I wish the heat we've been having would take care of sending mosquito's someplace else! It's been mid 90's and so humid, but we've been having a lot of rain the past month and the 'Skeeters' are horrible! I don't like strong garlic smell but right now I'd try anything! I emptied the birdbath's and made sure there is no standing water around anywhere ... went out earlier to pull a few weeds and it was like a cloud of those landing all over me! I was covered in Skin So Soft and then used Off spray on top of that. I've lived in the south all my life and had to put up with these flying pests but I don't ever remember them being so bad! They sure seemed to be attracted to me, even when I was covered with spray ... Guess I'm just too sweet! (couldn't resist) ^_^
Mosquito repellant
I will be spraying it around the garden this week. The smell of garlic isn't so bad if the jug is left outside. I would recommend putting it in a large rubbermaid tub for storage. I like garlic, so it's not bad for me, but it is powerful smelling at first.
It's been humid here, but today it's much lower, and the wind seems to be from the north.
Something in the gulf is really pulling energy down there...check it out
http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/data/east/animation/goeseastwv.html
Well that does not look good, especially for us in the SE corner of SC.
Keep us posted on the mosquito spray. Because we have been having rain, and a lot of it too, we are being eaten alive down here.
I willl.
I am taking pictures of the label, and bottle..and then will keep a daily journal.
I will be really interested to hear your updates on this product! My husband is talking about calling the county tomorrow to ask them to spray in our area. I sure hate using chemicals ... would much rather use natural ingredients, but want to get rid of all these skeeters! I'm just amazed at how bad they are all of a sudden, but it's probably from the major flooding a couple of weeks ago when we had rain for 7 or 8 days nonstop. Canal's were overflowing and there is still lots of standing water around town.
Okay,
Our reduced population is partly because the City has sprayed. Because of Ike, they went in and sprayed the sewers, arial sprayed, and by truck...it seems to have worked nicely for the most part combined with no rain. And we have loads and loads of butterflies this season!
Those little west nile buggers though are nasty and skillful persistent dodgers..I keep fly swatters around the garden throne (my garden chair the entire garden is designed around), and they are hard to swat they are so fast..and much smaller than the normal skeeter.
I didn't know there was more than one kind of mosquito, thought all mosquitoes carried the west nile virus? We've been in our current home for 34 years and are in an unincorporated area. We haven't seen the trucks coming around our little neighborhood very often at all over the years and when they do spray it's usually July/August. We've had much more heat and rain this past month than is normal for this time of year. With hearing on the news about west nile virus and all the standing water around, you'd think they would be spraying on a daily basis to cover the entire county!
While googling I found this info ... apparently certain people are mosquito attracters!
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/are-you-mosquito-magnet
More interesting reading from the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/prevention_info.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factsheet.htm
There are five species of biting insects in Hawai'i: Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Aedes nocturnus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Wyeomyia mitchelli.
The worst of these is Culex quinquefasciatus, the Southern House Mosquito. It spreads avian malaria to native birds, which is a culprit in their extinction. It also transmits the parasite which causes heartworm in pets. There is no human malaria in Hawai'i, so far.
If you are being bitten by a mosquito in Hawai'i in the day time it is usually Aedes albopictus, which has "tiger stripes" on it's abdomen, or Culex quinquefasciatus. At night is is likely Aedes nocturnus.
In addition to the biting mosquitos, there are two species of non-biting predator mosquitos in Hawai'i: Toxorhynchites amboinensis & Toxorhynchites brevipalpis. They were introduced to control the biting mosquitos, but it hasn't worked too well!
Aloha, Dave
yes, unfortuneatly there is a variety..the one that carries west nile is Culex pipiens mosquito. It too is responsible for viral infections in birds. In fact that is one of the frist clues that there may be a problem is dead Blue Jays, as they are more suceptible that most. A couple of years ago, I had noticed a few dead blue jays, so I resolved to save the next one I found..which I did, I bagged it, and put it in the outside fridge and called the city who came and picked it up.. they thanked me later for having one of the best specimens to test on which had tested positive to the west nile virus. The city has been very good at keep the populations down.
I can vouch that I'm one of those people that are certain attractors..they've also noticed that folks who have a high concentration of vitamin B in their system have less attraction to the beasts.
