Skeeter Time...What to do, what to do!!!!!!!

[ducks4you]

Thanks, Pat--GOOD TO KNOW THIS, because I just give my "comets" to a friend with a goldfish/Koi pond every year.
BTW, I have heard that in Michigan, Wisconsin and parts of Canada, that the mosquito is a state/national bird.

 

[mener6896]

never thought skin so soft worked either, but I did try a Burt's Bees natural repellant and worked pretty well. We always spray our grass with something... but I also have chickens too. The skeets still carry us away!! I am planning on putting up several bat houses.

 

[boggybranch]

Maybe "Skin So Soft" comes in different "kinds"....got no idea, for sure. I use the "Bath Oil Spray".....it's oily and stays on quite well. I've raised a bigger crop of skeeters than veggies this year and I NEVER get a bite when I use it. Maybe some of the "Skin So Soft" products are alcohol based and don't work on skeeters, after it evaporates.

 

[seedcorn]

I know everyone recommends Avon Skin-So-Soft but I have been REPEATEDLY sucked into trying it, a number of times, in three different states and one canadian province, over the past twelve or so years, and NOT ONCE has it done squat against the local types of mosquitos. Alas

Please do not set aquarium/baitfish/ornamental-pond minnows "free" into a local stream, oftentimes they are not native and you don't want to get a big problem started, and moreover they are quite often carrying serious diseases and parasites (even if they look ok to you) and a lot of natural fish populations have been really decimated that way :/

Bt mosquito dunks/granules work real well in a fishless pond, when used as directed and when you put them in while the skeeter larvae are still smallish.

For those who (like me) have a serious big mosquito problem, though, remember that virtually all of them are coming from ELSEWHERE, not on your property, so there is not a great deal you can do about breeding other than (obviously) not giving them even *more* breeding grounds.

I have been trying that garlic-oil/garlic-extract spray this year -- if applied at 2x label strength (which is totally safe, just more expensive) and rather heavily, it does seem to be useful in discouraging HEAVY congregations of our mosquitos from particular areas. You might give it a try.

There are many many dozens of mosquito species in North America, though, with very different habits, and no repellent works equally well on all them.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

Well said and accurate.

 

[wifezilla]

Please do not set aquarium/baitfish/ornamental-pond minnows "free" into a local stream

I wasn't talking about streams, I was referring to the various "rain-water vessels scattered around the place".

I use them in my man-made pond and the stock tank my ducks use as a pool.

 

[boggybranch]

All right, I'm gonna pull out the "big gun". Everyone is gonna think this is crazy, but........just try it.

Take a turnip root, cut slices off of it and rub on exposed skin (of course, you'll have to take a shower when you go back "in"). Try it, post the results.......and I'll tell you "the rest of the story".

 

[patandchickens]

e do not set aquarium/baitfish/ornamental-pond minnows "free" into a local stream

I wasn't talking about streams

No, of course not -- I was referring to Ducks4you's question "Could I just set the minnows free in a stream in the Fall?"


Pat

 

[ducks4you]

I grow Bee Balm. Is it JUST for bug-bites or does have have any repellent properties? ...kinda dumb question, but I thought, well, you NEVER know!!

 

[patandchickens]

I grow Bee Balm. Is it JUST for bug-bites or does have have any repellent properties? ...kinda dumb question, but I thought, well, you NEVER know!!

There are no dumb questions, only dumb people who do not *ask* questions, LOL

I have actually never heard of using bee-balm for bug bites. But it is in the mint family (many of the mints are called <whatever> balm, and it is a major bee plant) and a number of mint-family plants are aromatic in ways that mosquitos are not thrilled about if given a choice. So if you are outside sometime you could TRY rubbing a handful of bee-balm leaves all over you and see if it seems to help with the skeeters.

I've had best luck with lemon balm and common yarrow (the weedy feral stuff, not purty garden cultivars) for this type use, although garlic leaves and catnip also work a little bit in a pinch.

I have to say, though, that what keeps skeeters off you (for maybe 10 minutes) when rubbed all over you, does NOT necessarily keep away when it is just growing in the garden. I have some large patches of lemonbalm, catnip, yarrow and mint, and lots of skeeters, and truly truly I see NO evidence of meaningfully fewer mosquitos around those plants than anywhere else

JME, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[boggybranch]

Got a friend that has always said, "No question is too stupid to ask........if you don't know the answer." Pretty insightful, huh.