mosquitoes

[Mahonri]

Get rid of standing water... That allows mosquitos to breed.

Fish ponds will do that every time.

If there is no fish in the water, add a little Coca Cola to the water, that will kill the mosquito larvae every time.

 

[ravenfeathers]

Quote:
i was going to say the same, but i guess the OP doesn't have time to cultivate an established bat colony before next weekend.

joanna, prevention is key with pest species. bat houses are a fantastic idea, especially with all the problems the bat population is having this year. eliminating standing water is another biggie. look for old tires, discarded buckets or other containers, and natural stagnant pools. if you can't remove the "water hazard", get some mosquito dunks to put in it.

for the weekend, i'm going to recommend personal bug repellent, i.e. stuff that you spray on people, rather than the yard. that won't effect your chickens and will keep your guests from being eaten alive. a bonfire is a good way to keep mosquitos from bothering you, too, and don't overlook the effectiveness of citronella torches and candles. JMHO.

 

[Whistling Badger]

Quote:
If there are fish in the water, you'll have really hyperactive fish for a while.

My fish DEVOUR mosquito larvae--they don't stand a chance. A mosquito larva must taste like steak to a goldfish.

I've always wanted to try one of these: http://www.amazingflygun.com/ hee hee hee

Tom

 

[wishin4chicken]

The Amazing Flygun. I've used one! My husband worked for a major retailer and brought one home. We laughed and laughed until the tears were rolling down our faces. Needless to say, no more flies.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I want one of these someday!

http://cgi.ebay.com/MOSQUITO-BUG-ZA...ryZ52483QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[gypsygirl1421]

The problem with electric bug zappers is that they aren't all that effective on mosquitoes and actually harm alot of beneficial insects. Skeeters are attracted to two things and two things only, heat and CO2, which they can sense from quite a distance. a mosquito can fly for 1 to 4 hours continuously at up to 1–2 km/h travelling up to 10 km in a night. That is why some of those new units that emit infrared heat and gas are so effective. With the housing slump, there are a lot of vacant houses with untreated swimming pools, be aware of that and let your local health department know so that it can be treated with larvacide.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Mosquitos are attracted to the air (Co2) we breathe out - it's how they find us. Not breathing will help deter them.

I recommend using a spray-on bug repellent & LOTS of citronella candles.

 

[chickenannie]

When I lived in the Caribean, we used to buy those "mosquito coils" which were some kind of slow-burning incense coils that kept them away very well. they were cheap there -- I don't know where you'd buy them here. Maybe try the 'net?

 

[d.k]

*There a granules which contain b.t. that works great in ponds, and taking a Vit. with B-6 in it will keep them from biting you.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Actually, bug zappers work on most of the species of mosquitoes here. Not every one, but most. We have over 50 different species here. Maybe that study that was done in California should have been done here.

We are having the worst hatch ever, because of all the flood waters. I DO wish I could get rid of all the standing water in this area, but I am not omnipotent. Too bad, I might like that. I could do away with war, starvation, poverty and make it legal to have chickens in all communities.

No BBQs at our house.