Bromeliads and mosquitos
 

I'm concerned that my bromeliads will provide places for mosquitos to
breed. Does anyone have any ideas about how to handle this?

I have purchased dunks, but using them for bromeliads isn't very
convenient, and I think it might not be effective, either.

I saw a product that claims to reduce the surface tension of water so
that mosquitos can't land on the surface to lay their eggs, but I
think it would be too expensive to use for watering the bromeliads
regularly. It claims to be made of (unnamed) ordinary household
products. Does soap reduce surface tension? Maybe I could add small
amounts of soap or detergent to the water? Any ideas, anyone?

Ells

"Ellsworth Lund" wrote in message
...
I'm concerned that my bromeliads will provide places for mosquitos to
breed. Does anyone have any ideas about how to handle this?



I have zillions of bromies and have never seen larvae in the cups. They do
get hit with irrigation water every few days which keeps the water refreshed
and not stagnant. Plus maybe the eggs get eaten by anoles or something?
At any rate it's never been a problem, and I'm in mosquito territory for
sure and have had outdoor bromies for decades.


--
Toni Carroll
South Florida USA
Zone 10

Check the plants twice a week. If you see the oily black egg rafts,
remove them or add a small piece of the dunk you purchased.
Mosquitoes prefer dirty stagnant water to lay their eggs. If the
bromeliad is large enough you could add a small fish to the water.
Soap does reduce water tension but soap is definately not good for
watering plants. Mosquitoes will lay eggs in gutters, old tires,
watering cans, pot saucers, bird baths, moist soil, etc. I have a
7,000 gallon pond with fish that actually reduces the mosquito
population.

On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 20:08:18 GMT, (Ellsworth Lund)
wrote:

I'm concerned that my bromeliads will provide places for mosquitos to
breed. Does anyone have any ideas about how to handle this?

I have purchased dunks, but using them for bromeliads isn't very
convenient, and I think it might not be effective, either.

I saw a product that claims to reduce the surface tension of water so
that mosquitos can't land on the surface to lay their eggs, but I
think it would be too expensive to use for watering the bromeliads
regularly. It claims to be made of (unnamed) ordinary household
products. Does soap reduce surface tension? Maybe I could add small
amounts of soap or detergent to the water? Any ideas, anyone?

Ells

"Ellsworth Lund" wrote in message
...
I'm concerned that my bromeliads will provide places for mosquitos to
breed. Does anyone have any ideas about how to handle this?

I have purchased dunks, but using them for bromeliads isn't very
convenient, and I think it might not be effective, either.

I saw a product that claims to reduce the surface tension of water so
that mosquitos can't land on the surface to lay their eggs, but I
think it would be too expensive to use for watering the bromeliads
regularly. It claims to be made of (unnamed) ordinary household
products. Does soap reduce surface tension? Maybe I could add small
amounts of soap or detergent to the water? Any ideas, anyone?

If it rains, or the irrigation hits the bromeliads you will wash out any
stagnant water that may be there. I've got thousands of bromeliads in the
garden and I don't have any more mosquitoes than any of my neighbors. Of
course living 200 yards from the Everglades doesn't help the situation much.

If you are really concerned then just hit the plants with a hose once a week
and you'll clear out whatever is in there.

Your best bet is probably using Prestrike, which is a pelleted
larvicide. Bromeliads will breed mosquitoes. Liquid Bit would work
well, but it isn't available to the public. Soap reduces surface
tension, but I don't know how long or well it would work.

this is from a friend of mine who is the "BUG" specialist at the university
of georgia.

From: (Ellsworth Lund)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 20:08:18 GMT
Subject: Bromeliads and mosquitos

I'm concerned that my bromeliads will provide places for mosquitos to
breed. Does anyone have any ideas about how to handle this?

I have purchased dunks, but using them for bromeliads isn't very
convenient, and I think it might not be effective, either.

I saw a product that claims to reduce the surface tension of water so
that mosquitos can't land on the surface to lay their eggs, but I
think it would be too expensive to use for watering the bromeliads
regularly. It claims to be made of (unnamed) ordinary household
products. Does soap reduce surface tension? Maybe I could add small
amounts of soap or detergent to the water? Any ideas, anyone?

Ells