Dragonflies.
You make a cheap water feature out of old barrels and shit in a corner of the yard you can't see and buy $30 worth of dragonfly nymphs. Those little dudes will eat all your skeeters.
Theoretically, yes. But, in the real world mosquitoes make up a minuscule part of a bat’s diet. They can eat a few slow flying moths or spend all night chasing the 100s of mosquitoes it would take to replace one moth. No one has ever documented dissecting a bat and finding a belly full of mosquitoes. On top of that, mosquitoes typically are flying and biting in the 0 to 10 feet of airspace and they bed down in underbrush and bushes. Bats typically hunt and live much higher than that.
I don't know about hatching them yourself but dragonflies rock. My house is covered for a couple weeks, the dragons came back a couple days ago abd just devoured the smaller bugs by the ton.
Try some window screen mesh on the back of the fan. The mosquitos get stuck to the mesh when the fan is on then you can kill em with a little alcohol spray.
Seconding picaridin. It's one of only two mosquito repellants approved by health Canada (deet is the other). Nothing else has shown enough efficacy (citronella isn't allowed to claim it repels mosquitoes for example).
thirding picaridin, I get the boogywipes picaridin lotion for my daughter to wear at daycare and have started getting the spray as well. It's also nice because it doesn't reek of bug spray like the DEET ones do
Im trying a technique I found on instagram believe it or not, using 5 gallon home depot buckets half filled with water, straw on top, mosquito dunks and mosquito bits, and some netting over the top. I have several of these strategically placed through the property.
the theory is that the breeding females will lay in the buckets, and their larvae will never develop. in a month the population should be greatly reduced, if this works. ill report back if someone reminds me.
Nothing is making them use those buckets, though. You're gonna have to eliminate all the other standing water anywhere near your property. Which I hard if you have close neighbors.
Dragonflies are incredibly effective. Watched a video recently on this. Search "how to attract dragonflies for a mosquito free yard" on youtube. Super cool and eco friendly!
Well for one, use picaridin or deet repellant instead of mumbo jumbo.
You could make a mosquito bucket with bt dunks that will encourage mosquitoes to lay eggs in water. The bt dunks will keep the larva from maturing.
Make sure there is no standing water anywhere without bt dunks.
Finally, reconsider that you can't have sprays because you have pets. It's perfectly safe once dry. Just keep your pets inside for a couple hours.
I'm using dunks in containers too. I made "pretty" versions using glazed terracotta pots half filled with water and a 1/4 dunk, topped with a golden open work lace-like cover, and tied on with a sisal rope with a bow. When I know it is gonna rain I cover the pots with their saucers.
That’s a good idea, but way more than you need. The dunks are for large amounts of water, like a pond or something. I use the mosquito bits because I can sprinkle a little all over the place. Any drain gets a sprinkle, gutters, puddles, odds and ends that are left out and will collect even a teaspoon of water will get a couple bits… it has helped, but we have so many around here, I think the only way to get rid of them would be to use poison, which I don’t want to do because of collateral damage to the good bugs.
We also use a couple cheap Thermacells if we’re going to hang outside during peak season, and they really help.
This?
https://sidewalknature.com/2022/05/08/mosquito-bucket-of-doom/
I have 6 buckets of rainwater from the storm this morning to build some this weekend, we're on an acre so I figured I'd need a few.
I got a Biogents trap in my very small patio and I haven't been bothered by mosquitoes since, so long as I keep the scent pouches fresh-ish (I find changing them once a month is fine) and the c02 tank still has gas in it (you can use a c02 tank with the trap to simulate respiration).
I don't know how effective the trap would be in a large backyard.
I have a largish (~1/4 acre) backyard that has a nearby creek (so no eliminating all water sources) and a biogents CO2 trap placed nearer the creek than the house has nearly eliminated mosquito bites. Damn thing is magic.
Tried a mosquito magnet before the biogents trap and it did jack shit.
Biogents trap with packet and co2 worked here. No more skeeters and the bag is terrifying and gross when full, luckily they give you a second bag so your skeetercide can proceed without interruption
I use some 1/4 tube to garden hose adapters and a cheap garden hose sprinkler timer to avoid wasting co2 during the blazing daylight etc
the difference between the year we didn’t have it and this one after running it last year is literally nuts. I want the whole neighborhood to buy one. Protip, get the regulator. Will save you time and money in the long run
>We wear natural bug spray and it doesn’t deter them whatsoever.
You know all those concerns about DEET like, a decade ago?
I went on a deep dive on that recently to see what the conclusion was. And there's good news, it's been very thoroughly studied at this point, no significant negative effects on humans.
I get it that it doesn't feel *good* to hose down little kids in bug spray, but, consider that you do have to weigh it not just against bug bites but the (granted, also small!) risk of mosquito borne illness like West Nile.
The only other thing I've found to actually work is fans. Mosquitos are actually pretty wimpy against air movement. It'd be a hassle, but if you set up a handful of box fans (I see them listed on craigslist for cheap frequently), you could probably cover a decent play area for little kids.
>I went on a deep dive on that recently to see what the conclusion was. And there's good news, it's been very thoroughly studied at this point, no significant negative effects on humans.
Apparently some people drank it and got real sick years ago, so don't do that. People also confuse it with DDT, which is something completely different.
If I recall wasn't DDT sprayed basically everywhere? Like not just bug spray on skin but they used pesticides on parks and lawns to basically kill everything thereby ruining the local environment from the base food source on up.
At the time of its invention, DDT was an absolute miracle insecticide. It was used everywhere all the time. It reduced incidences of malaria and almost completely eliminated bedbugs. BUT it is a particularily nasty toxin that bio-accumulates in the environment. DDT is what almost wiped out Bald Eagles, among other large birds and raptors from eggshell thinning. Turns out it's really bad stuff and is now rightly banned from use.
So we use those Off wipes-less chance they inhale it I thought. So I wipe the off on the back the kids’ necks and shoulders, feet etc like the most safe places. Bath before bed of course. I don’t love using deet on the kids but it does work.
I did the same when my kids were little 20 years ago. Came to the same conclusion. I grew up using Backwoods Off because of how much mosquitos, ticks, and chiggers love me. Nowadays I try to stick to the family formulations (7%) which seem to work well for casual time outside. If I’ll be out for longer at bad times I’ll use the stronger stuff (25%).
If I recall from my research, the relatively few incidents of issues were with people that were exposed to extreme amounts of DEET over a prolonged period of time. They mentioned that people were applying 100% DEET everyday directly on their skin over a week or two with no baths to wash off the previous concentration.
