Getting rid of mosquitos

Anyone come across any effective techniques for getting rid of or controlling mosquitos?

They sell a product called the "Mosquito Magnet" here, and prices range from $200 to $600, depending on model. If you Google "Mosquito Magnet Reviews" you'll find several websites with comments from current and former owners of these machines.

Apparantly, all of these machines work the same; they all burn propane to produce CO2 and H20. That's because mosquitos are attracted to the CO2 we exhale. The CO2 attracts the mosquitos, and then a vaccuum cleaner (basically) sucks them into a trap.

I guess a sure fire way to control the flying insects in your neighborhood would be to buy a bat house and mount it high up on a pole or on your property somewhere. There's not too many things that can control the population of flying insects in an area as effectively as a family of bats. And, they do it at night when it doesn't bother anyone.

I say "buy" a bat house because bats are very choosy on where they nest. A properly designed and built bat house will be sure to attract bats who want to nest. If it's not properly designed or built, the bats won't want to live in it, and it'd be a waste of money.

Thanks for the info Nestor. I will look into the mosquito magnet. I do know about the bats but I think the mosquitos out number the bats 1,000,000 to 1. Reminds me of the time we visited the Volo nature area in Volo Illinois. They have the largest bat population in the midwest and they all live in a old barn attic. Just after sunset they start flying out. First just a few , then more then they start pouring out like a thick black cloud. It's amazing to watch, but as we were sitting there in awe watching this we were also swating just as many mosquitos. So I come to the conculsion that even after the bats get their fill there are still a 100,000,000 left.

I guess if there were any good ways to prevent mosquitos biting, that information would spread like wildfire and would quickly become common knowledge.

As it stands now, about the only method proven effective is to slather DEET all over all your exposed skin, and I don't consider that to be a very good solution. It's just the only effective solution, unless you're staying in one place and can use a stationary mosquito trap like a Mosquito Magnet or one of it's competitors.

Dragon flies eat mosquitos. Ever thought of raising dragon flies as a hobby? (The problem is that male dragonflies are territorial and won't live in close proximity to other male dragonflies. So, that precludes raising lots of them. Still, having a few dragon flies around would put the fear of God into the mosquitos.)

http://www.dragonfly-site.com/

To help control mosquitoes make sure you remove any standing water where they can breed. An old tire laying around, trays under flower pots, gutters that hold water, bird baths, you get the idea. And when you get all your yard free of standing water your neighbor next door will be the source of the breeding grounds.

Mosquitoes and chiggers, thats the mystery of the universe I'd like solved.

I use citronella , and lots of it. I was at my inlaws this weekend and they have the citronella candles as opposed to torches. It seemed to work equally as well. It won't get rid of all of them, just most of them. I've also read having a diet rich in garlic helps.

Making sure no sewage water accumulates around your residence is more than enough to prevent the spread of mosquitoes,,

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Termite treatment

"Mosquitoes and chiggers, thats the mystery of the universe I'd like solved."

I have changed my thinking about mosquito's and other flying insects.
Now I don't want anyone to think that I'm an extreme greeney or whatever BUT..

I have been working for most of the summer about 20 miles out of the city in Alberta's farmland. Wheat, Barley, Mustard and I think Flax field have surrounded me. Absolutely amazing to watch these crops grow up out of black topsoil and change the landscape into unblemished green and yellow carpets. Near where I have been working there are sloughs and farmers dugouts filled with water. We had a very wet summer.
I went prepared with bug lotion expecting to battle the bugs, especially mosquito's. There are none! Not a one!
The farmers around that area spray to keep bugs out of their crops. Not only are there no bugs flying around, there's no birds either. I guess with no bugs, you get no birds.
On the highway there are flatbed trucks ferrying bee houses around. To pollinate the crops I guess.
After working out there most of the summer, I miss those pesky mosquito's and especially those things like birds that go with them.
Forgive these prattelings of an old geezer. Imagine missing skeeters.

edh said:

After working out there most of the summer, I miss those pesky mosquito's and especially those things like birds that go with them.
Forgive these prattelings of an old geezer. Imagine missing skeeters.

Click to expand...

edh, please forward your address, I'd be happy to have a mosqutio round up and ship all them pesky little critters your way.

Very nice. The Mosquito Magnet looks great!

@oldog/newtrick lol too funny! I would love to send edh our mosquitos here.

Alright guys, I need something that works that's not going to cost me my shirt.

Suggestions? I've used most citronella products, they seem to be limited in their ability.

Austin said:

Alright guys, I need something that works that's not going to cost me my shirt.

Suggestions? I've used most citronella products, they seem to be limited in their ability.

Click to expand...

The price you pay for bragging about warm weather!:banana:

And now that you have finally decided to share a little warm weather with us in the midwest, you sent rain with it so we will have puddles and mosquitos as well!

I dont know if this is works but its floating around facebook, were expecting 2-4" of snow tomorrow so I cant say I'm going o use it soon but I am going to try it out:

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:
Items needed:
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
1 2-liter bottle

HOW:
1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Looks interesting.

drewdin said:

I dont know if this is works but its floating around facebook, were expecting 2-4" of snow tomorrow so I cant say I'm going o use it soon but I am going to try it out:

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:
Items needed:
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
1 2-liter bottle

HOW:
1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Click to expand...

I'm going to give this a try and will report back.

drewdin said:

I dont know if this is works but its floating around facebook, were expecting 2-4" of snow tomorrow so I cant say I'm going o use it soon but I am going to try it out:

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:
Items needed:
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
1 2-liter bottle

HOW:
1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Click to expand...

I used a smaller version in a standard 16 ounce coke bottle. The instructions were followed otherwise and it didn't attract a thing. With the amount of sugar in it I figured other bugs would make there way in but nope.

I will try a larger bottle, but so far this thing doesn't work.

Austin said:

I used a smaller version in a standard 16 ounce coke bottle. The instructions were followed otherwise and it didn't attract a thing. With the amount of sugar in it I figured other bugs would make there way in but nope.

I will try a larger bottle, but so far this thing doesn't work.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the update, I planned on doing it too, but not for a few weeks. Let me know how the bigger one works and I'll update after i try it out

Will do. I'm going to be trying all types of products over the summer to find out what works.