On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 21:52:47 GMT, Heidi wrote:

Any good ideas out there for controlling mosquitos? We have not been
outside to enjoy our garden near as much as I would like b/c of those
tiny pests. Our yard is not conducive for bats, sparrows, or other
mosquito eating friends (trees too close together to offer a nice flight
pattern). We do not have any standing water--no bird baths, etc..
Because we have pets, I am not keen on spraying insecticides.

I am wondering:

if I placed a pool of water to the side of the house, where we don't
congregate very often, and drop in one of those mosquito pellets into
the water, would the water attract and destroy the enemy? Or would
brining in standing water, only serve in the same way as those Japanese
Beetle traps, it would just attract more bugs to the yard.

Any other ideas???

Dawn and dusk are prime mosquito times of day. Unfortunately, one
usually doesn't schedule summertime outdoor activities at noon and
midnight. :-) Be vigilant about "standing water". Even a plant
saucer of water can harbor larvae. You might check your neighbors'
standing water sources, too. The critters may not be breeding in your
yard, but an adjacent one. 'Factoid' broadcast on local TV last week,
however, said they travel up to a mile. That's quite a large area to
inspect. DEET is probably your best bet. I wonder how 'experts' can
give advice to "wear long-sleeved shirts and tuck pant cuffs into
socks" in mid-summer with a straight face.

See recent thread on 'mosquito magnet'. I don't think anyone reported
a miracle cure. Sorry.