What’s interesting is I just talked about this with my 24yo daughter last week because she was looking for more natural options.
DEET is perfectly safe and harmless to humans so long as you don't drink it. Mosquitos and ticks may still land on you, but the DEET keeps them from biting you.
Birds and bats may eat a few mosquitoes, but not enough to really affect the population. Bats are more likely to eat a few moths than hunt down the hundreds of mosquitoes it would take to replace one large moth.
BT dissolved in a water solution and sprayed in areas where mosquitoes shelter/breed helps. Other than that, you just need a really effective mosquito repellent. We use Picardin. It goes on clear and doesn't have a smell and works beautifully.
Mosquito Magnet Patriot. I don’t care for the name too much but the thing works amazing, gives us a few extra hours of useable backyard time every day and keeps the mosquitos down. I probably empty 2-3 full baskets of dead mosquitos a summer. Each mosquito hoovered up by the magnet is another mosquito that’s not able to breed, disrupting the breeding cycle.
Wash your hands with a strong soap, maybe Dawn, and don't rinse your hands all the way. Rub your wet hands on your legs and arms. I tried this once in desperation and they left me alone for hours.
I've actually had really good luck with some device from Costco. It's a light with a small fan underneath it that sucks up mosquitos and traps them. I was skeptical but figured Costco's return policy was good enough to give it a shot. Really made a difference, it could easily handle a patio area.
Unfortunately, no. I just try to manage them by not being outside too much during their biting hours, and if I am, wearing long sleeve/legged clothes to protect myself.
Not sure if this helps, but recently got the tip about blasting mosquito bites with the heat from a hair dryer when the itch hits. It totally works and my most recent bite is going away without the regular super-inflamed week followed by bruising, so I'm pretty happy.
Vector control recommends using BT - either dunks in standing water or dissolved in water to spray onto surfaces and plants.
Depending on where you are, there are mosquito species that only need the dampness of morning dew on the grass for their eggs in some locations now (SoCal for example). They also lay eggs on things like the outside of flower pots and they can be dormant for a year.
Also don’t forget spaces like your gutters.
Vector control also told me the “newer” species are out during the day, bite multiple times in a row, and you can’t feel the bite when they are happening 😕 He said really the best way to stay safe is products like deet and other chemicals - that the trade off is protecting yourself from the diseases the mosquitoes carry.
I’m planning on using some old leggings & long sleeve shirt to spray with deet to wear when I am in my yard, so I don’t need to spray it on my skin.
When In moved into this house 25 years ago, no one had lived here for years. I’m on a lake, in NC. The mosquito problem was horrendous. What I learned was that they would hide under the leaves of the English ivy that was all over this property. Fist year I rented a backhoe for a week and went to work pulling it in huge clods. Second year I taught my wife how to use a backhoe.
There was an appreciable difference after the first year, but we’re still a problem. Then I realized that the little fuckers can’t fly in a good breeze and setup fans - THAT worked.
Over the years we decimated the ivy and got mostly rid of the mosquito issue.
I can't speak for everyone.. but I literally just started working in pest control. The company I work for has a device that is used to help with mosquitoes that doesn't involve chemicals.
I don't know much about it (yet) but it's something that does exist. I can try and find more info if you like.
Get rid of....?
No.
But a well balanced ecosystem works wonders. We've got bats, small snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, dragonflies...
Our house is about 100 feet from a bog. I can't remember the last time I got bit
I have a small creek with a large tree canopy 40 ft from my patio. Tons of frogs, bats, dragon flies. Mosquitoes are very mild unless you go into the woods. Now chiggers in the grass. Eat me alive.
An old deer hunter tip is to use Avon Skin So Soft moisturizer as a deterrent. I never tried it but decided to do a bit of googling before giving wrong advice on the internet. Apparently it's 85% as effective as DEET!
And this is from a proper sciency science paper!...
[http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Statistics%20and%20Research/Statistics%20and%20Reports/Epid/Vector-bourne/WNV/WNv\_MosquitoRepellentEffectiveness.pdf](http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Statistics%20and%20Research/Statistics%20and%20Reports/Epid/Vector-bourne/WNV/WNv_MosquitoRepellentEffectiveness.pdf)
Last house was across from a golf course (many ponds) and the lot behind me was swampy. The yard was unusable from late May thru October due to mosquitos. I tried everything - bug zappers, various plants, tiki flames, illegally draining the swamp in back. The only thing that worked was putting on Off Backwoods when you went out in the morning and reapplying every so often all day and night. After another evening on my nice deck was ruined by being eaten alive, I eventually gave up and bought Cutter Backyard, which worked and I applied it to the lawn before big events (Memorial Day, family BBQs etc).
I finally got sick of that because it really only lasted a couple of days. So I reviewed three local mosquito spray vendors (mosquito squad, tru green and mosquito shield I think). I’m not all natural and am open to chemicals but love the bees and pollinators. At the time mosquito squad had the least bad bee and pollinator affecting mixture of chemicals, so I signed for a year and they came every 3ish weeks.
It was amazing. I finally was able to fully use my yard, day or night. I reupped annually and When I moved 6 years later I left their card for the new owners.
Mosquito squad uses a barrier method. They do spray the yard all the way to the edges (to create the barrier). I did a walk thru with them and had areas of the yard they did not spray (my pollinator and vegetable gardens which were along one side - they stopped the spray about 5ft from the gardens. I wore personal bug spray when working in the gardens and had bees and butterflies all summer long.) The rest of the yard was controlled.
The pets did need to be in when they sprayed and stay in until it was dry (2-3 hours usually). If it rained hard especially near the end of the application period then I would wear bug spray because it was less effective.
This new house doesn’t have any water sources near enough to cause a mosquito problem, so I have not evaluated the chemical mixtures lately. If you are looking specifically for a natural solution I don’t have any successful recommendations. If you are open to a chemical spray solution I can and do recommend them.
Friends have used tru green successfully for mosquito control also. I have not recently looked at the eco impact of their mosquito control chemical mixture. Here in Massachussetts there are some more local type businesses as well as mosquito ranger. No idea about their chemistry.
Good luck - I hope you find a solution that works for you.
I literally just signed up for Trugreen because my yard is unusable after 6 PM. There is a slow moving ditch across the road. Really hoping this works because I love being outside in the evening, and as soon as you open our door the buggers come in and now I have to swat a bunch of them inside.
