I live in the Chicago area. Even before I had a pond in my backyard, we had
a real problem with mosquitoes in the evenings. We regularly would be
driven inside the house at dusk.

Now that we have two ponds, the situation has not really changed. I check
the corners of the pond and the areas between boarder rocks regularly for
larvae, but don't really find any. I believe that the mosquitoes are coming
from another area of the block, particularly my rear neighbor's yard.

Lately, I have read about devices such as the "Mosquito Magnet" which
produce a plume of carbon dioxide to mimic mammal respiration. When the
mosquitoes follow the plume back to its source, a vacuum sucks them into a
trap.

I am considering this for my yard. I wonder if any ponders have experience
with this type of technology. It seems to be safe, but I am concerned that
the CO2 could settle over the pond and interfere with fish respiration.

Please let me know your experiences.

Thanks,

Rich

The CO2 wouldn't settle over your pond so you should be ok.

"Richard C. Eberhardt" wrote in message
...
I live in the Chicago area. Even before I had a pond in my backyard, we
had
a real problem with mosquitoes in the evenings. We regularly would be
driven inside the house at dusk.

Now that we have two ponds, the situation has not really changed. I check
the corners of the pond and the areas between boarder rocks regularly for
larvae, but don't really find any. I believe that the mosquitoes are
coming
from another area of the block, particularly my rear neighbor's yard.

Lately, I have read about devices such as the "Mosquito Magnet" which
produce a plume of carbon dioxide to mimic mammal respiration. When the
mosquitoes follow the plume back to its source, a vacuum sucks them into a
trap.

I am considering this for my yard. I wonder if any ponders have
experience
with this type of technology. It seems to be safe, but I am concerned
that
the CO2 could settle over the pond and interfere with fish respiration.

Please let me know your experiences.

Thanks,

Rich

FYI...Consumer Reports (May 2003 issue) tested several models of the
mosquito traps and they say the best model is Mosquito Magnet Liberty (cost
is $500). It went on to say that they are expensive to maintain, electricity
and components such as propane, octenol lures and sticky paper will cost $20
to $25 a month. Not sure if this will matter to anyone here, but possibly it
may. (They also reviewed the Lentek Mosquito Trap $325 said it worked as
well as the Liberty, but less convenient and Applica SonicWeb ICH500 $300
which captured fewer mosquitos than the others but was most convenient.)

Lisa


"Richard C. Eberhardt" wrote in message
...
I live in the Chicago area. Even before I had a pond in my backyard, we
had
a real problem with mosquitoes in the evenings. We regularly would be
driven inside the house at dusk.

Now that we have two ponds, the situation has not really changed. I check
the corners of the pond and the areas between boarder rocks regularly for
larvae, but don't really find any. I believe that the mosquitoes are
coming
from another area of the block, particularly my rear neighbor's yard.

Lately, I have read about devices such as the "Mosquito Magnet" which
produce a plume of carbon dioxide to mimic mammal respiration. When the
mosquitoes follow the plume back to its source, a vacuum sucks them into a
trap.

I am considering this for my yard. I wonder if any ponders have
experience
with this type of technology. It seems to be safe, but I am concerned
that
the CO2 could settle over the pond and interfere with fish respiration.

Please let me know your experiences.

Thanks,

Rich

I got my mosquito magnet new off ebay about 3 weeks ago for 250.00. I
now have about 20 or so dead mosquitos, save your money. Or better I
will sell you mine .
Steve

The article in Consumer Reports did also states that one should try the
traditional methods before purchasing (lotions/sprays etc) because they
don't catch all the mosquitoes. We just don't go out after dark here as the
mozzies eat hubby alive. (I jokingly tell him they fly around saying "Fee Fi
Fo Fum....I smell the blood of an Englishman.)

Our city in Northeastern Ohio sprays once a week for mozzies.....drives up
and down the streets spraying.

Also....If any of your neighbors have gutters that need cleaning, this also
is a spot for mozzie breeding as they contain stagnant water...and can be
part of the problem in any neighborhood.

