Guys,

Need some advice. I was down at the pond tonight and the mosquitos were so thick they were biting each other! Do the propane foggers work? What's the right insecticide to use in one? I'm looking for knock down and kill, not repellent....I was saved by the fan driven repellent on my belt tonight but that won't help multiple future guests without one.

cant win that battle

I know. Just looking for a way to fight back...Probably a macho thing. I hate feeling defenseless!

I wouldn't use poison on them they might fall into the pond and poison the fish, maybe.

The little I have read say that fish and dragonflies eat more misquites than any thing. Can you find a source for dragon fly larva??

Try planting things that repellent them ? Cat nip, sage, Lemmon grass...

Bats they say are not a main predator of the pests.

I don't know. Good luck!

Biting eachother? Isn't that just how they kiss!

With the all the rain we have been having the mosquitos are more then thick. I am outdoors almost all the time and I wear clothes that cover my skin, a broad band hat and a head net along with gloves. I used to fog and that was useless. I look like a bee keeper but it works.

I bought some "natural, no deet" repellent from Amazon. It seems to work pretty well. It has a cedar smell to it that's "ok" as opposed to deep woods off. I've seen a big increase in dragon flies over the last few weeks, hopefully they'll get the mosquitos under control. (Ha!)

I mix vanilla, about 50/50 with water, and spray my face, arms, etc. No bugs. Imitation vanilla also works in the mix.

We have lots and lots of Dragon flies and martins. They seem to be real busy! I have been spending time mowing and spraying weeds hoping that will help.

I was just wondering if there is a good fogger option, even though it would be a temp fix, for times when we will be having guests.

My brother in law and father in law and I joined up and bought a back pack blower with 3 gallon tank on top. WE get insecticide from the local JD dealer in a concentrate. I go through the woods, in the yard, bushes etc and spray every 4-6 weeks depending on weather. For at least 4 of the 6 weeks no bugs. Then if it rains, they come back. last night they were coming out thick so time to get spraying again.

The spray is very cheap, the equipment more expensive. Certainly it would be touch to spray 5 acres, or even 30 acres.

My brother rigged up a gas powered power washer on a trailer with the intake hose that is designed to suck in soap to suck insecticide. Some how he is pumping water into the power washer from a 55 gallon barrel in a utility trailer. He drives around the woods and yard until the 55 gallons are gone but can really throw the spray with that rig. Or maybe the 55 gallon barrel has the premixed spray in it, not sure but it works for bigger properties that way.

I don't spray the pond area and I'm sure there are a few less bugs for the fish to eat but that isn't their main diet anyway.

These are the best. Black flys so thick that you don't even want to breath and this bad boy works so well its like they are not even there.

Cheers Don.

We here in E Texas started getting rain just at the time of the PB Conference in Feb., and it rained and snowed and rained till July and everyone know of the rains in most of Texas. So the ponds are full and the big swamp mosquitos are out in force right now. Bummer

Tracy

Got one word for ya.

Thermacell I live here in Arkansas and we hunt in some warm weather and the misquotes are horrible. I put a Thermacell under my chair and I am good to go. Takes about 5 mins or so to start working but they work on Misq. Other flies and such they don't but they work on them Vamps!!

RC

Course it won't kill them, but they won't bug you either.

Do you have a bug zapper for your pond?

I would like to have one at the pier but I have no elec available at the pond unless I run the Honda generator. And I don't want to fill the gas tank every day. it would be nice if there were ways to run a good one with self contained battery and recharger (like a small solar panel)

Tracy

So where are they coming from? Do you have other wet lands around you I guess? Only reason I ask is I don't have any at my pond, but the only breeding / water source around me is my pond so I think my fish keep a lot of them at bay before they even have a chance.

RC

I have the handheld propane fogger that you can buy at lowes, hd, walmart, etc. along with the fogger. I have been using it for a number of years and it has worked really well for me. It is not permanent by any means, but if I fog on Friday evening or Saturday morning, I will have a pleasant weekend outside. After a couple of days they start moving in again. I also live in a swamp in South Louisiana, so I have a LOT of mosquitos.

As long as the wind isn't blowing, here's another vote for Thermacell.

Boy do I hear you, I've literally been run off my pond at dusk several times this year as I am not in the habit of using repellent - they typically have always left me alone - so I go unprepared. This year, due to the extreme population density I'm guessing, is another story - they have been brutal. I like the natural vanilla option Dave suggests - but knowing him he posted that just so someone as innocent and trusting as myself would apply this mosquito attractant.

Bugs are bad this year.

