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Understanding more about mosquitoes now may help prevent their reproduction, repel their bites, and eliminate many of the bloodsucking population in your yard and garden next year.
Drought Mitigation Plan
After a few consecutive summer droughts, I wanted to remedy the lack of water for my yard and garden, and save money on our county water bill. We built two rain water collection and storage barrel systems, and various small pond and fountain projects. We had a potential water capacity of nearly 600 gallons. I was so intent on collecting every raindrop possible, that I positioned empty buckets under each rain barrel overflow. I planned to use the bucket water first, probably in a day's time, before tapping into the precious water collection systems.
I had received some azolla (Azolla caroliniana), also known as Carolina Mosquito Fern (accompanied by duckweed), a floating water plant to cover the surface of the little ponds to prevent mosquito larvae growth, and to use as liquid fertilizer from the spent plants. All I needed was one good rain!
The rains finally came and stayed a few days. Every barrel and bucket was full to overflowing. The yard and garden were saturated, the weather was cool and overcast, and no watering was needed for a week or more. Most of the azolla died. I soon discovered mosquito larvae in everything, including the inside of the rain barrel systems, because we had forgotten to place screens in the overflows as planned! Thus started our summer-long battle with the menacing bloodsucking skeeters.
Mosquito Mitigation
We quickly corrected our overflow screen blunder, and sealed the entire water system to prevent mosquitoes from entering, or leaving. What was left of the azolla could not grow quickly enough to cover the ponds at this point. I needed fish in the small ponds to eat the mosquito larvae before the adults emerged from the water! Our local pet store took two weeks to furnish healthy goldfish (they had been sick). By the time the fish were in place, it was too late. We had no idea the life cycle of a mosquito was so fast!
We added aeration stones in the ponds for the goldfish, and learned the turbulence created by the bubbles would have been all that was needed to prevent mosquito egg deposits, and to kill existing larvae. We planted lemon balm, catnip, and anise hyssop around our patio to discourage aerial attacks during cookouts. We inverted any potential water-holding yard items, like the wheelbarrow, pots, and the overflow buckets. We placed clay pot houses in shady nooks, and feeders of seed to encourage toad and bird participation in our mosquito mitigation effort.
We are still getting eaten alive by mosquitoes during the early morning and evening hours, but with the cooler fall weather, we thought our mosquito mess would soon be over. After searching the Internet to prepare for next year, I learned that mosquitoes hibernate, or have a built-in antifreeze system, and the eggs can survive up to five years before hatching. Our bug battle was not over. They would be waiting for us in just a few months, starved for blood!
With mosquitoes spreading viruses and diseases like West Nile, yellow fever, dengue, malaria, encephalitis, and heart worm and equine encephalitis (in our pets), communities have spent much money on research to devise methods to mitigate mosquito populations in their towns. The more we know, the better we can protect ourselves, and reduce the numbers of bloodsuckers in future growing seasons!
Mosquito FAQ
Species:
Mosquito means "little fly" in Spanish; they are in the Culicidae family of insects; 2,700 different species known, with 50 not responding to insecticides; the species has survived since the Jurrasic Period.[1]
Aedes aegypti biting human.jpg. Public Domain Mosquito_larva.jpg. Public Domain
Habitat:
They need still waters for three, out of the four, stages of their life cycle.
Food:
They need nectar from flowers to live, only the females need protein (blood meal) to form eggs. Larvae eat microorganisims in the water.
What attracts them:
From 100 feet away, mosquitoes can sense movement; warmth, they use infrared; and can sense chemicals from sweat, and the carbon dioxide from our breath. They are attracted to dark colors, fair-haired/skinned people (prefer ovulating women), and they are more active during a full moon.[2]
Traits:
Females are larger than males, make the high-pitched buzzing noise to attract males, and are the ones that bite to suck blood. They can travel 40 miles to feed, at speeds of 1-1/2 mph, and up to 40 feet in the air.[2] They are active until first frost in cooler climate zones.
