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August 17, 2009
Mosquitos
Help -- I can't go out in my backyard -- really it's ridiculous -- two minutes out there and I'm swarmed and my 2yo is covered with them -- I don't want to spray chemicals all over my herbs and tomatoes, but I'm planning a BBQ on Saturday. Any suggestions that really work?
Comments
Welcome to Brooklyn - Mosquito Mecca.
Unfortunately, the only alternative that truly works - Especially in your 5 day time frame, is chemicals and lots of them.
Given more time you might be able to purcahse about 1000 bats and dragonfly larvae, and train them to hang out in your general vicinity...
Posted by: newsouthsloper at August 17, 2009 11:17 AM
Deep Woods Off is my mosquito deterent of choice. But . . .
Place several fans outside. Even a light breeze tends to keep them away.
Posted by: SenatorStreet at August 17, 2009 11:18 AM
Yard Guard works best.
There's no "green" way to deal with them.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at August 17, 2009 11:21 AM
Get rid of standing water & ask neighbors to do it as well. If you have a birdbath or pots w/ catch trays, either put repellent in them, drain them or add a bit of clorox.
Posted by: Arkady at August 17, 2009 11:33 AM
Enough citronella tikki torches to make it basically daylight out there! Seriously, they work. a dozen around the perimeter and 3 or 4 of those citronella bucket candles in the middle of the space.
Posted by: tybur6 at August 17, 2009 11:53 AM
we have a lush backyard and have the same problem, plus they get in the house. tried everything in terms of natural stuff, and at the end, DEET is my best friend, as well as the yardspray version thats sold.
id rather have chemicals on me now and then than tons of bites and possibly some disease
Posted by: goldie at August 17, 2009 11:54 AM
It is not cheap but a mosquito magnet works exceptionally well. You can look for them on Ace Hardware's website.
Posted by: Caitrus at August 17, 2009 11:58 AM
The mosquito traps, electric or C02, seem to work fairly well. Our neighbor 4 doors up is using one (they have a very lush back yard, pond, etc.) and it seems to help everyone in a 200 yard area.
Not to say there's still not a few buggers out there, but nothing like year's past.
And agreed with Arkady, standing water is a #1 culprit.
Posted by: Action Jackson at August 17, 2009 12:02 PM
We got a "SkeeterVac" at the beginning of the summer, and it's really helped. That a few splashes of Off, and I'm miraculously 98% bite free this summer.
Posted by: new2hood at August 17, 2009 12:06 PM
Go with SkeeterVac. Comes in different sizes. The US government uses them. No chemical except for the propane tank that fuels the system.
Posted by: crimsonson at August 17, 2009 12:20 PM
im not a medical doctor, but mosqitoes are most attracted to people who eat a lot of potassium. do you eat a lot of bananas and stuff? if you eliminate a lot of potassium in your diet, they will stay away, but im not sure that's such a healthy thing.
*rob*
Posted by: PitbullNYC at August 17, 2009 12:37 PM
also keep in mind that dusk and dawn are the times of day that mosquitoes are most active.
Posted by: panamac at August 17, 2009 12:55 PM
We use a hand held device called a Themacell. It is popular with hunters and campers. It only works in a 15 square feet area around the device, but it works well.
Posted by: Brownstonebabe at August 17, 2009 12:55 PM
who still has citronella in stock? couldn't find at home depot or pathmark, and pathmark had tons on previous visits. seems like they aren't stocking anymore.
Posted by: wine lover at August 17, 2009 1:17 PM
It's definitely not as bad this year as summers of '08 or '07, but still very annoying. I recommend one of the repellants that advertise "clean feel" and contain Picaridin (not Deet). Get the highest percentage of Picaridin you can find. I am extremely susceptible to bites (can be in a room full of people and one mosquito and the thing only bites ME), and we were outside all day yesterday -- doused in the Picaridin stuff and no one got a single bite.
Posted by: writeonadelphi at August 17, 2009 1:20 PM
This is actually the first summer I can remember where we can actually go in the backyard during daylight hours in August. So, the bad news is that in other years it's been worse.