My little 6 acres is surrounded by trees. As we still don't have a yard, the weeds/grass were out of control. Just bought a JD 585 4WD. I have wacked all the weeds in the open spaces and applied herbicide under the trees. I am hoping that will help.

Sandman,

Can you give me some details on the hand held propane unit and what insecticide yer running thru it? I really just need something that will get me by on a weekend.

I have the OFF version of the Thermacell and it works, at least on the deck.

Since I know nothing about Thermacells, I'll weigh in on the 585....good tractors, they suffer from fuel pump problems though.

No problem, I assume you make house calls should my 585 need assistance?... It came with a FEL and I am having a blast with that!

BTW the 585 I bought has EFI which I assume is a good thing but would appreciate any thoughts on that.

Yes, the EFI was the reason for my fuel pump post. The injectors require 35-40 psi to function properly, and if the pump gives trouble it often manifests itself initially by hard starting....longer crank times, and prone to backfire.

Proper starting procedure is to turn key to run position, and listen for the fuel pump to quit running before cranking. Cranking before the pump shuts off may set a fault code and lead to pretty blinking lights on the instrument cluster.

More to the point of this thread, could you simply build a fire to drive the skeeters off when you are expecting company?

LOL I told the wife an hour or so ago I am taking some of the landscape blocks we brought from the old place and building a firepit at the pond!

TJ, let me know how that vanilla bug deterrent thing works if you are out hunting bears......

Pounce and malathion is my mix, but it's not sprayed where bees will frequent.

Buggins. It's all I use anymore. Be aware that there are specific formulas for different pests. The formula for those black gnats, (buffalo flies) is awesome.

TJ, my Wife and I were fishing a 40 acre private lake not far from my place. She was getting eaten alive by buffalo gnats but they weren't bothering me(as usual). Her face got so swollen that from the bites that we had to quit. I mentioned it to a friend that was a Pro bass fisherman and he told me that all of the Texas pro's keep that vanilla mix in their boats.

I now buy the artificial stuff in the large bottles. Mix it 50/50 with water. I call it liquid Thermacell and it works for me as well as the Thermacell device. And, the Thermacells definitely work.

Try it. As usual, your mileage might vary.

Thanks for the head up on the Thermacell. That looks to be the ticket! We have horrible mosquitoes this year also. Very very wet.

Otherwise stock some Gambusa in all of your standing water. Let those little buggers have at the skeeters!

Was a post on the forum last year I think saying fhm ate just as many or more misquit larva than gambusa....

Just wondering out loud here, but would it be possible to add a surfactant to the concoction to kinda like make it stick a bit better?

I can still smell the Crossbow we sprayed a couple weeks ago and have had some pretty heavy rains since then. Whatever we hit with that, it's surely dead!!

Went and bought a Thermocell just last week at Walmart. Only $20 there. Everywhere else I have found them are at least $30. Don't need a fancy holster and look for the extra large refill packet.Costs a little more up front but a lot cheaper in the long run.I have not even got to try mine out. Seems like the wind blows every night.

Does anybody know of a Cat 1 sprayer that is worth the money? I think I will attack in all ways possible but, I can also use a good weed sprayer.

OK, Vanilla and water application tomorrow night for fireworks showdown, will relate my experience.

I'll be waiting to hear how this turns out.. Please let us know. Also, how bad does it smell, and is it sticky? I don't do a lot of baking, so I'm not that familiar with vanilla.

Doesn't smell much and isn't sticky.

When we used vanilla, we mixed it half and half with rubbing alcohol. It worked, but needed to reapply often.

Try water. It doesn't immediately evaporate. That might make a difference.

I still like the original formula Avon brand 'Skin So Soft'. Chiggars and skeeters both stay away.

Spent 3+ hrs today in a partially flooded wooded wetlands. No spray. No skeeters. Used the spray that I had mentioned......

Some deer hunters will use vanilla and water as an attractor for deer. They add it to corn and get them used to it and then come season, they will spray themselves hoping to attract the deer. And it seams to improve the attraction of deer. Never herd of it being a mosquito replant.

Tracy

So, how did it work? I was out by the pond this morning. Got three bites in nothing flat.

I went without any spray. Big mistake.

Stocking our little pond took care of 90%+ of our mosquitoes...

Sean

I have millions of FHM. Still have record # of skeeters.. I don't see the YP or RES along the bank like the FHM. Maybe I need to stock something else. There's puddles everywhere. Lot and lots of rain. Filled my pond though.

TJ, did you try it?