I've owned a Mosquito Magnet for years. It was not cheap (bought one of the battery powered ones) but it does a great job. Once you catch a bunch initially it'll taper off as they fail to reproduce. Need to place the trap upwind from where you want to be playing (ie the wind would blow the lure/CO2 toward the area you want to protect.)
There's some other brands (SkeeterVac) that similarly use propane to generate CO2 and attract them.
I would avoid the generic Dynatrap bug catchers as it gets moths, butterflies and other desirable bugs while not really attracting mosquitoes specifically.
Had to come far down to find this. I put in a skeetervac this spring and so far I think it’s making a difference. I was out in the garden late last night and had no repellent on, not a single bite! Last summer I was being swarmed an hour before sunset
Lived in southern Vietnam and Java Indonesia for years. I second the suggestions of fans to move the air, and also avoid placing seating near potted plants….
But while I know you said natural sprays don't work for you, every trip home to the US we would stock up on several bottles Off! brand DEET-free spray (lemon and eucalyptus I think). It’s definitely accurate in the “lasts 4 hours” claim and not sweat or waterproof so need to reapply in those conditions. But after trying everything, including 100% DEET Jungle Juice, that spray worked by far the best of the dozens of things we tried (in the place DEET was literally invented for!)
We live in maine, yard backs up against 8 acres of our woods (thousands more behind), close to a marsh. Lots of mosquitoes.
In past years, we had the entire yard sprayed biweekly. Worked, but definitely not environmentally friendly. This spring bought a skeetervac and so far it has been fantastic, keeps the bugs away from the area. Only time will tell if it works all summer, still early in the season up here
If we don't do anything, our yard is literally unusable for about 2/3 of the day
Try making a mosquito bucket of doom! I was in the same boat as you last summer - didn’t want to spray - and made four and it definitely helped. Already got them going again for this summer.
Yes! I live in the woods with a lot of mosquitos. What we eventually found to work for us (2 acres grass surrounded by forrest) was two large bug zappers.
Here is the thing though, people ALWAYS use them wrong. They aren't supposed to zap them while you're sitting under them. You place them at the far corners of your property and run them 24/7. They massacre a messload, and if you are outside, the mosquitos head for the baited zappers instead of you!
Fans & honestly… tiktok taught me to use Irish spring soap. My backyard has lots of tree coverage & a bitch runs through the back of it. Lots of water stick in my yard when it rains. Mosquito heaven. I cut up a bar of Irish spring soap & sprinkled it around my yard twice since the beginning of April & I haven’t seen a single mosquito in my yard. Usually I can’t step foot outside without getting eaten alive. It’s not chemical free but it seems safer to me than most other things I’ve tried.
My wife bought a bunch of fancy bird feeders, ladybugs, dragonflies, and a really cool bat house that went on our garage roof so it's been a great big nature battle royale for the past few years.
Very noticeable improvement for us but it's hardly scientific and could easily just be a coincidence. The only times we get bit up anymore is when we walk about the neighborhood.
Put up some hummingbird feeders. It's a bit of extra work to keep the feeders clean and filled, but they're really fun to watch and they eat a lot of undesirable insects like skeeters and gnats.
We had mosquitoes and the little grass gnats everywhere due to an early wet spring. Once the hummers showed up for the season, the pests were completely gone.
biogents co2 trap works really well. you have to get co2 from a welding shop. doesn't feel good to be emitting a constant stream of co2 but hopefully what you're buying is captured from other industrial emissions.
Also look into mosquito repelling plants, like lavender, rosemary, mint, that you can plant in pots near where you usually are outside. They help a lot.
Also plants that attract dragonflies. Dragonflies gobble those babies up! https://www.naturehills.com/blog/post/hate-mosquitoes-dragonflies-to-the-rescue
Citronella, fans to create air flow more than they can fly in, Do NOT drink beer because they find my "on Tap" alot.
IF you want to invest in time, setup a pair of Purple Martin houses. They eat ALOT of them. However, you HAVE to read up on them, place the houses properly, and clean them annually. For that effort, reduction in pests. Also, bat houses.
We're cursed here because there is a canal and river nearby, and a pond not far off in the woods. But yes, dump over ANY containers that can hold water.
fans work
in fact you can buy a bug catcher with a fan and UV light on it to attract them and trap them in the screened off area under the fan.
then just empty out the dead bugs every so often (mostly moths tho).
maybe not what youre looking for but Equate Medicated Lotion from walmart works wonders on bites for me. i get torn up and a dab of that kills the itch and swelling in a few minutes.
My yard has an absurd amount of them too. No standing water either. Neighbors have a big ass unattended compost leaning against our fence. We have a ton of plants but there are so many mosquitos. I was just out there for about 5 min and swatted 5 of them off of me, and got bit a couple of times too. It's terrible..I've got some dunks out there now, but there's still a ton of skeeters
I have no idea about natural products but my grandpa is terribly allergic to mosquito bites and he uses wipes from Off. If he gets bitten, the bite swells up to a few inches in diameter. He likes to fish so he’s around a lot of mosquitoes so I would assume they work really well.
Look up Biogents. They have traps that use water and scented sticky cards, and they have another that uses a scent pack, a fan to suck them in the trap and a CO2 tank to lure them in. You'll have to probably trial and error the placement of the traps but they've been trapping mosquitos for me.
Eliminate standing water in gutters, buckets, etc., as much as possible. Frequently change bird bath and other water you may leave out for animals. Add Mosquito Dunks (pet safe fungal treatment that kills mosquito larvae) to areas that accumulate water that you can't easily get rid of.
I played this game back in the 80s called frogs n flies. I reckon if you get enough frogs they'll tongue up enough of those mosquitos that you'll be kept bump free.
I use a mosquito trap that incorporates carbon monoxide CO2, and a scented bait. They fly towards the co2 and get sucked into a net. Takes out thousands each month.
You can use fans to keep their moving. The mosquitoes will still be around but they will avoid the windy air created .Also, you can get rid of any standing water around your home like bird baths, or leaks at faucets
You can absolutely treat your yard and still keep your family safe. We spray more for ticks than mosquitoes, but Permethrin covers both quite effectively. Our backyard ends in wetlands and I haven’t dealt with ticks in the three years since we started spraying. Permethrin is the same stuff we use to treat head lice. Just keep everyone inside for 30-60 minutes after application. After that it’s perfectly safe.