For your BBQ, make it lunch, rather than later in the day when the mosquitoes are most active. Fans might work, although I've never tried them. Have multiple cans of Deep Woods Off around. The "Family" Off has too little Deet (~7%) and isn't very effective. Deep Woods is 25% Deet.
Deet is pretty safe, but if you are concerned about using it on your 2 yo, then indoor fun is your best bet. "Swim" in the tub, make oatmeal or lentil "sandboxes." He can really swim in local public pools that have "wading pools" that are 1" deep. Double D Pool at Douglass & Nevins has one. The Red Hook pool doesn't have a wading pool, but it does have a huge area of sprinklers.
Posted by: Brooklyn Chicken at August 17, 2009 1:39 PM
I have found a great, natural solution that has been working for us, it has cut down our mosquito population by about 90%. Mosquito barrier. made of concentrated garlic, you will need a sprayer canister that you can buy for about $25 at a hardware store. You mix the garlic solution with water and a little oil and spray every 4-6 weeks, it is kid/plant/flower safe. Since we have had so much rain this year I have had to spray more often but otherwise a pretty safe, inexpensive solution.
http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/howto.html
Posted by: annieb at August 17, 2009 1:48 PM
Short term - the only thing that will really help you if the infestation is bad is a fogger. And no, they are not green, and you shouldn't spray anything you are planning to eat. Keep your child out of the yard for at least an hour after you use it. I used one once out of desperation and the results were great, but they're also highly toxic, so I consider them a last resort.
Long term - I have a mosquito magnet. It really works. But it take at least a few weeks to noticeably reduce the population. And you do have to be vigilant about replacing the propane and the attractant every 3 weeks, as well as getting rid of any standing water.
Posted by: geekspice at August 17, 2009 2:44 PM
My friend has BBQs in Greenpoint frequently, and used to have a big mosquito problem.
He got a bunch of cintronella tiki torches and has an old school 'bug zapper' that he uses. It seems to have really cut down the amount of bites.
Posted by: dirty_hipster at August 17, 2009 3:23 PM
I know this sounds crazy but it has worked for me. Spray any flavor of listerine or its genric brand around your yard - on furniture, toys, patio, etc. It actually keeps the buggies at bay. You'll have to respray though about every hour or two. I don't mind though because the Off spray realy bothers my nose.
I also spary my back door so they don't sneak in as I open and close the door to go in and out.
Posted by: italiana71 at August 17, 2009 3:35 PM
Nothing works better than good old Avon skin-so-soft (for a double dose, use the shower gel in the shower, than reapply the bath oil before you go outside.)
Our Avon lady keeps us well stocked. Here's the website; if you use code FSWER there's free direct shipping:
http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?src_page=product_list.aspx&level1_id=300&level2_id=303&pdept_id=344&dept_id=416&pf_id=7460&repid=9023156
or
youravon.com/tsheridan
Posted by: brooklynblondie at August 17, 2009 4:44 PM
This year is the first year I've been able to be outside any time of day or night without having to use repellent. I've done 3 things in combo:
1) Put mosquito dunks in all of your outside drains (base of basement/under stoop stairs). This has a dramatic effect within 3 days.
2) St. Gabriels Mosquito barrier - hose end application. Works great, and is all natural.
3) Thermacell torches. 2-4 in your yard, depending on size, at dusk/night, just to keep away any buggers who don't get the message with #1 and #2. I use 2 on my deck (16x16) and one further out in the yard. Not cheap, but totally worth it.
I've been absolutely amazed at the difference - we use our backyard every evening for dinner, etc., and no issues.
Posted by: wyckoff at August 17, 2009 5:26 PM
i ordered the thermacell. thanks.
Posted by: wine lover at August 17, 2009 7:57 PM
I have the same problem. Since I rent and do not want to invest in a mosquito magnet, I tried the following:
http://www.diyhappy.com/quick-and-dirty-mosquito-trap/
Pretty clever. Just make a few of them and place them around your yard.
Posted by: mrkknox at August 18, 2009 9:47 AM
mrkknox--that sounds cool, will have to try.
Apparently I had the wrong link for the SSS (so my avon lady gets credit). Try: www.tinyurl.com/avonsss
Posted by: brooklynblondie at September 11, 2009 7:46 PM
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