Stinkin' mosquitoes!!!

[anakiwa]

I'm being eaten alive this summer (we've had a lot of rain and there's still a lot of water in the woods)- I can't even pick one tomato from the garden without coming back with bites.

A few years ago the New England Journal of Medicine published a randomized controlled trial comparing various mosquito repellants (how they ever got volunteers is beyond me) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/347/1/13 - the bottom line is that DEET is the only thing that works reliably.

[emily_in_nc]

Much to our horror, we discovered this very week that our three eco-friendly (and invaluable during NC's drought) rain barrels that DH installed this year were absolutely teaming with mosquito larvae. It's been a bad year for skeeters around here, but if all the larvae in those barrels had matured, we would have had to run for the hills from the swarms of blood-suckers!

Unfortunately, the rain barrels have been decommissioned for now, at least.

Sigh...

[OakLeaf]

If you make sure to drain the rain barrels weekly, the mosquito larvae won't survive to adulthood. Water really shouldn't be stored in open containers longer than a week anyhow, mosquitoes or no mosquitoes.


And... that NEJM study doesn't say the other repellents aren't RELIABLE, it just says that high concentration DEET is the only one that lasts for hours on end without being re-applied. I don't see the problem with re-applying a safer repellent (that incidentally smells much better and doesn't melt your clothes, electronic gizmos and sunglasses either). Sunblock has to be reapplied every couple of hours, after all; why not repellent?

[emily_in_nc]

If you make sure to drain the rain barrels weekly, the mosquito larvae won't survive to adulthood. Water really shouldn't be stored in open containers longer than a week anyhow, mosquitoes or no mosquitoes.

The thing that was strange, though, is that the containers (large garbage cans) were had sealed lids on top, and the rainwater flowed in through the downspouts, which entered on the side (up high). So the skeeters had to slip in the cracks around the downspout to get in there to breed, crafty varmints!

You're right, though -- we'll definitely need to drain them regularly when we get them set back up (unless DH is just "done" with dealing with them, which he might be). That means they'll be empty a good bit of time since our rains have only been sporadic lately, but whenever we do get a nice little rain, like last night (unexpectedly), they'll fill back up.

Emily

[GLC1968]

I was told that there were very few (if any) mosquitos in the PNW.

Liers! I found them...or should I say, they found me. I am the walking mosquito catcher. Keep me around, and you won't get bitten. It's a running joke in my family. I don't find it very funny. It is not nearly as bad as some places I've lived, but they are definitely still a presence here.

If there is a mosquito within 50 miles, it'll find me. And black flies? Even pure DEET, literaly dripping off me, didn't stop them. Ugh. As much as I loved New England...I don't miss the biting bugs.

[BikeDutchess]

I am the walking mosquito catcher. Keep me around, and you won't get bitten. It's a running joke in my family. I don't find it very funny.

I feel your pain...or rather, your itch! I'm the mosquito magnet in my family. After our moonlight ride last weekend, I was the ONLY one covered in mosquito bites. They got me right through my bike shorts and jersey!

[bmccasland]

I get a couple of bites every evening when I walk from the kitchen to the compost pile and back. Not far, and still the little buggers find me. NO FAIR!

[SadieKate]

You're right, though -- we'll definitely need to drain them regularly when we get them set back up (unless DH is just "done" with dealing with them, which he might be). That means they'll be empty a good bit of time since our rains have only been sporadic lately, but whenever we do get a nice little rain, like last night (unexpectedly), they'll fill back up.

Emily

Just add a bit of olive or corn oil. The film on the surface suffocates the larvae and you can still use the water on your garden.

http://www.noahsnotes.com/naturalpest.html

[pardes]

I have never had a problem with mosquitos while biking. I think they figure from my huffing and puffing that I'll be dead in two minutes anyway so why bother.

[madscot13]

why would you build a nation's capital on a marsh?

Minnesota I understand; it was left over land that no one wanted. DC was built up from a stinkin' swamp. And I swear there must be something in the water (other than personal care products, or perhaps because of personal care products) there bites just won't go away.