Life cycle:
Female lay eggs in stagnant quiet (still) water–Larvae hatch from the eggs (wigglers)–Develop into pupa (tumblers)–Adult mosquitoes emerge from the pupa.
Males live only a few days after mating. Females can live a few weeks or through the winter by hibernating in moist leaves and in the ground (their bodies carry a substance like antifreeze).
The complete life cycle of a mosquito, from egg to adult, can be as little as two weeks![3]
National Geographic: The Mosquito (www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjV0JpIAH78)
Next Year
I learned the hard way how quickly a mosquito infestation can start, and that the methods to mitigate the damage may take more than a season to correct. If you are doing all that you can do to keep mosquitoes at bay on your property, but still have a problem, you might enlist the help of neighbors to see if more can be done to control their population and reproduction in your neighborhood.
Please refer to the sidebar for additional information on plants, predators, and methods to deter the menacing mosquitoes in your yard, and other Dave's Garden articles in the green box below.
Endnotes: [1] "Mosquito Bytes". Whyfiles.org. 22 Aug 2002. http://whyfiles.org/016skeeter/. 06 Oct 2008. [2] HubPages: Mosquito FAQ. http://hubpages.com/hub/Mosquito-Facts. 06 Oct 2008. [3] Rutgers University. New Jersey Mosquito Control Association, Inc (NJMCA). http://www-rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/mosfaq.htm. 06 Oct 2008. [4] "Bats Eat Mosquitoes . . .". Hendry Co Horticultural News. University of Florida, Cooperative Ext. Serv. http://hendry.ifas.ufl.edu/HCHortNews_Bats.htm. 06 Oct 2008. [5] "Mosquito Hawks". Amosquito.com. http://www.a-mosquito.com/mosquito-hawk.php. 08 Oct 2008. [6] Anne Bond. "Safe Mosquito Control". 14 May 1999. Care2.com. http://www.care2.com/greenliving/safe-mosquito-control.html. 08 Oct 2008. [7] Genetics and Molecular Biology. 2003. SciELO Brasil. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1415-47572003000400004&lng=pt&nrm=iso. 08 Oct 2008.
MOSQUITO CONTROL TECHNIQUES
Prevention:
Improve drainage in areas harboring pools of water.
Remove debris in gutters for proper drainage.
Invert glazed, or plastic pots, and other containers.
Use screens at entrance and exits of rain barrels.
Shred fallen leaves so they can't hold water.
Mosquito Predators:
Toads eat nearly 100 skeeters per night.
Fish that eat mosquito larvae.
Bats eat 600 skeeters & gnats per hour.[4]
Dragonflies and damselflies enjoy buzzing skeeter buffets.[5]
Provide shallow draining water sources for beneficial insects, and birds, that eat mosquitoes. Replenish with fresh water as needed.
On Water Sources:
Create turbulence using:
Sprayers
Aerators
Drippers
Agitators
Floating plants help cover surface area, like azolla.
Surface oils prevent larvae from breathing properly.
Biological controls are being experimented with.[1]
The caffeine in coffee grounds has had encouraging testing results.[7]
In the Air:
Create turbulence with fans, both indoors and out.
Mosquito traps that emit heat, light, & CO2.
Citronella emitting candles, incense, and torches can help.
Bug zappers kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes.[2]
On the Ground:
Plants & herbs for the yard:
Lemon balm
Wild hyssop
Garlic
Onions
Basil
Geranium
Feverfew
Catnip
Marigolds
Rosemary
and many others.
For the body:
Some of the same plants & herbs for the yard can be made into repellent lotions and sprays.[6]
Lavender
Mint herbs
Lemon-scented herbs
Bug repellents containing DEET
DO NOT use fruity, flowery, or sweet smelling products on the body while working outdoors, you'll ATTRACT mosquitoes and other insects!
Article Photo Credits:
Wiki Commons: "Culex sp larvae.png". PLoS. Creative Commons Attribute 2.5 Public Domain images as cited. All other photos belong to the author.
