How To Control Mosquitos
Naturally With Eco Friendly Solutions
Here are some eco friendly ways to kill
mosquitoes. Not that I needed an excuse to kill
them, but now that mosquitos carry the West Nile Virus it is important to keep
them controlled around where you live.
You don’t have to nuke your yard with toxic
chemicals to get rid of mosquitoes. There are some eco friendly mosquito control
methods that work just as well, or even better that dangerous chemicals.
Prevention Of Mosquitoes
The best method is to not give them homes,
such as old tires, which collect small pools of water, bottles, buckets, clogged
gutters, stagnant birdbaths, etc,
Replace your pets water dish regularly so that
mosquito larvae do not have a chance to hatch there.
Fix leaking outdoor spigots that may form
pools of water where mosquito larvae can hatch.
Unclog rain gutters where mosquito larvae may
breed.
Stock your permanent ponds with mosquito
eating fish such as Gambusia affinis, which are available in pet stores.
Consider installing a bat house or nesting sites for birds such as purple
martins that eat mosquitos. Keep your window screens free of holes.
Least Toxic Solutions For Killing
Mosquitoes
Eco Friendly Mosquito Control Methods. Use BT or bacillis thuringiensis israeliensis
‘dunks’ to kill mosquitoes in rain barrels. It releases a biological larvicide
that kills mosquito larvae after they hatch.
You can use citronella candles in outdoor
areas to keep mosquitoes and other biting bugs away when you are outside.
Use topical repellents on pets in conjunction
with heartworm medication prescribed by your vet. (Mosquitos carry heartworms
too).
Use only product with a low concentration of
DEET, under 10% for kids 2 to 12 and do not use DEET on kids under 2.
Please don’t use mosquito foggers and bug
zappers.
They both kill tons of beneficial insects every year.
Preying mantis
are attracted to and killed by bug zappers and a dozen preying mantis kill more
harmful insects than one bug zapper on full time.
Bug zappers can easily kill a dozen or more preying mantis a night!
For a natural mosquito repellent, try Bite Blocker Herbal Lotion, Kadco Skeeter D’Feeter (citronella) and Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent.
For mosquitoes in Standing Water try Summit Chemical
Mosquito Dunks (Bacillis Thuringiensis Israeliensis) and Golden Bear Oil
Specialties
For vegetation try Greenlight Yard Safe Cedar
Cide and Bonide Mosquito Beater
For airborne repellents try SC Johnson
Citronella candles.
Part of the above information is from the
Texas A & M Extension Service
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/