Mosquito control?

[missy1971]

Have you just used the liquid for watery places? I went outside on the porch for literally 20 min yesterday and got no less than 20 bites. we live on a 99 acre lake. I just want to protect my yard and such...we have swampy places in different places around the yard as well.

 

[eggbert420]

I'll tell you what works for me and see if you can take anything away for your situation...

I have to stay on top of cutting the grass. If the grass starts to get even a little bit long, it provides a haven for mosquitoes to hide in during the day out of the intense summer sun. When the grass is short, there is no place for the mosquitoes to get out of the sun.

I have a lot of sub-irrigation planters that hold my garden plants. Each planter has a water reservoir in the bottom and vent holes plenty big enough for mosquitoes to get in and lay eggs. I put a mosquito-control liquid meant for ponds-- just a few drops per container -- in the SiPs and in the rain barrels to get rid of mosquito larvae. It's safe for humans, plants and animals. If you have bird baths, it works there, too.

I am constantly on patrol for things holding water. A few weeks ago, I cleaned out some underbrush and found a stash of old cans. I guess the previous resident was saving them up to recycle them and then didn't. Half of them had some water in them.

I think for me, the biggest thing is keeping the grass cut. If the yard gets long, I can't go outside without getting ate up.

Ill try it. We got mosquitos in Texas big enough to hump a turkey, standing flat footed.

 

[lazy gardener]

Throw a few on the barbecue grill. Perhaps on a skewer with some cherry tomatoes, a few peppers and onions.

 

[AllynTal]

Have you just used the liquid for watery places? I went outside on the porch for literally 20 min yesterday and got no less than 20 bites. we live on a 99 acre lake. I just want to protect my yard and such...we have swampy places in different places around the yard as well.

I am sorry I didn't see this when you posted it. The liquid is actually for ponds and the application instructions give amounts for small to large ponds. If the lake is still water, I imagine you could use it -- it is safe for animals, people and marine life -- but what kind of quantities you'd need for a lake that size, I couldn't say. I don't know how effective it would be to treat the area abutting your property and within about 100 feet on either side.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm sure the EPA would have something to say about putting that stuff in a public lake.

 

[eggbert420]

Throw a few on the barbecue grill.  Perhaps on a skewer with some cherry tomatoes, a few peppers and onions.  

 

[AllynTal]

I'm sure the EPA would have something to say about putting that stuff in a public lake.

It is an EPA-registered product. If they approved it for use, why would they object? Besides, I didn't see where the poster said it was a public lake. The stuff is made for the purpose of treating water for mosquitoes and with the Zika virus on the rise, it is a major concern. If it is a public lake, the municipality that owns the lake needs to be informd that there's a mosquito problem so they can treat the lake themselves, probably with the same stuff.

 

[Kyanite]

Bats! You need bats!
I live on 5 acres and my house is within 50 ft. of a marshy area with a creek. We have bats and in two years I've not been bitten by a mosquito on my property. Our lawn grows long, the brush wild, and it's wet wet wet.

 

[AllynTal]

Bats! You need bats!
I live on 5 acres and my house is within 50 ft. of a marshy area with a creek. We have bats and in two years I've not been bitten by a mosquito on my property. Our lawn grows long, the brush wild, and it's wet wet wet.

I'm glad that works for you. We have bats and mosquitoes, so that isn't a sure-fire solution in every situation.

 

[Kyanite]

I'm glad that works for you. We have bats and mosquitoes, so that isn't a sure-fire solution in every situation.

It's an option. The OP said a non-harmful methods. EPA approved doesn't always mean that it poses no threats. Widespread spraying and treating for mosquitoes has killed bees which are very much needed for sustainability.