All -- I'm putting together a letter to the local community on mosquito
prevention and I'd like to find some online resources. Naturally I'll be
doing the standard-substandard searches on Google, but I thought I'd see if
anyone here has any sites that they found particularly useful.

Also, I'm curious to hear of anyone's experiences with devices like Mosquito
Deleto, Off Lamps, citronella candles, tiki lamps, and so forth. We've had
good luck with the Mosquito Deleto -- there's never any skeeters on the
sticky mat, but we also don't really see them when it's running either so go
figure -- it's doing the trick.

Now if we can just find a solution for INSIDE the house.

James

In article ,
says...
All -- I'm putting together a letter to the local community on mosquito
prevention and I'd like to find some online resources. Naturally I'll be
doing the standard-substandard searches on Google, but I thought I'd see if
anyone here has any sites that they found particularly useful.


You might try contacting this gentleman at
He does mosquito control in the
Houston area and probably can give you some good advice.
--

"JNJ" wrote:

Also, I'm curious to hear of anyone's experiences with devices like Mosquito
Deleto, Off Lamps, citronella candles, tiki lamps, and so forth.

Devices do NOT replace eliminating standing water, stocking ponds
with larvae-eating fish (goldfish are voracious), pruning back
vegetation, and fixing door and window screens. The devices
offer limited local protection, and only if you use them EVERY
time.

Now if we can just find a solution for INSIDE the house.

It's called "window screens". I've heard they have worked well
since the 1800s.

Tsu

--
To doubt everything or to believe everything
are two equally convenient solutions; both
dispense with the necessity of reflection.
- Jules Henri Poincaré

Devices do NOT replace eliminating standing water, stocking ponds
with larvae-eating fish (goldfish are voracious), pruning back
vegetation, and fixing door and window screens. The devices
offer limited local protection, and only if you use them EVERY
time.

Nobody said they were replacements for the obvious -- I would like to know
how effective some others have found them. IMHO, they are quite useful.
For example, devices like the Mosquito Deleto and the Mosquito Magnet are
very effective in some environments. Additionally, it is not always
possible to eliminate breeding grounds -- where I live, the city has several
thousand acres of land that is undeveloped and unused. It is covered with
woodland and has ample breeding spots for mosquitoes. There is no way to
get the city to send workers through this acreage and for the main part
cases spraying would be ineffective due to the density of the trees (as if
the tightwods would spend the $$$ in the first place).

It's called "window screens". I've heard they have worked well
since the 1800s.

Doors open and close. Pets (and people) bring mosquitoes in on their
hair/fur/skin without realizing it. Window screening is ineffective against
these scenarios and even the most anal of homeowners can and will miss small
areas of damage upon inspection.

I just put up a Bat House, and will try to use nature for my own purposes. I
have heard bats eat tons of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the information that
came with the Bat House says that it could take one to one and a half years
to attract bats. That didn't sound too encouraging for an immediate problem.
Good luck.
x

Bats are not predators of significant amounts of mosquitos. The
generally seek other prey. They will not reduce the mosquito numbers
around your home.

On Tue, 03 Jun 2003 21:57:51 GMT, "saabdued"
wrote:

I just put up a Bat House, and will try to use nature for my own purposes. I
have heard bats eat tons of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the information that
came with the Bat House says that it could take one to one and a half years
to attract bats. That didn't sound too encouraging for an immediate problem.
Good luck.
x

On Wed, 04 Jun 2003 04:34:55 GMT, JK wrote:

Bats are not predators of significant amounts of mosquitos. The
generally seek other prey. They will not reduce the mosquito numbers
around your home.

On Tue, 03 Jun 2003 21:57:51 GMT, "saabdued"
wrote:

I just put up a Bat House, and will try to use nature for my own purposes. I
have heard bats eat tons of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the information that
came with the Bat House says that it could take one to one and a half years
to attract bats. That didn't sound too encouraging for an immediate problem.

See

http://www.batcon.org/bhresearcher/bv8n2-4.html

for some information with references. Around here (very watery), the
best prevention is removing sources of standing water. If one has a
water-collection barrel, various 'dunks' are available. Birdbaths
should be regularly dumped and refilled anyhow. They always mention
"old tires" here as water-collection places. Since the city will pick
up and (I hope) dispose of tires properly, I don't understand why
people would keep them around, except as dirt-filled planters, which
means they wouldn't be water-filled anyhow.

If you have a natural bat cave nearby or a store where they sell guano, hang
it by the bat house in a sock. The Eagle Scouts did an experiment (not
scientific) using bat guano to help bats locate the house and it worked.


On Tue, 03 Jun 2003 21:57:51 GMT, "saabdued" wrote:

I just put up a Bat House, and will try to use nature for my own purposes. I
have heard bats eat tons of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the information that
came with the Bat House says that it could take one to one and a half years
to attract bats. That didn't sound too encouraging for an immediate problem.
Good luck.
x

Frogleg wrote:
On Wed, 04 Jun 2003 04:34:55 GMT, JK wrote:


Bats are not predators of significant amounts of mosquitos. The
generally seek other prey. They will not reduce the mosquito numbers
around your home.

On Tue, 03 Jun 2003 21:57:51 GMT, "saabdued"
wrote:


I just put up a Bat House, and will try to use nature for my own purposes. I
have heard bats eat tons of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, the information that
came with the Bat House says that it could take one to one and a half years
to attract bats. That didn't sound too encouraging for an immediate problem.


See

http://www.batcon.org/bhresearcher/bv8n2-4.html

for some information with references. Around here (very watery), the
best prevention is removing sources of standing water. If one has a
water-collection barrel, various 'dunks' are available. Birdbaths
should be regularly dumped and refilled anyhow. They always mention
"old tires" here as water-collection places. Since the city will pick
up and (I hope) dispose of tires properly, I don't understand why
people would keep them around, except as dirt-filled planters, which
means they wouldn't be water-filled anyhow.

My granddaughters wanted a real tire swing. Of course,
their grandfather had to make a special one for them. And
then drilled holes into it so that the water would drain.n

--
Bonnie
NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/

I'll tell ya, I'd love to put one up here but I just can't find a decent
spot on my property. I have a 50'x220' plot but it's pretty much completely
surrounded by trees. The back yard is very nearly domed in with the trees
that surround it.

James

On Thu, 5 Jun 2003 21:00:59 -0400, "JNJ" wrote:

I'll tell ya, I'd love to put one up here but I just can't find a decent
spot on my property. I have a 50'x220' plot but it's pretty much completely
surrounded by trees. The back yard is very nearly domed in with the trees
that surround it.

Put up one *what*?

Put up one *what*?

Vic was replying about seeding a bat house -- I'd love to put one up but
just can't find a decent spot for it here. It's usually best to put them on
a pole, up high, away from trees or other vaulting points for predators, and
with just the right amount of sunlight. Although I could probably get it up
high enough and it would get decent sunlight, the trees would present a
problem.

James.

On Sat, 7 Jun 2003 21:54:20 -0400, "JNJ" wrote:

Vic was replying about seeding a bat house -- I'd love to put one up but
just can't find a decent spot for it here. It's usually best to put them on
a pole, up high, away from trees or other vaulting points for predators, and
with just the right amount of sunlight. Although I could probably get it up
high enough and it would get decent sunlight, the trees would present a
problem.

Odd that sun (or rather, the heat from sunlight) should be a
requirement when we think of bats living in caves and sometimes coming
into garages and sheds.