Related Video Links:
On YouTube: National Geographic: The Mosquito (displayed above)
I was a serious organic gardener and composter 30 years ago, then my life took me in a new direction with kids and career. I am just now returning to gardening and learning new techniques, and loving every minute of it. I hope to share my experiences with you from my shady yard.
Posted by stapeliad (from Lodi, CA) on November 5, 2008 at 12:31 PM:
Gambusia affinis is commonly known as the mosquitofish and is stocked into waters around the world as a bio control of mosquito larvae.
If you fill a large trash can with water, and add mosquitofish, you will reduce the population of adult mosquitoes, since the larvae all get eaten from those mosquitoes that breed in your trash can.
I have used this method in both central Florida and California's Central Valley. You don't even have to feed the fish, just add a little water periodically to replace that lost by evaporation. If you are in an area with chlorine or chloramine in your tap water, you should use rainwater, or treat the water sodium thiosulphate (found in pet stores for aquariums), or let the water stand for several days before adding fish.
Mosquitofish are found in nearly every state in the U.S., though like any introduced species may pose an ecological risk when introduced into a new environment. [HYPERLINK@www.iisgcp.org]
They are illegal to transport in Australia.
You can generally find mosquitofish in nearby ponds, lakes, rivers, and drainage ditches.
They are easy to capture with a larger size aquarium net.
If you use this mosquito control technique, please take appropriate steps to ensure that your mosquitofish are not released into other waters.
Good luck.
...
Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on November 5, 2008 at 2:01 PM:
stapeliad, Thanks for the information!
Bev
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Subject: Nice article
Posted by palmbob (from Tarzana, CA) on October 17, 2008 at 12:32 AM:
this article is excellently organized, illustrated and written. Easy to read and get information from. Wish I could use the editor tools that well. Good job!!
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 17, 2008 at 12:50 AM:
Well thank you very much palmbob. I appreciate the nice comments, especially from another DG writer.
Bev
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Subject: I build a pond for mosquitoes . . .
Posted by Johntron (from Dallas, TX) on October 14, 2008 at 12:22 AM:
One evening, my roommate and I were sitting on the front porch getting eaten up by mosquitoes, being a typical Texas summer. We decided to find some way to get rid of them. Being very "natural" people, we decided to find a natural predator. After doing some research we found that brown bats eat around 600 mosquitoes an hour, and dragonflies eat around 600 mosquitoes a day. We liked the idea of having dragonflies in the back yard more than brown bats (not that we have anything against brown bats), so we went around back and started digging.
Here's what we ended up with: [HYPERLINK@bugguide.net] It's a dragonfly lair -- basically a pond with plenty of places for adult and young dragonflies to perch, as well as grasses (or irises in our case) for the young ones to emerge from the water. The dragonfly in that photo is called a Neon Skimmer, and it just showed up one day, followed shortly by another male (which he had a little brawl with), and a female. I guess she got knocked up by one of the guys, because one evening I actually saw her laying eggs. She looked pretty similar to her male counterparts, but not as bright.
Larvae, or nymphs, take forever to develop into adult dragonflies, apparently (around 3 years I think), so next spring I think I'm going to try to find someone to buy some Neon Skimmer larvae from and hope there are a few near maturity. Recently, I've added a few more grasses and some more bushy plants for dragonflies to perch on. We also have a few more lilies, one of which bloomed recently. The pond really offers a way to slow down and enjoy the world (without mosquitoes).
One word of warning to people who are thinking of doing the same thing: do your homework. A pond is a very complex ecosystem, and you can't just go building one willy nilly like we did. After digging the pond and before putting water or plants in it, we spend a good solid day researching. If you do anything, be sure you get the pump and filter right, otherwise your dragonfly magnet will turn into a mosquito magnet.
