How to keep down the insect population?

[kees]

There is no standing water on my property but I don't know what all of my neighbors do on their property. I don't have a pond, but, aha, there is a tract of swampy land behind me. I don't own it. I've looked up the mosquito dunks before but when I read the packaging, the label indicated that the ingredients weren't safe for people and animals.

I do purchase 50 lbs of food grade DE and use it religiously.

I've gone through immunotherapy a long time ago. I don't know why the doctor said that there was no relationship between mosquito bites and bee/wasp stings. The last allergist who I visited stated that there is a direct correlation between the two. I'd have to start getting shots twice a week again, slowly tapering it down to fewer visits. It would take a year before it'd help me. Oh, well.

I used to have guinea fowl and they're great but don't want to get any more of them. My neighbors would kill me! Magreep...magreep..magreep...poop...poop...

Suzy

 

[jvls1942]

guinea fowel and muscovy ducks..

toads and bats..

make friends with the wild birds.
bluebird houses etc..

my neighbor's brother said to eat every mosquito you slap on yourself. that way you build up a natural immunity.. I forget if that was before or after they locked him away..

 

[b.hromada]

Quote:
that is hysterical, huh? My ducks do the same. It was even funnier when they were little guys. So cute. wonder if they really catch many?

 

[babalubird]

You have to fight bugs on many different fronts. If your chickens aren't free-range or are in some kind of confined area, I highly recommend Fly Predators from one of the beneficial bug companies. My favorite is Arbico. They really help. But if you put them where the chickens can reach them, then the chickens will probably eat your fly predators too.

Having a good aluminum and well maintained, easy-to-clean style of Purple Martin House is another good weapon for the months the birds are in your area, if they are in your area.

And I am also a great fan of Diatomaceous Earth myself. Be SURE to get food-grade from a feed store only. The DE sold now in places like Home Depot, etc., usually contain insecticides and nasty stuff your chickens should not eat. And they probably will eat a lot of it as it contains calcium.

Hanging clear plastic bags of water or shiny CDs or DVDs so they all swing some in the wind is also very good believe it or not. Only problem w/this is you probably need to hang them either to the back of your chicken house or on other parts of your property where they won't scare your chickens as well. As some birds are also scared of the moving lights they create. Believe it or not, these moving light refractors or reflectors really help with bugs as well.

Some people put guineas in with their chickens if you think the ducks are too messy. Guineas are also great bug catchers.

Connie

 

[kees]

I bought some "iced tea" in a two-liter bottle today. Afterwards, I'm going to try to make one of those traps!

Suzy

 

[yellowchick]

Mosquitoes and Ticks love pine needles. If you can treat or burn these in the hot part of the day you can get rid of a lot of them.

 

[hb]

I work for the mosquito and vector control, and here are some of my thoughts.

First, most of the mosquito gadgets really aren't that effective. Try not to be outside during dawn or dusk when they are most active. I don't like Deet, either, but you can lightly spray your clothes if you do have to be outside during dawn or dusk. Make sure you have tight fitting screens on your windows.

Next, do you have a county mosquito or vector control district? Give them a call and they can come out and do an inspection to identify the source. They are also helpful with yellow jackets, rodents, etc.


Good luck!

 

[kees]

Quote:
There aren't any pine needles where I am except for someone else's property a couple of houses away. Out of curiousity, what is it about pine needles that attracts them?

All the best,

Suzy

 

[kees]

Quote:
I've tried not to be outside during the times that you suggested, but I still get bitten, even if I only walk outside to put out the garbage in the middle of the afternoon.

I have tight-fitting screens and use the gray rubber caulking to squeeze into any places where the mosquitoes might try to gain entry.

I think that a major source of mosquitoes right now is the swampy area right behind me, but it's not my property, and I'm certainly not going to spray it.

Even when I am in the heart of NYC, I'll still get bitten!

I tried using one of those expensive Lentek mosquito killers that burn on propane and have octanol to attract the mosquitoes. It was expensive, caught mostly gnats and a handful of skeeters.

While happy that the warm weather is quickly approaching, I can't help but feel a teeny bit of trepidation about having by 0 so + blood turn into oh-so-negative experiences. Sigh...

I intend to start a vegetable garden but don't want the joy of gardening to be ruined by these buggers!

Suzy

I'm still drinking all of the iced tea in the 2-liter bottle so that I can try making one of those traps!

 

[hb]

Do you have a county mosquito control district?

The stuff that we use to control mosquitos is a biologicial larvicide (Bt) and it is used in such minute quantities it is not harmful to humans or animals. Really just mosquito larva.

They may be able to stock the swampy area with mosquito fish.

It is important to try to control mosquitos because they are a public health issue, and can transmit virus to humans and animals.