Lisa
"Steve Noel" wrote in message
...
I got my mosquito magnet new off ebay about 3 weeks ago for 250.00. I
now have about 20 or so dead mosquitos, save your money. Or better I
will sell you mine .
Steve

apparently, from what people been posting on rec.gardens, it isnt the number of
mosquitoes you have in the bag that matters. after running it a couple weeks you
wont be bit. people say they KNOW when to refill the propane tank cause they start
getting bit. are you supposed to run it day and night for 2 weeks? did you read the
manual? I am very interested cause my mother is a committed gardener and she would
like to try one. Ingrid

(Steve Noel) wrote:

I got my mosquito magnet new off ebay about 3 weeks ago for 250.00. I
now have about 20 or so dead mosquitos, save your money. Or better I
will sell you mine .
Steve



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

What model of the Mosquito Magnet do you have? I may be interested.
Oingofan

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:35:13 -0400 (EDT), (Steve
Noel) wrote:

I got my mosquito magnet new off ebay about 3 weeks ago for 250.00. I
now have about 20 or so dead mosquitos, save your money. Or better I
will sell you mine .
Steve

What model of the Mosquito Magnet do you have? I may be interested.
Oingofan

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 18:35:13 -0400 (EDT), (Steve
Noel) wrote:

I got my mosquito magnet new off ebay about 3 weeks ago for 250.00. I
now have about 20 or so dead mosquitos, save your money. Or better I
will sell you mine .
Steve

I run the mosquito magnet 24/7 and have run it with the attractant and
without as I am on the boundary line of the TIGER mosquito which is
repelled by the strip. I think I will try moving it to some different
locations before I give up on it. The model is the DEFENDER.
Steve

For what it's worth... I have a Mosquito Magnet that I've operated for about a
month. Just changed out the propane tank day before yesterday. Not sure about
the model, but says it will protect up to an acre (not the pro model). Our
problem is the asian tiger mosquito, and I do not use any attractant other than
co2 from the propane. I was very discouraged for the first couple of weeks,
but after that we could see results. We are hardly ever bitten, and spend most
of the days working outside. Wife and myself are retired, so we have plenty of
yard time. When I changed the propane tank I emptied the net and had a large
double handfull of dead mosquitoes and gnats. At that time it was not possible
nor did I want to count them. I am not so interested in the body count as I am
in being able to work in the yard without being carried off. Good luck, and
take this as one familiy's experience.

I was planning on getting the Liberty model. It seems like it would
be able to do the job. The Defender is possibly not enough for you.
Let's see what happens with time and the mosquito problem. I live in
Nevada and our mosquito problem isn't as rampant here, but I have
young one that I would definitely purchase a mosquito magnet for if it
worked.
Oingofan

On Thu, 19 Jun 2003 03:19:01 -0400 (EDT), (Steve
Noel) wrote:

I run the mosquito magnet 24/7 and have run it with the attractant and
without as I am on the boundary line of the TIGER mosquito which is
repelled by the strip. I think I will try moving it to some different
locations before I give up on it. The model is the DEFENDER.
Steve

Here in Australia, the pacific blue eye and rainbowfish are prodigious
consumers of mosquito larvae, they are fry and spawn friendly. We also have
Gambusia here, but it's illegal to keep them. However, I believe it is not
illegal to do so in the states, and in lieu of the above fish, they make an
excellent mosquito slayer, and as their forays are largely nocturnal, they
should co-exist with Koi quite well..
Also, it might be an idea to visit some of the websites that provide
diagrams for constructing bat boxes...these little critters will eat over
1000 mosquitos a night.
Hope this helps
Mal

"Oingofan" wrote in message
...
I was planning on getting the Liberty model. It seems like it would
be able to do the job. The Defender is possibly not enough for you.
Let's see what happens with time and the mosquito problem. I live in
Nevada and our mosquito problem isn't as rampant here, but I have
young one that I would definitely purchase a mosquito magnet for if it
worked.
Oingofan

On Thu, 19 Jun 2003 03:19:01 -0400 (EDT), (Steve
Noel) wrote:

I run the mosquito magnet 24/7 and have run it with the attractant and
without as I am on the boundary line of the TIGER mosquito which is
repelled by the strip. I think I will try moving it to some different
locations before I give up on it. The model is the DEFENDER.
Steve

"Kayakkhan" wrote:
Here in Australia, the pacific blue eye and rainbowfish are prodigious
consumers of mosquito larvae, they are fry and spawn friendly. We also
have
Gambusia here, but it's illegal to keep them. However, I believe it is not
illegal to do so in the states, and in lieu of the above fish, they make
an
excellent mosquito slayer, and as their forays are largely nocturnal, they
should co-exist with Koi quite well..