This message was edited Oct 13, 2008 10:27 PM
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 14, 2008 at 7:09 AM:
Johntron, WOW, both the pond and the Neon Skimmer are beautiful!! Great job guys! How are you controlling the mosquito larvae in the pond until you get dragonfly nymphs? I would be very interested in knowing how many different dragonflies you attract, and how the mosquito population is affected by your pond/skeeter trap.
I bookmarked the web site, it looks like a good reference.
Thanks for reading and sharing your experience,
Bev
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Subject: Dunks for mosquitoes
Posted by Myrtlejane (from Charlottesville, VA) on October 13, 2008 at 1:03 PM:
Thanks for the great article and follow-up comments.! My husband is also a magnet for mosquitoes and they don't seem to bother me as much.
In our former location, we had a small pond with a fish and a waterfall and could enjoy it without fear of mosquitoes growing there. In that neighborhood there were many small children whose toys were left out in the weather endlessly. You can bet they spawned more than their share of mosquitoes.
In our present location we keep a 12" saucer of water on the patio for birds, squirrels, and even dragonflies! Are the dunks safe for these creatures? I change the water daily, but some days we are out of town and when we return, the water is wriggling with larvae.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 13, 2008 at 1:26 PM:
Myrtlejane, it is my understanding now that the Dunks are organic and safe for plants and critters. They kill the mosquito larvae (as well as gnats and flies) with a bacteria, Bti, or Bacillus thuringienis israelensis, which destroys the larvae from the inside once ingested (larvae feed on microorganisms). Even other insects are not harmed. I'm going to try them if the skeeters try to terrorize us again next year.
Thanks for reading,
Bev
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Subject: Mosquito control alternatives
Posted by mcate (from Port Neches, TX) on October 13, 2008 at 7:13 AM:
We have a large, formal lily pond about 20 feet from our back door and live within 10 miles of the Texas Gulf Coast. Mosquitos are a year-round problem that gets extreme after rainy episodes and hurricanes. Since installing the pond our mosquito count has DECREASED substantially. Fact is, our pond attracts frogs and birds. Both help us in controlling adult mosquitos that are also attracted to the pond. (It does take a season to become accustomed to the springtime chatter of frogs and the frequent surprises as you cross paths with numerous little hopping mosquito vacuums) To control larvae, we use mosquito dunks because our pond must remain fish free to protect the water lilies from nibbling fish. We are careful to eliminate all other containers of standing water around our property. One major change is in the way we select pots for plants. Small pots with water catchers are exclusively used inside where mosquitos do not have easy access. To eliminate the need for water reservoirs that can harbor mosquitos outside, we simply use larger pots that don't need reservoirs.
I try to avoid using chemical sprays as much as possible because they do affect beneficial insects including bees which are a vital part of any garden. We stopped using zappers after realizing that mosquitos account for only 4 to 10 percent of the insects you'll find in the dead cup. My observation is the pond is actually a better trap and far more naturally selective in its ability to control pests. Besides, frogs actually sing and zappers just zap in the middle of the night. The choice is your preference.
We prefer to use picaridin products over deet as a topical repellant. To get double duty from our repellant, we step immediately outside an exit so any of the chemical that drifts will help mask that spot as a prime entry point to our home. When we do have to use a chemical fogger in the yard, I concentrate on areas that are known hiding places such as our banana grove along the perimeter and quiet corners or under large shrubs. The best and safest time to fog seems to be first light when the air is still. Generally, bees begin their work shortly after sunrise. By then, any mist I have sprayed has done it's work on the far side of the yard and has settled. I am careful not to spray around blooming plants as a courtesy to bees who may later take the poison to the hive along with pollen. We do not fog around our vegetable garden or when drift may carry it there.
I have tried garlic compounds sprayed around the yard but am unable to say with any certainty that they work as well as advertised propaganda. Suffice to say humans may be easier to convince than mosquitos. Since mosquitos respond to specific olfactory stimuli including carbon dioxide and octenol from our breath as well as lactic acid from our skin, I can find no scientific basis proving that substances such as garlic are effective for anything more than temporary confusion.