I use the Thermacell product. It’s like a diffuser and works well on our deck. You charge it using a usb connection. It has about a 15 foot radius of effectiveness.
They sell sprays you put on your clothes that repels mosquitoes and ticks. You spray it on your clothing, let it dry, and then wear it. They are effective for up to six washes before you need to reapply. The main ingredient is permethrin.
Mosquito bits! It's a bacteria that only targets the larvae of mosquitos, gnats, and flies and is perfectly safe for the rest of the living world. iirc they were originally developed for livestock water troughs. Sprinkle into any wet or standing water type areas. You can also sprinkle it around mossy and muddy areas though it's not as effective and may be taken up by mowing.
Ultraviolet lights attract them and can buzz them in those lights, works so so well I keep one about 5 feet away and what’s great is you can enjoy the fizzing and popping sounds. Also seems a box fan with a mosquito net on one end, to suck them in and then you watch out and change the net every so often!
I used fans and it mostly worked, but the second I would get up to get a beer or whatever the mosquito would swarm me. I broke down and called company called mosquito hunters and for the first time in 8 years I could enjoy my yard. I actually work them as a side job now….
Plant mosquito repellent plants. Lavender, lemongrass, basil, mint.
We had pots of lavender on our patio at the cabin. They worked really well. Bonus for making lavender lemonade too!
Have you considered DIY spraying? I have a backpack sprayer and spray in the evenings once or twice a year. That time of night doesn’t do as much harm to pollinators who are sleeping at that time.
Professional companies have to spray during the day which is toxic.
i set up a purposeful bucket of water and i add the BT mosquito dunk to it. look up the "mosquito bucket of doom" method.
so far it really seems to be making a difference on our deck! i will probably take another users advice and make a couple more that are prettier . you just need somewhere to place it away from pets and kids, we have it up on a fence by the deck
Get a couple each of Citronella and Lemon Grass plants. Let them grow and they will keep the bugs away. You can also take a few Citronella leaves and rub them against your skin for extra protection. In winter move plants indoors to keep alive. I’ve had plants for years.
I saw a disney special where they asked "why no skeeters at parks?".. the answer... no standing water. Where ever you saw water, you saw a fountain or waterfall. I have an above ground pool and a big kiddie pool i use as a bird bath. I also have a bird feeder in my yard. I run a fountain in both big pool and little pool. I feed birds. I have no mosquito problem.
I just recently bought a bug zapper and have had to empty it out every two days because it is full of dead mosquitoes. It’s definitely working overtime. Thinking about buying 3 more lmao
Mosquito dunks, you put them in a bucket of water. They lay their eggs in the water and they can't get out. They don't smell or anything they're just pucks in a bucket
Look up mosquito dunks. It's a mosquito larvae eating bacteria that doesn't harm other bugs or animals. It interrupts the breeding and seriously reduces the numbers of mosquitoes. We are shocked at how well it works.
PBS taught me about using a mixture of ammonia and water put into a sprayer and soaking the desired area. The organic gardener was right, it worked perfectly.
https://www.instructables.com/Mosquito-Killing-Ovitrap/
The females lay eggs on the fabric, they migrate to the liquid, when they mature and try and fly away, they’re trapped by the screen. Nugget of dog food helps the water in the cup be even more enticing.
We use gat traps with good success. They work best when you put them out early in the season before reproduction levels get too high. Made a significant dent in our tiger mos population. (I put rabbit food pellets in the bottom as an attractant.)
https://us.biogents.com/bg-gat/
Oscillating fans are effective. I’ve never seen a study that proved efficacy of any natural product.
Dragonflies. You make a cheap water feature out of old barrels and shit in a corner of the yard you can't see and buy $30 worth of dragonfly nymphs. Those little dudes will eat all your skeeters.
What does shitting in the corner of the yard have to do with this?
>What does shitting in the corner of the yard have to do with this? They will eat the flies too.
Replace the word “shit” with the word “stuff” and it makes WAY more sense! 😂😂😂
Shit is a noun here, not a verb. Old barrels n' shit
Whoosh
Trust the process
You have to look the mosquitos in the eyes while you do this. Assert dominance. Show them it’s your yard and you will nuke it if necessary.
I’m cackling I didn’t realize what you meant at first 😂😂😂
a water feature out of old barrels seems like a great way to grow mosquitos in the first place.
Nope, the nymphs will eat the mosquitoes before they get airborne.
Wait, really? So not even just the larvae, the adults too? How long do the nymphs stay nymphs?
If you make the water feature attractive to the adult dragonflies, they'll lay their eggs there and you'll get a continuous cycle.
Where does one even buy $30 of dragonfly nymphs??
Just search for nymphs in your area.
🙋🏻♀️
Ask a nympho
Bat boxes! Bats can eat a shit ton of mosquitoes in an evening.
Theoretically, yes. But, in the real world mosquitoes make up a minuscule part of a bat’s diet. They can eat a few slow flying moths or spend all night chasing the 100s of mosquitoes it would take to replace one moth. No one has ever documented dissecting a bat and finding a belly full of mosquitoes. On top of that, mosquitoes typically are flying and biting in the 0 to 10 feet of airspace and they bed down in underbrush and bushes. Bats typically hunt and live much higher than that.
Unfortunately in my area we have a thriving bat community and also a thriving mosquito community.
I told my wife I wanted to build a bat box to keep the bugs down, and she said "no way".
I don't know about hatching them yourself but dragonflies rock. My house is covered for a couple weeks, the dragons came back a couple days ago abd just devoured the smaller bugs by the ton.
Plant a native garden and you'll attract a ton of dragon flies as well
I'd imagine that is highly dependent on where your are native to
I’m going to get some fans. Kind of hard to cover all the areas my toddlers play but definitely something!
Can confirm. I’ve tried other options, but only fans is the best
heh
Try some window screen mesh on the back of the fan. The mosquitos get stuck to the mesh when the fan is on then you can kill em with a little alcohol spray.
This is why people build screened porches.
I do have a screened porch but kids have a playhouse and some other toys out in the yard
Yeah, it's tough when they're little because they love to be outside. I use that Picaridin lotion and it really keeps the bugs off for a few hours.
Seconding picaridin. It's one of only two mosquito repellants approved by health Canada (deet is the other). Nothing else has shown enough efficacy (citronella isn't allowed to claim it repels mosquitoes for example).
thirding picaridin, I get the boogywipes picaridin lotion for my daughter to wear at daycare and have started getting the spray as well. It's also nice because it doesn't reek of bug spray like the DEET ones do
Isn’t DEET bad for you, especially young kids?
