A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Mosquito problem

I have a huge skeeter problem. Can you tell?

Every year I am swarmed with them. My legs would have dozens of mosquitos on them within a couple minutes if I were to wear shorts out in my garden. I am constantly removing standing water to combat the next generation. This seems to have little effect.

The only thing I have thought of is to buy 20 Tiki Torches and gallons of Citronella fuel. But that would cost a small fortune!

So what do you do?

How far do skeeters travel?
How quick to they grow and how long do they live?
I really hate wearing bug spray, any other tricks to help repel them?

how about a few mosquito plant? It is all natural smells like citronella..cause that is where they get it.. Also basil and lemon grass work well!! I have great luck with my pond fish eating most of the lil buggers!!

If your problem is really bad you can opt to have a professional company come out and do a skeeter spraying. You will have to keep in mind that this will kill off all insects though, not just the bad ones.
Another thing that is on the market are these bracelets that you wear. I myself have not used them, but my brother swears by them.
There is also a machine called the Mosquito Magnet. This one is kind of costly (about $150.00) but they work very well.
Last but not least is the good old bug zapper!
There is not a person out there who does not enjoy hearing those little critters sizzle away!
Even though we love the sound, it is best to keep the zapper quite a ways away from the area you will be frequenting as they do attract them.

Hope these ideas help!

I'm like you. I believe mosquitas fly ten miles out of their way to bite me.

I know very well what you are talking about...
I used to be that way...
I'd walk outside and be eaten alive...

I too empty the water, but know some gets by me...
*and can't do much about the neighbors' house's either. :rolleyes:

And when I was younger I could say the same for myself with fleas...
there could be one in the room and a 100 people, I'd be the only one the flea bit...

I know exactly how you feel...

But I've done some reading on it, and Mike posted had some good ideas....
although I think those "Bug~Zappers'" really only attrack poor moths to be honest...

Mostly it is what you breathe out of your mouth, the carbon dioxide...
and you can't hold your breath outside all night..
*but there is a machine out that does put that stuff out
and is supposed to attrack them there instead of you*
I have never experienced one, so can't give you an answer..

But alot has to do with your body heat and smell..
Now many can't do much about their body heat...
*especially when the night starts to cool down and you're still 98.6*'s....

And movement and color of clothing..
they can detect you moving and the color of clothing too...
I believe they like the darker clothing, so you can wear lighter colored clothing..

But you can watch what soap you use...
*I used to use Pink Dove...
I was eaten alive when I moved here to this house 12 years ago...
Someone said, switch soap, I did, now I don't have hardly any problem at all..*
and I do NOT wear any hair sprays or perfumes when in the garden either...
*I do the same becasue of the bees as well*

Also, I like bats, and have several around my area
and encourage them to come and stay and they do..

And again, it's the time of day they come out too you should avoid...
early mornings and late evenings..

When I was pregnant and nursing my kids I was a skeeter magnet too....

nepeta cataria (catnip) is the best natural defense. bruise the leaves of the plant & rub the oils on your skin. basil is next best.

Mostly it is what you breathe out of your mouth, the carbon dioxide...
and you can't hold your breath outside all night..
*but there is a machine out that does put that stuff out
and is supposed to attrack them there instead of you*
I have never experienced one, so can't give you an answer..Quote By weezie...
The biggest Problem with these is that they do not make replacement parts!! I have one that is only a few years old and the fan went! I can't get a new one!! they want me to spend 300 bucks on an upgrade!

You knowwwwwwwwwww.....
I started to read this post and thought to myself, I said something like that already...
hmmmmf, then went to read on, it was a Quote by me..
hhahahahahah, lol, laughin' here..

I know that technology s#cks, especially when they first put something out... and they have you over a barrel, if you want it, and like it, or need it fixed..

Did it work in the beginning when you got it,
do you feel??

Many thanks for all the information. (I see I must check my post much sooner from now on.)

I will try rubbing basil and also a different soap in the short term and look into local spraying alternatives and the electronic wrist bands and such.

Does anyone know the life span of skeeters off the top of your head?

Does the citronella plant grow from cuttings or from seed or both?

We pride ourselves here at how speedy we are...


After I see it for the first time, about a couple of seconds...

All joking aside, that depends I think on the kind of mosquito and time of year.....
(and weather conditions during the summer/fall months)

I've had them over winter in my basement one year, when it was really wet and rainy...
and every once in a while, we'd get one in the house, and I said, what the heckkkkkkkk!!
And went into the basement to check on over wintered plants in the basement and saw them flying around...

I never got a chance to try it Weezie.. It was given to me! And they don't sell replacement parts! I thought that was a law that they had to sell parts for 15 years ....

Skeeter I do believe you can get it to grow off cuttings or by separating from a bigger plant..
Basil really does work well also!

This will repel almost anything that bites or stings. Go to your local health-food store and buy a small bottle of Tea tree Oil (or you can actually buy Tea tree lotion), however, I prefer the full-strength stuff! Squirt a glob of UNSCENTED lotion in your hand and add a drop or two of the oil. Rub this on your arms, legs, back of neck and anywhere else your skin is exposed. The scent took a bit of time to get used to, but I'd rather deal with THAT than the constant itching of skeeter bites!

I've also heard if you eat bananas in the summer and go outside with in 6 hours of consumption this also attracts sketters to you... something about the oils in the banana.

I live in an area that has a bunch of rice fields and fish farms so our mosquito population is horrid. We have tried everything...citronella has never worked here...they are immune to it I guess.
We finally tried one of the new Off burning lanterns and it works for an area of about 15 feet...but they don't last a real long time.
I just received an e~mail that said to place a bowl or plate of water with a few drops of Lemon Joy dishwashing detergent in it. For some reason the mosqitos are attracted to it and it kills them. I don't know if it works or not but I am getting ready to try it so I will let you know.

~V~