There are several plants that are touted as having mosquito repellant properties. Because there is little scientific support for most of the claims, we choose plants that can be purchased or sown at a reasonable cost and that we feel are compatible with the beauty and enjoyment of our gardening. A plant that grows to a ghastly size, is itchy or emits a stench I can't enjoy has no place in my garden. Marigolds are among our favorites to plant among vegetables. I can't tell you if they actually discourage "bad" bugs but I think if I were a bug, I'd prefer to go elsewhere. So much for science.
Citronella grass is the source for citronella oil but planting the grass does not have the same effect on mosquitos as burning it. Many people can't stand the smell and would prefer the mosquitos. Rosemary is also touted as a repellant but although the plant does not attract mosquitos, it likely will not keep them off you unless you rub yourself down with the oil. While rosemary is generally thought to have many beneficial uses, it can result in dermatitis on those who are mildly allergic.
Mosquito plants are sold commercially as a repellant for a high price but most Entomologists would more likely recommend catnip. Studies show that catnip is 10 times as effective in repelling mosquitos as deet. Catnip also works for roaches and apparently termites too! Who knew?
Because mosquitos are constantly being stirred and carried by the wind, new visitors are always going to loiter near any entrance where the smell of a potential meal outweighs any other inconvenience. Mosquitos are homeless drifters with a desperately short lifespan of only a few weeks during which they are programmed to fight for survival and produce offspring.
That said, I always welcome new information and ideas for reducing mosquito impact on human survival.
...
Posted by mcate (from Port Neches, TX) on October 13, 2008 at 7:41 AM:
To clarify.... the use of dunks controls mosquito larvae specifically. Dunks contain natural Bacillus Thuringeniensis Iraeliensis or B.t.i. in a sustained release larvaecide. They are safe to use in pet watering bowls, horse troughs, fish ponds and aquatic gardens.
Around water lilies, dunks are recommended instead of fish for controlling mosquitos. Dunks do not control fish. Fish are great consumers of mosquito adults, eggs and larvae but they tend to wallow out the soil from potted water lilies and chew away roots. Those who want more showy lily blossoms should keep fish in a fish pond and control mosquito larvae in lily ponds with dunks.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 13, 2008 at 8:56 AM:
mcate, Thank you so much for posting your very knowledgeable experience. I believe I have learned as much from reader comments as I did from researching for our backyard mosquito mitigation plan (and the article).
You have helped make my case for a ground level pond. I did not benefit as much from the natural wildlife by using a raised container. Several toads showed up to bury in the loose mulch and absorb spilled water around the water storage, and I saw a dragonfly or two, but visits from the more water-dependent critters was impossible without direct access to our little pond. I am hoping that another season with a yard of water features will attract and balance the wildlife ecology here.
The mosquito repellent plants don't seem to work very well unless they are crumpled, rubbed on the skin, or left on the ground, to emit their repellent odors which only lasts for an hour or so. So far, catnip, lemon balm, and marigold are promising plants for the species of mosquitoes in our area.
I resisted using Dunks this year until I knew more about it. I may resort to using them next year if the skeeter population gets out of control again.
Thanks again for reading, and your valuable input!
Bev
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Posted by mcate (from Port Neches, TX) on October 13, 2008 at 10:21 AM:
Bev,
I didn't mention dragon flies! Glad you did. With the pond, one of the most enjoyable features are the beautiful multicolored dragonflies of every size. They have such fun zooming around EATING mosquitos and chasing each other. Of course they have to investigate people but they are totally harmless. I was at first, concerned about the dunks affecting other species than mosquitos but every week I see new dragonfly larvae skins attached to the ornamental grass or the stem of a lily blossom and know a new dragonfly nymph has emerged from the pond, unzipped itself and spread its wings.