LOL, yes...me too. May be they go for the genetically young looking folks..yeah..that's it!
Same here. I take supplements and eat many foods high in B. They devour me. Also tried garlic pills - did nothing.
Fortunately we have few of the kind that carry West Nile but we have more than our share of the marsh mosquitoes and they are mean little buggers.
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/sp10.htm
Sorry Dave, but everywhere I went in HI people asked if I had sprayed up with Deet. I thought it was hysterical because we would never spray up for so few mosquitoes around here. Honestly, you really do live in paradise; you may not think so but, by comparison, you don't have very many skeeters. :-)
the only thing that keeps them off of me..is "off", nothing else comes close ..and at that it doesn't last long in the humidity.....the metal arms on my chairs are coroded from the stuff.
There were a few next door to Daves at Carols..they were pretty annoying where they live....I had to spray everytime I went out..Of course..they live in the upper elevation with more forrest, and less of the winds that are enjoyed right on the coast line that tend to keep the skeeters at bay.
mabe it's the time of the year..I was there in September, and it rained every night...
we have it out for mosquitos...but I've never seen anything like the arsenal they have for those cane frogs? oh boy they don't like those guys!
This message was edited Jun 14, 2009 7:37 PM
This message was edited Jun 14, 2009 7:38 PM
Great education I'm getting here. I had no idea there were so many different types of these critters! It's been all over the news here lately about the West Nile Virus ... especially after the floods last month. The past few years we've been hearing about mosquito's carrying Encephalitis: http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/eeencephalitis/a/041903.htm
We have many, many Blue Jays ... they nested in trees along the fence line in the backyard this spring. Two weeks ago I found a dead mourning dove in the backyard ... buried it in the corner I call our pet cemetery. We have lots of doves around too and I don't know what killed it but thought maybe a young hawk dropped it. It was under the Schefflera tree in a flower bed. I don't know if it was a young bird or not, hard to tell with doves but there is no nest in that particular tree or in nearby trees. It looked like something had pecked the top of it's head so maybe another bird took it out.
hmm ... earlier today my husband said the skeeters weren't bothering him that much, yet I couldn't stay outside because they were so bad! I'm telling him that I've learned from an expert scientist that skeeters always go for genetically young looking folks! ^_^
lol...
keep your eye open for the blue jays...more than 1 dead one in a couple of weeks should raise a flag.
Thanks for telling us about the Blue Jay. I will certainly be on the look out for any more dead birds and plan on asking my neighbors if they've noticed any on their property too.
There are lots of mosquitos here. Our basic health rules for them are to keep buckets dumped, and try to avoid having standing water around.
We have had dengue fever scares, and human malaria is always on the minds of health officials.
Interestingly, I have a weed in my water gardens that is a carnivorous plant, which I have just identified (minutes ago!) as Utricularia gibba subsp. exoleta. Now I know why I don't see mosquito larvae in my ponds.
I haven't found anything that keeps the skeeters off me. Hovering within a couple of degrees under 100 most days and no clouds...from the time the sun comes up to when it goes down the garden is baking. Plants wilt...some will probably die if we don't get some relief soon. San Antonio near us has 3 triple-digit days forecast starting tomorrow. Stage 2 water restrictions and Exceptional Drought Level. It's been a long two years of drought.
Thanks Linda. Interesting perspective, when so many folks around here complain about the rain!
We have the Aedes aegypti which is the one that carries dengue and we have others as well, one of which can carry malaria although it isn't a big problem here. The aegypti is an urban mosquito, it likes cities and bites in the daytime. They are usually under tables or chairs and I always spray before going to an outside restaurant.
There is a lot of public information and government spraying for mosquitoes here, dengue is a big problem at times. I live in the old center of the city and there are several houses nearby with more or less abandoned yards, lots of stuff back there that water collects in. I contacted the dengue office here and they came out and made the owners clean it up, there are also trucks that go through late at night spraying.
Still, we have mosquitoes now that the rainy season has started. I'm going to the US for a few weeks soon and I am thinking of getting one of those traps, I just don't want to attract all the mosquitoes in the neighborhood.