Essup, the bear huntin ? is hilarious. Rainman and DD are old school and know what works. Personally I prefer the Native American solution. Don't bathe. No, I ain't a redneck!!

esshup, I thought the spray you mentioned was a potent mix that you put in a spray rig or backpack and sprayed on the property. what is the mix and dose and how do you apply to your own skin?

OK, I'm not sure how ta politically correctly say this but it is scientifically proven that only the females draw blood. What more can I say?

No, I again stupidly went commando, it's force of habit. Due to the copious amounts of smoke generated by my arsenal on July 3 and 4, didn't have any issues. However, I WILL use this on my next visit to the farm in the evening. Is it a straight 50/50 blend of water and vanilla?

Correct. Not sprayed on the skin. No skin spray needed when using it.

TJ, that's what we did. 50/50 with imitation vanilla. It's cheap.

BTW, I have no personal knowledge of whether it works. Stinging insects don't mess with me. But, Charlene swears by the stuff and every biting stinging bug gravitates to her. If a wasp stings her, she she swells up pretty badly. I was once told that dryer sheets repel mosquitos. Charlene found that they don't work.

Bob, I once heard that only the females bite/sting and only the males make the buzzing sound we hear. However, being hard of hearing, I don't hear anything. So, if you hear a skeeter buzzing around you, no sweat. Evidently, the real problem is when you don't hear any buzzing around you.

Not sure if most folks know this, but DEET is the most effective mosquito repellent known to science. Spraying non-blooming foliage around one's home with an approved pyrethroid insecticide helps cut down numbers. There are lots of "home remedies", some of which can be effective too, but not as effective. Just be careful with homemade concoctions. Many are untested for side effects.

RAH:

I am mindful of the bees, that's why I cut all the grass/clover so there are no blooms in it or the surrounding area before I spray the bushes/shrubbery/long grass. I don't spray the cut grass/clover with it.

I agree, 100% DEET works VERY well. I spray it on my long pants and long sleeve "T" shirt before going out in buggy areas, and I spray any exposed skin with a lesser concentration of DEET.

I have tried other home mixes (Avon Skin-so-Soft, etc.) and they haven't worked very well for me.

Ya I only roll with DEET none of this hippy crap.

I do know 100% DEET can melt a rain coat.

And water can melt limestone!

I've heard water called a universal solvent. Maybe not fast, but it sure eats away at a LOT of things!!!

Our skeeters have never been worse. Thousands outside the screens of our open windows trying to get inside every night. The culpret is the small puddles in the woods we can do nothing about, and our garden pond which is a cesspool in need of a serious overhaul. Once we got the big pond, the garden pond has been more or less ignored except for its ability to generate frogs like magic. Baby frogs come out of that 8x15 pond almost like a page out of the bible. That makes me happy,
Currently catching some FHM from the big pond to thin the skeeter herds.

Yep, load up those puddles with FHM.

They were awful here and there are two pounds in the land behind me. I had mentioned stocking those too and was told that if they are more than 100 yards away (they are) not to worry about about them. I was told mosquitoes stay within 100 yards of their larvae.

I stocked my 1/8+ acre pond with 7 lbs of FHM, 4 lbs of tilapia, 60 CNBG, 25 HBG, and 8 bass. Pretty much immediatally noticed a reduction in the amount of mosquitoes. Realize the fish don't eat mosquitoes, they eat their larvae. If I remember correctly, the females (the ones that bite) live 4-6 weeks. Males 10 days. So it takes a month to get rid of them. I can go to my pond now and not get a single mosquito bite. So the 100 yard thing seems to be true.

FYI, the lady I talked to at Overton's told me BG will eat more of them than FHM...not sure if that was just a sales pitch or what.

Sean

I think all fish will eat anything that will fit into their mouth.

We've experienced an unusually wet spring in many parts of TX, and the mosquitos took full advantage of the countless puddles of water; from dog bowls to discarded tire and anything else that would hold water for a few days. Needless to say, FHM are not an option in many sites that mosquito larvae find most hospitable. It's not always practical or prudent to treat with adulticide insecticides (products that target the adult fliers), and treating every puddle with an oil-coating isn't feasible or environmentally acceptable.
Enter mosquito larvacides, particularly the biological types (aka "bt" based products).
I've had very good results treating puddle-holding areas behind my back yard with Aquabac 200G (granular) and Aquabaq XT (liquid). Both products target mosquito larvae prior to their emergence as adults - and appear to hold in an active state for several weeks post-application.
This approach might offer a solution in situations where FHM and adulticides aren't feasible.