Slapping yourself silly trying to keep mosquitoes from biting you? Besides causing irritating itching bites, mosquitoes can also carry and transmit several diseases including the West Nile Virus. Although you cannot get rid of every mosquito, there are many ways to protect yourself and those around you.
The most important way to help fight mosquitoes is by breaking their breeding cycle. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water and those eggs hatch within 48 hours. Once hatched, the larvae feed on debris in the stagnant water until they move into the resting stage. In this stage, the larvae become pupae. The mosquito begins to develop and finally emerges as an adult mosquito. All this can happen in less than 5 days!
Be pro-active and check the area around your home for places where standing water may accumulate such as birdbaths, clogged gutters, buckets, kiddie pools, toys, even bottle caps ? mosquitoes can breed in just a thimble full of water. Change water often in birdbaths. Empty kiddy pools and turn them upside down when not in use so they do not collect water. Keep your gutters clear of debris.
If you have done your best to help prevent breeding and are still being bothered by mosquitoes, there are many products on the market to repel or kill mosquitoes. The available products range from low-cost items such as lotions and sprays to higher priced solutions such as traps and misters. Along with a range in cost comes a range in effectiveness.
Citronella candles and torches are ineffective except in very small areas. One study showed that use of citronella candles resulted in people still being bitten by mosquitoes, but they had half as many bites as those who were not around the candles. Other products that do not perform well are 'sonic' repelling systems. While these products are inexpensive, laboratory studies have shown that they do not work.
When looking for lotions or sprays, the Center for Disease Control recommends selecting those, which contain DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus. Products containing these ingredients can be obtained from most drug stores or home and garden stores. In addition to the products recommended by the CDC, there are also all natural products available. Lewey's Eco-Blends offers an all-natural product that contains essential oils such as rosemary and thyme, which have shown repellent properties. Eco-blend comes in bottles for human use and spray bottles for equine use. Always be sure to read the label instructions and follow these instructions carefully.
If you would rather choose a more high-tech solution which helps reduce the population of mosquitoes, then you may want to investigate a propane based collection system or a mosquito misting system. The propane collection system works by converting the propane to carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide draws the mosquitoes to the unit in the same way your exhaled breath draws mosquitoes to you. In the collection system, the mosquito is 'trapped' in a bag when the pest enters the unit. These units need to have their collection bag cleaned frequently and you must change/refill the propane tank. Placement is critical. The units need to be placed downwind of your area and must be moved every time the wind direction shifts. These types of units require a fair amount of human intervention to operate at peak performance so the cost vs. the price should be weighed accordingly.
Another high-tech solution that is fairly new to the market, the mosquito mister system is permanently installed around your home. The system is comprised of a reservoir, pump, timer, and nozzles. Once the system is installed, it is set to mist a diluted Pyrethrum concentrate, at specified intervals ? usually 4 times per day for about 30 seconds each period. The active ingredient in Pyrethrum is Pyrethrin, which is a natural pesticide made by crushing a special type of chrysanthemum flower into powder form. The powder is then added to an insecticide, commonly referred to as PBO, to increase the effectiveness of the solution. Misting Systems require only occasional maintenance and refilling, but are priced higher than other options. More advanced mister systems can be equipped with a remote control and variable timing functions in addition to automatic weather control options.
Now that you know how mosquitoes breed and how to protect against their bites, don't let them run your life. Take action, tame your outdoors and enjoy your summer!
Bill Hackel is General Manager of http://www.MosquitoMister.com, the top supplier of mosquito misting systems for the do-it-yourself consumer.
Fruit gardening and vegetable gardening is a very exciting venture.... Read More
Throughout the course of time, black roses have conjured... Read More
Teak has many qualities that make the indoor and outdoor... Read More
Deer are the most difficult of all pests to deter... Read More
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of plants knows that... Read More
There is a magical quality to porch swings. In his... Read More
In an effort to introduce a shaft of sunlight into... Read More
The first thing you need to grow a pineapple is... Read More
The Porch Swing is enjoying a surge in popularity thanks... Read More
Imagine a beautiful pattern of paving stones as the central... Read More
"Organic gardening is not just the avoidance of chemicals, in... Read More
What is nicer that a lovely backyard garden pond. The... Read More
Home and garden accessories make the difference between house and... Read More
Known as "joy of the mountain," Origanum vulgare is commonly... Read More
Now that Spring is upon us and things are coming... Read More
A Garden Pond in your Landscape - Want Water in... Read More
Are your making mountains out of your molehills? Although lawn... Read More
It's August, the weather has cooled a bit here and... Read More
The fresh air of the early spring solstice and the... Read More
Whenever you decide to look for a butterfly house for... Read More
I recently bought a small tractor for my garden, which... Read More
Long a favourite of French chefs, the herb Artemisia dracunculus,... Read More
An important addition to any British back garden, the greenhouse... Read More
With air and water temperatures dropping in most parts of... Read More
The technnology secrets will help home owners maintain lawns in... Read More
You can hear the wailing from here. "Why aren't my... Read More
As the curtain of winter lifts, tulips are one of... Read More
Pruning your roses is one of the most needed and... Read More
In Orchid Care The Flower Will Tell You About Some... Read More
There is nothing more cheerful than vases full of fresh... Read More
Orchids are beautiful flowers. The interesting thing about orchids is... Read More
The average home can reduce their water consumption by around... Read More
Do you love swimming? Do you dream of an in... Read More
The first thing you need to grow a pineapple is... Read More
Watch out, it's a tillandsia! Have no fear, I said... Read More
Organic gardeners all know compost is fantastic stuff. But now,... Read More
Proper pruning of your backyard grapevines is essential to maintain... Read More
To care for your antique ceramics you need a gentle... Read More
If you appreciate plants that have no hesitation in boldly... Read More
A garden a serves a man's every day need for... Read More
Using landscaping ideas can be an effective way to attract... Read More
A Garden Pond in your Landscape - Want Water in... Read More
A pond, logically, the first question you should ask is... Read More
The growing of flowering or foliage plants on window ledges... Read More
Is your concrete or asphalt driveway an eyesore? Do you... Read More
Hi there,I am Jhon Saunders and recently took up gardening... Read More
One of the long standing myths that I still hear... Read More
Hydroponics gardening is the perfect solution for anybody who wants... Read More
There's a new garden in town. It is (mostly) easy... Read More
Traditionally Hindu tepmples were located either on hills or forests... Read More
Teak has many qualities that make the indoor and outdoor... Read More
Summer is over, but for many of us - the... Read More
Have you noticed you do not see as many butterflies... Read More
You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to... Read More
Most gardeners and landscapers will agree almost unanimously that the... Read More
What is xeriscaping? You may have heard of xeriscaping as... Read More
As you shop around for outdoor furniture, you will notice... Read More
Do you want to add something to your outdoor space... Read More
Since Victorian times metal garden furniture has become a popular... Read More
The areas of your landscape can be divided into several... Read More
Pesticides are toxic and, while often effective against pests, can... Read More
Traditionally, preformed ponds are large shells, which are extremely burdensome... Read More
Whether you are an avid vegetable gardener, a beginning herb... Read More
Here's where your creative instincts kick in. This is where... Read More
While traveling the US and occasionally taking the back highways... Read More
In Blue Mountain Lake, New York, you will find a... Read More
Landscaping & Gardening |