After hurricane Ike, I had to drain our pond to clean out the extensive debris but I left several pounds of the smaller sediment after discovering dozens of naiads and immediately refilled the pond with well water so their life cycle will have minimal interruption. Dragonflies are an important mosquito control vector.
...
Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 13, 2008 at 10:55 AM:
mcate, I think the dragonflies eat more flying adult mosquitoes, and the nymphs eat the skeeter larvae, than anything else! And, the dragonflies I've seen here are really gorgeous!
I found more research that claim the bats may not be as useful if other insects are more readily available (like moths). The toads consume a lot but are restricted to the adult mosquitoes within their reach at ground level.
I think you've all convinced me the Dunks are safe enough to try. If you've read some of the other posted comments, I believe a few of the repellent shrubs mentioned may be worth trying as well, as long as they add to the landscape.
...
Subject: American Beautyberry
Posted by wormfood (from Lecanto, FL) on October 11, 2008 at 6:47 PM:
I can't find it right now, but the leaves of the american beautyberry are made into a mosquito repellant. I made a copy of the page, just have to find it. [HYPERLINK@hort.ufl.edu]
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 11, 2008 at 7:29 PM:
Aaah, I'm a zone too cold for the American beautyberry, but I have friends in zone 7 that may benefit from planting a shrub or two. If you find the info on mosquito repellent from the leaves, please post it (link or page scan) if you can!
Thanks again wormfood!
Bev
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Posted by wormfood (from Lecanto, FL) on October 11, 2008 at 7:38 PM:
Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 11, 2008 at 11:02 PM:
Wormfood, It looks like purple beautyberry will work in my zone, and it IS a real beauty! Not only do the leaves repel skeeters and ticks, it's deer resistant, too!! That's a big bonus in my neighborhood. I'll check the vendors for the purple variety!
Thanks again for the great info,
Bev
...
Posted by wormfood (from Lecanto, FL) on October 12, 2008 at 11:31 AM:
Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 12, 2008 at 11:58 AM:
Wormfood, I found those articles after researching your initial post, too. I don't think making homemade mosquito repellent creams or lotions from the beautyberry shrubs would be wise at this point, until more testing of the toxicity to humans is done, but crumbling the leaves and wiping the skin sounds harmless and useful to me!
Bev
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Posted by wormfood (from Lecanto, FL) on October 12, 2008 at 7:29 PM:
ya, I havent done it yet. I want to try it in the chicken coop and maybe just throw some leaves around in my bird/greenhouse. I've got a pond and a fishtank in there and the drip hose especially attracts the mosquitos. Your welcome for the info but I thank you for reminding me. nancy
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 12, 2008 at 8:02 PM:
Nice to meet you Nancy! Spreading the leaves around troublesome areas is a good idea! I tried using garlic cloves in an open rain barrel once and it worked for a week or two. I didn't have sufficient garlic to keep placing them often enough to be affective the entire summer.
Bev
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Subject: chimney swifts
Posted by wormfood (from Lecanto, FL) on October 11, 2008 at 6:14 PM:
[HYPERLINK@birds.suite101.com] I used to raise chimney swifts, what an experience! IF i remember correctly, they ate 1200 mosquitos a night. The Driftwood Wildlife assoc. has plans for a makeshift chimney and a website for reporting sightings for their study. Very interesting stuff.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 11, 2008 at 6:45 PM:
Wow, wormfood thanks for the info and the link! With a few bats, toads, and swifts, a yard could be picked clean of skeeters in a couple of nights!!
Thanks for reading and posting,
Bev
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Subject: even leaves - BTI
Posted by AlohaHoya (from Keaau, HI) on October 10, 2008 at 2:54 PM:
VERY good article!!! We have 4 different mozzies here with their different attack times!!! I didn't know about gutters but will clean them out.
I spray piles of garden waste and under trees with BTI (Baccilus Thurengensis Israelensis.... spelling?) as those buggers use tiny reservoirs of on the leaves and in the axils of plants (bananas, heliconias etc.) to breed. They are so hard to get rid of!!!!