I have a pond as I think that it is a good magnet for the females and I have hundreds of hungry mollies in there just waiting. I never see larvae and I don't think they last very long. It's the drains I worry about, the way they are constructed here they hold water so I pour bleach down them every few days.
I keep a couple of small feeder goldfish in every lotus pot and water feature. They are only .38 cents each at WalMart and they keep the mosquito larvae under control. Now if I could only figure out a way to keep the herons and raccoons away from the goldfish. LOL
I confess, I did see a mosquito while touring Carol's property. One, and it had rained that morning.
It's paradise, I tell 'ya.
The tides were high around here last week and usually a few days later (about now) we will be inundated with clouds of skeeters at dawn and dusk. It doesn't help that we also received about 8" in the last week or two.
Quick Randy, tell us that smelly stuff works and doesn't garlic keep evil spirits and deer away too????
LOL
I'm at the car shop right now but plan to take a photo of the jugs
Label.
Ironically it's not optimal testing conditions right now. This stuff works best hooked up to a sprinkler system for frequent applications.
I'll list the web info with the pic.
My friend who represents the local company says they have a spectacular garden mosquito free. having said that, my friend is not a
Garden or plant person and we have to consider several factors like what time of day was he there, how many times etc
I dare say they're going to tell me what "other" is....except a secret!
ingredient side
other side- a gallon is suppose to last a looooong time outside the sprinkler system. I think it's less than a teaspoon per gallon of water. There is the home website. They're fertilizer that includes seaweed, and works exactly like seaweed is next on the testing block. Apparently it can be used in ponds too.
top of bottle
Full bottle.
If anyone orders, use http://www.clearchoiceh2oh.com/choice-lawn-2.html and say Randy sent you..
I know if I were in some mosquito ridden place right now I wouldn't want to wait for someone to test it, I'd test it myself..it is 50 bucks or so per gallon..
Full bottle picture
better picture of full label
So you can see, it is intended for a 'system' but they tell me it will work with out. The way I see it, it is a disclaimer so to speak...buy expensive system..and it will work..we'll see.
I am seriously wondering if all that garlic and cinnamon oil will repel deer????? Also, moles hate castor oil. Think this may be the wonder pill we have all been looking for????? ;-)
Well, I didn't see any way to order anything!
They are still working on the website..I will post an email you can inquire at momentarily.
and no...I go by the motto...if it's too good to be true ...it is...
So far I'd say the negative for this would be intense smell..whatever ya do..don't leave it in the car for 2 days in the hot sun like my friend did bringing it to me...it's the garlic mobile now.
Sally MacAdoo
Clear Choice H2Oh! and Green and Pest-Free Naturally
281-724-9509
mailto:
smacadoo@clearchoiceh2oh.com
from clearchoise
Hi Randy. Yes, anyone interested can write me at smacadoo@clearchoiceh2oh.com or call me at 281-724-9509. Our website is not yet complete. There is a parent company, but you cannot order direct from that company. Only through the franchise for the area. We own from Jasper to Galveston, Beaumont to Victoria. Thanks!! Sally
This message was edited Jun 15, 2009 3:31 PM
As far as deer, not too many problems with them, but I need an armadillo repellent right now!
Hi.
Keeping the herons and other fishing birds out of your pond: study which direction they come from. String some fishing line here and there across their final approach. The nylon line will cramp their style and they'll soon decide your fish are not worth the effort.
As for raccoons, I once surrounded my pond with a fence charger I had purchased at a farm auction. The raccoons get shocked a couple times and never return. It also works for skunks and any other nocturnal creature. To be legal, the charger must create discharges instead of being on all the time. Mine discharged every 10 seconds, if memory serves. It was very effective.
Sylvain.
too late for mine..I haven't seen them all week..something snacked them
Okay...Here is a blog I'm posting tomorrow in the Chronicle...it explains the label, and the "other" part of the ingredients that Sally from Clear Choice sent me an hour ago.
Rj
"Blood Wars!"
http://www.chron.com/commons/persona.html?newspaperUserId=rjudd&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckUserId=rjudd&plckPostId=Blog%3arjuddPost%3a61528ec3-cc78-4a6a-822c-7b2f5e03edc7&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest