midgies on the mud flats can pick a carcas clean. 

[BrightonCorgi]

There's a mosquito spray that connects to a garden hose.  Sold under many brands.  You spray the grass and mosquitos take off.  Do this during the day, and you'll have a mosquito free evening around the house and yard.  It's the same thing lawn services spray, but you can do it yourself for like next to nothing.  Heavy rains will wash it away, but can be applied again very easily.  Just sprayed the back yard yesterday for the first time this season.

[jakebarnes]

16 hours ago, Pinkbottles said:

I have a couple citronella plants in pots by my porch as well as some mint. It’s been working pretty well. I think since the smell is always there they migrate away to the neighbors yard. I’m told if I add some lemongrass I’ll have the trifecta of bug repellent plants. I’ve tried every chemical I can find. Skeeters are actually not my biggest problem. It’s the gnats and no-see-ums that kill me. You can spray for skeeters but not for the other two

I also use the citronella and mint plants. It works well. 

[Fuzz AI]

The mosquitoes get pretty bad in Aus in the summer....

[BlueRidgeFly]

As mentioned, for your skin, DEET. 100% concentration preferably. Keep it away from nylon though. I've tried everything else. Some things work for a little while, but most don't do squat in the humid summer East Coast US evenings.

Cigar smoke + fan seems to work well to keep the bugs from targeting me here.

[Frinkiac7]

When sitting outdoors I have used those light-able spiral things that blow the toxic smoke around. Seem to be better than nothing although not super effective.

A work colleague swears by buying a ton of praying mantis eggs every spring and letting them take over his yard -- claims they are not really a nuisance and apparently keep the mosquitoes at bay. I have never bothered to try this but he seemed very convinced.

[Greenhorn2]

Mosquitoes rarely ever bother me. Told the wife(they love her) if she worked and sweated all day like me and had a cloud of funk floating around you, the skeeters will run from you.

[Chibearsv]

2 hours ago, Frinkiac7 said:

A work colleague swears by buying a ton of praying mantis eggs every spring and letting them take over his yard -- claims they are not really a nuisance and apparently keep the mosquitoes at bay. I have never bothered to try this but he seemed very convinced.

I've got a friend that did this with the intent of killing Asian lady beetles in his garden (fail).  If you call having a 4 inch long bug land on you fairly regularly while trying to relax outside, then yeah, no nuisance at all.  Plus, I don't think a praying mantis bothers with eating mosquitos.  They are pretty cool critters though.

[KCCubano]

On all of my Canadian and Arctic Circle fishing trips we use DEET and occasional bug jacket. Still a few yrs ago I had a scar on my hip for months. They grow em big above Arctic Circle.