Most states allow mosquito fish to be stocked only in “aquaria,” defined as
self-contained systems that are not fed or drained by natural waterways such
as ornamental ponds and stock troughs. Natural waterways include creeks,
streams, sloughs, ponds, lakes and ditches if connected to natural
waterways. Ponds located in floodplain areas are not considered “aquaria”
and should not receive mosquito fish, because flooding could allow
them to enter natural waterways. They may eat or harm small or young native
fish, young frogs and salamanders, and beneficial aquatic insects. They also
may out-compete these native species for available food and habitat. In
addition, their presence may reduce some natural mosquito control provided
by native fish, wildlife and aquatic insects. Mosquito fish predation and
competition have contributed to the elimination or decline of federally
threatened and endangered fish species in the western U.S..

Also see: http://www.gambusia.net/

The following describes the Gambusia (from
http://www.fattigfish.com/mosfish.htm ):

For more than twenty years Fattig Fish has offered a cold-tolerant strain of
mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) which are particularly well-suited for use
north of the 39th parallel. Unlike more commonly available strains, this
hardy strain has been developed to successfully overwinter at air
temperatures to -30 F. and to withstand summer air temperatures to 100 F.
Southern races of mosquito fish will NOT overwinter in northern climates and
will NOT actively feed in cold weather even though mosquitos hatch readily.

Mosquito fish are small guppy-like fish used to control mosquito populations
by devouring mosquito larvae. According to U.S. Navy research, a pair of
half-grown Gambusia can consume 5000 mosquito larvae in 11 weeks. An adult
female can devour several hundred larvae per day. These voracious predators
have upturned mouths specially designed for scooping up larvae prey, and
represent one of the most environmentally friendly forms of mosquito
control.

Gambusia are highly prolific: each female will produce three to four broods
of 40 to 100 young each year. Gambusia typically live two to three years, so
produce a multitude of offspring during their lifespan. Unlike most other
fish, gambusia bear live young; these offspring begin consuming larvae
shortly after birth.

Gambusia are ideally suited to stock ponds, ornamental ponds, golf courses,
canals, creeks and lakes. They prefer to inhabit the shallow vegetated areas
near the shore which are also the preferred habitat of mosquito larvae. They
require virtually no maintenance, as they are self-feeding and
self-sustaining. Their adaptability and effectiveness in mosquito control
have made mosquito fish one of the most distributed freshwater fish in the
world.

Gambusia may be stocked either in spring or fall. Fall release enables the
gambusia to begin controlling mosquito populations in advance of the spring
breeding season, while spring release is particularly appropriate for
shallow bodies of water such as ditches which may dry up by the end of
summer.


Michael Fermanis
New Orleans, Louisiana USA (Remove the RICE to reply)
================================================== ===========

wrote in message
...
apparently, from what people been posting on rec.gardens, it isnt the
number of
mosquitoes you have in the bag that matters. after running it a couple
weeks you
wont be bit. people say they KNOW when to refill the propane tank cause
they start
getting bit. are you supposed to run it day and night for 2 weeks? did
you read the
manual? I am very interested cause my mother is a committed gardener and
she would
like to try one. Ingrid
snip

The tree-hugger in me, no matter how small, has a knee-jerk reaction that
any device designed to sit there and burn fossil fuels 24/7 is a bad thing.
I dunno. I'll step down off my soap box now, my propane deck heater needs to
be adjusted. *sigh*

BV.

it is extremely clean fossil fuels. the entire output is CO2 and H2O. I dont have
the stats in front of me, but I would think it uses up less energy than a 100 watt
light bulb on all the time. consider that to make the energy for that light bulb
coal is probably being burned and the coal pushes all kinds of pollutants into the
air including radioactivity. it isnt just the "bother" factor anymore, I really dont
want my mother getting West Nile. gardening is her life, it keeps her mobile and
involved. Ingrid

"BenignVanilla" m wrote:
The tree-hugger in me, no matter how small, has a knee-jerk reaction that
any device designed to sit there and burn fossil fuels 24/7 is a bad thing.
I dunno. I'll step down off my soap box now, my propane deck heater needs to
be adjusted. *sigh*

BV.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.