Mosquitos ruining our outside fun, any suggestions?

Hi, I wasnt sure if this is the best forum but thought I would try it. We have moved to a new home that is surrounded by woods and the mosquitos are terrible. We have two small children who can barely use their new swingset. I miss sitting on the patio. We do use Off, but hate it. I also have one of the Off lanterns, but it is only practicle on the patio table. Does anyone have that "mosquito magnet" thing or something like it that they reccomend? I dont want to waste money on something that is perhaps just a gimmick. Thanks for any help! We also have a lot of deer as well, but I think it is the tick that spreads lime disease?

I have the mosquito magnet and tried it one year. I saw a lot of mosquitoes trapped in it but that didn't stop them from attacking anybody, so I have not used it for the last 3 years. It's also awkward getting it to ignite (you can't really see a flame for verification) and you must be within 50 foot of an outdoor outlet (I guess extension cords would work as well). The location of the thing is suppose to be critical to eliminate the problem but what keeps neighbors mosquitoes from visiting? Maybe if you had 4 of them in each corner of a small lot, then maybe it would provide adequate coverage.

The other controversial method and I don't know what the cost is, would be to get a misting system installed. It creates a mist (fog) of insecticide every half hour or so for a few seconds. People who have them installed swear by them, but other health groups are concerned about the poison being indiscriminately sprayed in the air.

I have been using the new Off with sunblock lotion which isn't as bad as the spray-on version. I don't like using Off or any other products either since they seem to make the skin hotter and it is sticky, but I prefer them over being a human pincushion.

I have seriously considered putting a screen house up over my kids' swingset.

We tend to use it during the day...the bugs being worse at sun set, which would be the normal place in our day for swinging. Once the sun starts going down, swinging is done for the day.

Good luck.

(PS. We have the Zep bug spraying sytem in the barn, for flies. I'm not dead yet. Can't speak reliably to much more than that though.)

Is there a swampy spot nearby in the woods? We had a terrible problem one year with a area that didn't drain. I sprinkled those granules (same stuff as mosquito dunks but granulated) over the wet area every 2 weeks and it really helped. It was pretty expensive but much cheaper than the propane needed for the Mosquito Magnet. And, it is a supposedly safe pesticide that will not harm birds or other wildlife.

Also, I check every other day or so for possible mosquito breeding sites. My irrigation system often hits areas that hold water and if that water is still for 3 days you have larvae. One year I grew mosquitos in fallen southern magnolia leaves.

Thanks HC,, I do believe they have cordless one's now,, but still expensive. Of course on their site they have great reviews. Hate to shell out the money if it wont work.

Luna, I think we know a family that purchase the spray system you speak of. I think they spent like 10,000.00 on it! Does it spray Pyrethrin (sp.)???

Ardesia, there may be a small creek down in the woods. The woods go down a large gully? I have found toads hiding in ivy beds and wondered where they came from, but then again I know nothing of toads. I could ask the neighbor who owns the property if there for sure is a creek. Thanks for the reply

I'm sorry to be a dolt, I have no idea what it sprays. I turn it off when I'm in the barn and on again when I leave. When I go back to feed dinner I'll read the ingredients and let you know. : )