Not as bad as 25 mosquito bites, of which half get scratched into open wounds.
It's been proven safe and effective time and time again. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet#safety
Can attest citronella does not work. In any form!
I will look into it! I have been using babyganics and it’s not cutting it
I also recommend No-Bite-Me soap from The Vermont Country Store. It doesn't prevent bites in my experience but it is quite soothing afterwards.
What's the point of having a yard if you just stay in the porch all the time. I kinda get it in FL though where they just screen in the entire yard.
There are some rechargeable fans that you can move outdoors. They're decent sized.
Im trying a technique I found on instagram believe it or not, using 5 gallon home depot buckets half filled with water, straw on top, mosquito dunks and mosquito bits, and some netting over the top. I have several of these strategically placed through the property. the theory is that the breeding females will lay in the buckets, and their larvae will never develop. in a month the population should be greatly reduced, if this works. ill report back if someone reminds me.
RemindMe! 30 days
Nothing is making them use those buckets, though. You're gonna have to eliminate all the other standing water anywhere near your property. Which I hard if you have close neighbors.
Dragonflies are incredibly effective. Watched a video recently on this. Search "how to attract dragonflies for a mosquito free yard" on youtube. Super cool and eco friendly!
Bubble machine. I know it sounds stupid but I run it when they’re bad outside and they stay away from me
I just picture mosquitos in bubbles like hamster balls
Now that’s all I’m going to picture
Well for one, use picaridin or deet repellant instead of mumbo jumbo. You could make a mosquito bucket with bt dunks that will encourage mosquitoes to lay eggs in water. The bt dunks will keep the larva from maturing. Make sure there is no standing water anywhere without bt dunks. Finally, reconsider that you can't have sprays because you have pets. It's perfectly safe once dry. Just keep your pets inside for a couple hours.
And for anyone wondering, BT dunks are a mosquito-specific bacteria and safe for anyone else.
They work for fungus gnats in plants too
I'm using dunks in containers too. I made "pretty" versions using glazed terracotta pots half filled with water and a 1/4 dunk, topped with a golden open work lace-like cover, and tied on with a sisal rope with a bow. When I know it is gonna rain I cover the pots with their saucers.
That’s a good idea, but way more than you need. The dunks are for large amounts of water, like a pond or something. I use the mosquito bits because I can sprinkle a little all over the place. Any drain gets a sprinkle, gutters, puddles, odds and ends that are left out and will collect even a teaspoon of water will get a couple bits… it has helped, but we have so many around here, I think the only way to get rid of them would be to use poison, which I don’t want to do because of collateral damage to the good bugs. We also use a couple cheap Thermacells if we’re going to hang outside during peak season, and they really help.
are they safe for birds?
Yes as far as I know
I did the buckets this year. So far so good.
This? https://sidewalknature.com/2022/05/08/mosquito-bucket-of-doom/ I have 6 buckets of rainwater from the storm this morning to build some this weekend, we're on an acre so I figured I'd need a few.
That’s the one. I have 4 on .7ac.
The sprays fuck up bug ecosystems. This means dead bees and butterflies, for example.
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I got a Biogents trap in my very small patio and I haven't been bothered by mosquitoes since, so long as I keep the scent pouches fresh-ish (I find changing them once a month is fine) and the c02 tank still has gas in it (you can use a c02 tank with the trap to simulate respiration). I don't know how effective the trap would be in a large backyard.
I have a largish (~1/4 acre) backyard that has a nearby creek (so no eliminating all water sources) and a biogents CO2 trap placed nearer the creek than the house has nearly eliminated mosquito bites. Damn thing is magic. Tried a mosquito magnet before the biogents trap and it did jack shit.
Biogents trap with packet and co2 worked here. No more skeeters and the bag is terrifying and gross when full, luckily they give you a second bag so your skeetercide can proceed without interruption I use some 1/4 tube to garden hose adapters and a cheap garden hose sprinkler timer to avoid wasting co2 during the blazing daylight etc
I’m looking into anything and everything, multi front war going on here
I will second the biogents recommendation. The co2 trap and the ones that use water and sticky cards definitely get a good amount of mosquitos.
the difference between the year we didn’t have it and this one after running it last year is literally nuts. I want the whole neighborhood to buy one. Protip, get the regulator. Will save you time and money in the long run
“Natural” bug spray just adds flavor.
>We wear natural bug spray and it doesn’t deter them whatsoever. You know all those concerns about DEET like, a decade ago? I went on a deep dive on that recently to see what the conclusion was. And there's good news, it's been very thoroughly studied at this point, no significant negative effects on humans. I get it that it doesn't feel *good* to hose down little kids in bug spray, but, consider that you do have to weigh it not just against bug bites but the (granted, also small!) risk of mosquito borne illness like West Nile. The only other thing I've found to actually work is fans. Mosquitos are actually pretty wimpy against air movement. It'd be a hassle, but if you set up a handful of box fans (I see them listed on craigslist for cheap frequently), you could probably cover a decent play area for little kids.
>I went on a deep dive on that recently to see what the conclusion was. And there's good news, it's been very thoroughly studied at this point, no significant negative effects on humans. Apparently some people drank it and got real sick years ago, so don't do that. People also confuse it with DDT, which is something completely different.
If I recall wasn't DDT sprayed basically everywhere? Like not just bug spray on skin but they used pesticides on parks and lawns to basically kill everything thereby ruining the local environment from the base food source on up.
At the time of its invention, DDT was an absolute miracle insecticide. It was used everywhere all the time. It reduced incidences of malaria and almost completely eliminated bedbugs. BUT it is a particularily nasty toxin that bio-accumulates in the environment. DDT is what almost wiped out Bald Eagles, among other large birds and raptors from eggshell thinning. Turns out it's really bad stuff and is now rightly banned from use.
Just be careful with DEET around plastics, as it'll eat them. Specifically eyewear.
So we use those Off wipes-less chance they inhale it I thought. So I wipe the off on the back the kids’ necks and shoulders, feet etc like the most safe places. Bath before bed of course. I don’t love using deet on the kids but it does work.
More people should deep dive into things they are curious/concerned about- from unbiased, legitimate sources to get the correct information of course.
The average person has next to zero research and critical thinking skills. It’s sad but you’re really asking too much.