Carol
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 10, 2008 at 3:06 PM:
AlohaHoya, BTI is the active mosquito-killing bacteria found in "Dunks", too. It's supposed to be organic, but I'm still too chicken to try it, lol. If next year's skeeter population gets out of hand, I'll have no other choice than to use it.
Thanks for reading,
Bev
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Posted by AlohaHoya (from Keaau, HI) on October 10, 2008 at 3:36 PM:
Yes...it is in the dunks and in the granules. I also buy it in 2.5 gal. jugs and dilute it in a 16 gal. sprayer and 'do' 12 acres....quite a job! It works. My dogs drink from the ponds where I put it with no problems...it is VERY safe.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 10, 2008 at 3:38 PM:
AlohaHoya, I'm glad to know about your experience with it, makes me feel a little less tense about it!
Thanks,
Bev
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Subject: RE: Planters with water reservoirs
Posted by Jan23 (from Salem Cnty, NJ) on October 10, 2008 at 8:29 AM:
Great info!!! I am one who is a skeeter magnet. I guess this is a rhetorical question now that I think about it. lol Does this mean that I should screen the opening to my planters that have a water reservoir in the bottom? I can hardly go out on the deck before I am swarmed.
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on October 10, 2008 at 9:47 AM:
Wow, I never thought of the planters with reservoirs, maybe that is where MY problem starts. We've had a terrible year. Good article.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 10, 2008 at 10:08 AM:
I'm very sure that ANY standing water will soon become a mosquito nursery! If the area cannot be screened off, you might try using "Dunks" in the water for ornamental plants. They are supposed to be safe for fish and plants, but I don't care to try them in a water system used for edibles.
...
Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on October 10, 2008 at 10:44 AM:
I use dunks in my water fountain and one drain pipe that doesn't empty properly. A toad took up residence in there, and seems very happy. We had a neighbor with a huge un-used swimming pool - they moved out of state but left the pool full of water. I admit I've pitched a few dunks in there, too.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 10, 2008 at 2:09 PM:
I have a good friend that uses the Dunks and has had no problems with her plants or wildlife.
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Posted by Jan23 (from Salem Cnty, NJ) on October 10, 2008 at 2:58 PM:
Thanks everybody. Sounds like I will be getting dunks...SOON!!! lol
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Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on October 10, 2008 at 6:04 PM:
Bev - great article - the embedded video is very impressive!
We, too, have next door neighbors with an in-ground pool which I have never ONCE seen them use. Their fence was falling down, which was illegal... I got them on that when my kids were little enough to wander in there and maybe fall in. So they fixed the fence, but always let stagnant water accumulate in the unused pool. For some reason (their insurance?) they fixed up the pool this fall; still no swimming but maybe they'll keep it filled with clean water?
We can't - or at least I'm not a good enough throw and DH wouldn't - pitch a dunk from here. I hope next year we don't need one!
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on October 10, 2008 at 11:20 PM:
Carrie, I hate to hear that your neighbor's pool has created such a problem. That's just awful!! I would think if they kept the pool chemicals up to date, and the filter running, they wouldn't have mosquitoes breeding in there. Sounds like they don't even want the pool themselves, and I'm sure they are not enjoying their backyard either because of the skeeters! Can you get the rest of your neighbors to sign a letter of concern, a petition, or the town/county involved about the public health nuisance? Maybe you could print this article and mail it to them, along with a box of Dunks!
Thanks for reading Carrie and I hope you can get the pool issue resolved. Let me know what happens!
We quickly corrected our overflow screen blunder, and sealed the entire water system to prevent mosquitoes from entering, or leaving. What was left of the azolla could not grow quickly enough to cover the ponds at this point. I needed fish in the small ponds to eat the mosquito larvae before the adults emerged from the water! Our local pet store took two weeks to furnish healthy goldfish (they had been sick). By the time the fish were in place, it was too late. We had no idea the life cycle of a mosquito was so fast!
