Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Mosquitos

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.