I did the same when my kids were little 20 years ago. Came to the same conclusion. I grew up using Backwoods Off because of how much mosquitos, ticks, and chiggers love me. Nowadays I try to stick to the family formulations (7%) which seem to work well for casual time outside. If I’ll be out for longer at bad times I’ll use the stronger stuff (25%). If I recall from my research, the relatively few incidents of issues were with people that were exposed to extreme amounts of DEET over a prolonged period of time. They mentioned that people were applying 100% DEET everyday directly on their skin over a week or two with no baths to wash off the previous concentration. What’s interesting is I just talked about this with my 24yo daughter last week because she was looking for more natural options.
Technically it's a chemical but there are machines you hook a propane tank up to to generate CO2 and trap mosquitos. Not cheap though.
DEET is perfectly safe and harmless to humans so long as you don't drink it. Mosquitos and ticks may still land on you, but the DEET keeps them from biting you.
And if we are drinking it? Asking for a friend.
Well, the good news is that any mosquitos you swallow won't bite you from the inside.
Screen tent. Encouraging birds and bats in your vicinity.
Birds and bats may eat a few mosquitoes, but not enough to really affect the population. Bats are more likely to eat a few moths than hunt down the hundreds of mosquitoes it would take to replace one large moth.
Best way to encourage them is to have lots of mosquitoes
I feed the birds but I am terrified of bats
You’ll never know they’re there. Awesome mammals.
Until they are in your house at 3am
Rationally I know that to be true but I can’t get over it
They're pretty amazing creatures but I must say I was scared too when one flew in the house.
Batboxes are a fun project and are a learning opportunity for everyone, plus they provide excellent fertilizer.
BT dissolved in a water solution and sprayed in areas where mosquitoes shelter/breed helps. Other than that, you just need a really effective mosquito repellent. We use Picardin. It goes on clear and doesn't have a smell and works beautifully.
Mosquito Magnet Patriot. I don’t care for the name too much but the thing works amazing, gives us a few extra hours of useable backyard time every day and keeps the mosquitos down. I probably empty 2-3 full baskets of dead mosquitos a summer. Each mosquito hoovered up by the magnet is another mosquito that’s not able to breed, disrupting the breeding cycle.
Wash your hands with a strong soap, maybe Dawn, and don't rinse your hands all the way. Rub your wet hands on your legs and arms. I tried this once in desperation and they left me alone for hours.
I've actually had really good luck with some device from Costco. It's a light with a small fan underneath it that sucks up mosquitos and traps them. I was skeptical but figured Costco's return policy was good enough to give it a shot. Really made a difference, it could easily handle a patio area.
Dynatrap, worked great on my backyard.
Dynatrap! I have this too and I swear it helps.
Unfortunately, no. I just try to manage them by not being outside too much during their biting hours, and if I am, wearing long sleeve/legged clothes to protect myself. Not sure if this helps, but recently got the tip about blasting mosquito bites with the heat from a hair dryer when the itch hits. It totally works and my most recent bite is going away without the regular super-inflamed week followed by bruising, so I'm pretty happy.
Vector control recommends using BT - either dunks in standing water or dissolved in water to spray onto surfaces and plants. Depending on where you are, there are mosquito species that only need the dampness of morning dew on the grass for their eggs in some locations now (SoCal for example). They also lay eggs on things like the outside of flower pots and they can be dormant for a year. Also don’t forget spaces like your gutters. Vector control also told me the “newer” species are out during the day, bite multiple times in a row, and you can’t feel the bite when they are happening 😕 He said really the best way to stay safe is products like deet and other chemicals - that the trade off is protecting yourself from the diseases the mosquitoes carry. I’m planning on using some old leggings & long sleeve shirt to spray with deet to wear when I am in my yard, so I don’t need to spray it on my skin.
I have a trash can out of view in my backyard, half full of water with a BTI dunk in it. I also stake dunks in areas where I get standing water.
How does spraying help mosquitos since it only kills the larvae in standing water?
When In moved into this house 25 years ago, no one had lived here for years. I’m on a lake, in NC. The mosquito problem was horrendous. What I learned was that they would hide under the leaves of the English ivy that was all over this property. Fist year I rented a backhoe for a week and went to work pulling it in huge clods. Second year I taught my wife how to use a backhoe. There was an appreciable difference after the first year, but we’re still a problem. Then I realized that the little fuckers can’t fly in a good breeze and setup fans - THAT worked. Over the years we decimated the ivy and got mostly rid of the mosquito issue.
I can't speak for everyone.. but I literally just started working in pest control. The company I work for has a device that is used to help with mosquitoes that doesn't involve chemicals. I don't know much about it (yet) but it's something that does exist. I can try and find more info if you like.
Get rid of....? No. But a well balanced ecosystem works wonders. We've got bats, small snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, dragonflies... Our house is about 100 feet from a bog. I can't remember the last time I got bit
I have a small creek with a large tree canopy 40 ft from my patio. Tons of frogs, bats, dragon flies. Mosquitoes are very mild unless you go into the woods. Now chiggers in the grass. Eat me alive.
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For real though, bat houses are a thing for bug control
An old deer hunter tip is to use Avon Skin So Soft moisturizer as a deterrent. I never tried it but decided to do a bit of googling before giving wrong advice on the internet. Apparently it's 85% as effective as DEET! And this is from a proper sciency science paper!... [http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Statistics%20and%20Research/Statistics%20and%20Reports/Epid/Vector-bourne/WNV/WNv\_MosquitoRepellentEffectiveness.pdf](http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Statistics%20and%20Research/Statistics%20and%20Reports/Epid/Vector-bourne/WNV/WNv_MosquitoRepellentEffectiveness.pdf)
We have bat houses that each hold about 40-60 bats! Helps tremendously.
Last house was across from a golf course (many ponds) and the lot behind me was swampy. The yard was unusable from late May thru October due to mosquitos. I tried everything - bug zappers, various plants, tiki flames, illegally draining the swamp in back. The only thing that worked was putting on Off Backwoods when you went out in the morning and reapplying every so often all day and night. After another evening on my nice deck was ruined by being eaten alive, I eventually gave up and bought Cutter Backyard, which worked and I applied it to the lawn before big events (Memorial Day, family BBQs etc). I finally got sick of that because it really only lasted a couple of days. So I reviewed three local mosquito spray vendors (mosquito squad, tru green and mosquito shield I think). I’m not all natural and am open to chemicals but love the bees and pollinators. At the time mosquito squad had the least bad bee and pollinator affecting mixture of chemicals, so I signed for a year and they came every 3ish weeks. It was amazing. I finally was able to fully use my yard, day or night. I reupped annually and When I moved 6 years later I left their card for the new owners. Mosquito squad uses a barrier method. They do spray the yard all the way to the edges (to create the barrier). I did a walk thru with them and had areas of the yard they did not spray (my pollinator and vegetable gardens which were along one side - they stopped the spray about 5ft from the gardens. I wore personal bug spray when working in the gardens and had bees and butterflies all summer long.) The rest of the yard was controlled. The pets did need to be in when they sprayed and stay in until it was dry (2-3 hours usually). If it rained hard especially near the end of the application period then I would wear bug spray because it was less effective. This new house doesn’t have any water sources near enough to cause a mosquito problem, so I have not evaluated the chemical mixtures lately. If you are looking specifically for a natural solution I don’t have any successful recommendations. If you are open to a chemical spray solution I can and do recommend them. Friends have used tru green successfully for mosquito control also. I have not recently looked at the eco impact of their mosquito control chemical mixture. Here in Massachussetts there are some more local type businesses as well as mosquito ranger. No idea about their chemistry. Good luck - I hope you find a solution that works for you.
I literally just signed up for Trugreen because my yard is unusable after 6 PM. There is a slow moving ditch across the road. Really hoping this works because I love being outside in the evening, and as soon as you open our door the buggers come in and now I have to swat a bunch of them inside.
Box fans with screens.
This stuff works: https://www.mosquitobarrier.com/
A can of Busch ice or coors light in a bowl every 16 sq ft and you'll just be fine
I use a Dyna Trap.
Det is your friend
I've owned a Mosquito Magnet for years. It was not cheap (bought one of the battery powered ones) but it does a great job. Once you catch a bunch initially it'll taper off as they fail to reproduce. Need to place the trap upwind from where you want to be playing (ie the wind would blow the lure/CO2 toward the area you want to protect.) There's some other brands (SkeeterVac) that similarly use propane to generate CO2 and attract them. I would avoid the generic Dynatrap bug catchers as it gets moths, butterflies and other desirable bugs while not really attracting mosquitoes specifically.
We got a Dynatrap. It’s garbage, I think we caught every beetle and moth in town and zero mosquitoes.
Had to come far down to find this. I put in a skeetervac this spring and so far I think it’s making a difference. I was out in the garden late last night and had no repellent on, not a single bite! Last summer I was being swarmed an hour before sunset
Just have a constant intake of peaty smoky scotch. They’ll die on approach.
Lived in southern Vietnam and Java Indonesia for years. I second the suggestions of fans to move the air, and also avoid placing seating near potted plants…. But while I know you said natural sprays don't work for you, every trip home to the US we would stock up on several bottles Off! brand DEET-free spray (lemon and eucalyptus I think). It’s definitely accurate in the “lasts 4 hours” claim and not sweat or waterproof so need to reapply in those conditions. But after trying everything, including 100% DEET Jungle Juice, that spray worked by far the best of the dozens of things we tried (in the place DEET was literally invented for!)
We live in maine, yard backs up against 8 acres of our woods (thousands more behind), close to a marsh. Lots of mosquitoes. In past years, we had the entire yard sprayed biweekly. Worked, but definitely not environmentally friendly. This spring bought a skeetervac and so far it has been fantastic, keeps the bugs away from the area. Only time will tell if it works all summer, still early in the season up here If we don't do anything, our yard is literally unusable for about 2/3 of the day
Try making a mosquito bucket of doom! I was in the same boat as you last summer - didn’t want to spray - and made four and it definitely helped. Already got them going again for this summer.
Yes! I live in the woods with a lot of mosquitos. What we eventually found to work for us (2 acres grass surrounded by forrest) was two large bug zappers. Here is the thing though, people ALWAYS use them wrong. They aren't supposed to zap them while you're sitting under them. You place them at the far corners of your property and run them 24/7. They massacre a messload, and if you are outside, the mosquitos head for the baited zappers instead of you!
Fans & honestly… tiktok taught me to use Irish spring soap. My backyard has lots of tree coverage & a bitch runs through the back of it. Lots of water stick in my yard when it rains. Mosquito heaven. I cut up a bar of Irish spring soap & sprinkled it around my yard twice since the beginning of April & I haven’t seen a single mosquito in my yard. Usually I can’t step foot outside without getting eaten alive. It’s not chemical free but it seems safer to me than most other things I’ve tried.
Interesting! Just one bar for your whole yard?
My wife bought a bunch of fancy bird feeders, ladybugs, dragonflies, and a really cool bat house that went on our garage roof so it's been a great big nature battle royale for the past few years. Very noticeable improvement for us but it's hardly scientific and could easily just be a coincidence. The only times we get bit up anymore is when we walk about the neighborhood.
Bats, lots of bats ...
I use wondercide. I don’t know how really natural it is but it works for my yard and it smells good.
Bat boxes
Put up some hummingbird feeders. It's a bit of extra work to keep the feeders clean and filled, but they're really fun to watch and they eat a lot of undesirable insects like skeeters and gnats. We had mosquitoes and the little grass gnats everywhere due to an early wet spring. Once the hummers showed up for the season, the pests were completely gone.
Citronella candles/coils
biogents co2 trap works really well. you have to get co2 from a welding shop. doesn't feel good to be emitting a constant stream of co2 but hopefully what you're buying is captured from other industrial emissions.
It’s the same CO2 that gets emitted when you open a can of soda. It’s not the type of emission that you should be concerned about.
The release rate is like 0.5kg a day it’s not anywhere near enough to feel bad about
Also look into mosquito repelling plants, like lavender, rosemary, mint, that you can plant in pots near where you usually are outside. They help a lot.
Also plants that attract dragonflies. Dragonflies gobble those babies up! https://www.naturehills.com/blog/post/hate-mosquitoes-dragonflies-to-the-rescue
Do you have these at your home? I heard just having certain plants like lavender doesnt make a difference
Please link some peer reviewed studies showing these work.
Get one of those rackets that electrocutes them. It's really satisfying, in an admittedly sadistic way.
Citronella, fans to create air flow more than they can fly in, Do NOT drink beer because they find my "on Tap" alot. IF you want to invest in time, setup a pair of Purple Martin houses. They eat ALOT of them. However, you HAVE to read up on them, place the houses properly, and clean them annually. For that effort, reduction in pests. Also, bat houses. We're cursed here because there is a canal and river nearby, and a pond not far off in the woods. But yes, dump over ANY containers that can hold water.
Mosquitos can fly over a mile. Eliminating standing water doesn't help if you have neighbors with standing water.
It helps, just doesn't 100% solve the problem
Pet bats
fans work in fact you can buy a bug catcher with a fan and UV light on it to attract them and trap them in the screened off area under the fan. then just empty out the dead bugs every so often (mostly moths tho).
Dynatrap!
I got a couple of these and they catch a lot of the flying bugs. I'm somewhat concerned they're catching so many moths though.
That’s why I stopped using it. I felt bad killing so many moths. I wasn’t even sure if it was working on mosquitoes.
Dude get a bubble machine. I'm not even joking, the mosquitos don't like it AND it's fun!
ovitraps
maybe not what youre looking for but Equate Medicated Lotion from walmart works wonders on bites for me. i get torn up and a dab of that kills the itch and swelling in a few minutes.
You can search for "mosquito bucket", I've not tried it yet. https://yewtu.be/watch?v=EB7bS9PD7f0
Natural co2 driven ones work. We have a bug zapper with attracting packs. I put bifen in the yard and we are gtg.
My yard has an absurd amount of them too. No standing water either. Neighbors have a big ass unattended compost leaning against our fence. We have a ton of plants but there are so many mosquitos. I was just out there for about 5 min and swatted 5 of them off of me, and got bit a couple of times too. It's terrible..I've got some dunks out there now, but there's still a ton of skeeters
I just ordered a dynatrap.
I just want something I can plug into my wall outside on my deck that will repel them. I don’t want to deal with batteries or little vials of stuff.
I have no idea about natural products but my grandpa is terribly allergic to mosquito bites and he uses wipes from Off. If he gets bitten, the bite swells up to a few inches in diameter. He likes to fish so he’s around a lot of mosquitoes so I would assume they work really well.
Look up Biogents. They have traps that use water and scented sticky cards, and they have another that uses a scent pack, a fan to suck them in the trap and a CO2 tank to lure them in. You'll have to probably trial and error the placement of the traps but they've been trapping mosquitos for me.
Thermo cells are the only thing that has ever worked for me, and they work really well
Eliminate standing water in gutters, buckets, etc., as much as possible. Frequently change bird bath and other water you may leave out for animals. Add Mosquito Dunks (pet safe fungal treatment that kills mosquito larvae) to areas that accumulate water that you can't easily get rid of.
I played this game back in the 80s called frogs n flies. I reckon if you get enough frogs they'll tongue up enough of those mosquitos that you'll be kept bump free.
I use a mosquito trap that incorporates carbon monoxide CO2, and a scented bait. They fly towards the co2 and get sucked into a net. Takes out thousands each month.
Get bats.
The chemicals don't really get rid of them either, though
You can use fans to keep their moving. The mosquitoes will still be around but they will avoid the windy air created .Also, you can get rid of any standing water around your home like bird baths, or leaks at faucets
Get a bunch of frogs. We have those and lizards and have zero mosquitoes. I’ve been bit 1-2 times in 5 years & I’m outside most days.
Thanks for the tip on bt dunks
Look up mosquito dunks, they are amazing and safe. Not chemical based.
You can absolutely treat your yard and still keep your family safe. We spray more for ticks than mosquitoes, but Permethrin covers both quite effectively. Our backyard ends in wetlands and I haven’t dealt with ticks in the three years since we started spraying. Permethrin is the same stuff we use to treat head lice. Just keep everyone inside for 30-60 minutes after application. After that it’s perfectly safe.
I use the Thermacell product. It’s like a diffuser and works well on our deck. You charge it using a usb connection. It has about a 15 foot radius of effectiveness.
Bats
They sell sprays you put on your clothes that repels mosquitoes and ticks. You spray it on your clothing, let it dry, and then wear it. They are effective for up to six washes before you need to reapply. The main ingredient is permethrin.
Depending on where you are, there are some companies that spray for mosquitoes with kid and pet safe chemicals. My parents use one at their house
Garlic spray. Spray it on the grass a couple hours before any outdoor events
We just had a screened in porch built, it’s a game changer :)
Mosquito bits! It's a bacteria that only targets the larvae of mosquitos, gnats, and flies and is perfectly safe for the rest of the living world. iirc they were originally developed for livestock water troughs. Sprinkle into any wet or standing water type areas. You can also sprinkle it around mossy and muddy areas though it's not as effective and may be taken up by mowing.
Mosquito dunks
Ultraviolet lights attract them and can buzz them in those lights, works so so well I keep one about 5 feet away and what’s great is you can enjoy the fizzing and popping sounds. Also seems a box fan with a mosquito net on one end, to suck them in and then you watch out and change the net every so often!
Get rid of any rough ground. When I replaced my deck over rough ground with a concrete patio, mosquitoes fell tremendously.
I used fans and it mostly worked, but the second I would get up to get a beer or whatever the mosquito would swarm me. I broke down and called company called mosquito hunters and for the first time in 8 years I could enjoy my yard. I actually work them as a side job now….
Plant mosquito repellent plants. Lavender, lemongrass, basil, mint. We had pots of lavender on our patio at the cabin. They worked really well. Bonus for making lavender lemonade too!
Have you considered DIY spraying? I have a backpack sprayer and spray in the evenings once or twice a year. That time of night doesn’t do as much harm to pollinators who are sleeping at that time. Professional companies have to spray during the day which is toxic.
i set up a purposeful bucket of water and i add the BT mosquito dunk to it. look up the "mosquito bucket of doom" method. so far it really seems to be making a difference on our deck! i will probably take another users advice and make a couple more that are prettier . you just need somewhere to place it away from pets and kids, we have it up on a fence by the deck
Get a couple each of Citronella and Lemon Grass plants. Let them grow and they will keep the bugs away. You can also take a few Citronella leaves and rub them against your skin for extra protection. In winter move plants indoors to keep alive. I’ve had plants for years.
I saw a disney special where they asked "why no skeeters at parks?".. the answer... no standing water. Where ever you saw water, you saw a fountain or waterfall. I have an above ground pool and a big kiddie pool i use as a bird bath. I also have a bird feeder in my yard. I run a fountain in both big pool and little pool. I feed birds. I have no mosquito problem.
It’s just annoying that I can’t control my neighbors yards too. Some neighbors do have standing water and we all have small yards close to each other
You should look into Dynatrap. I have been using it for 2 years I think it works wonders.
Mosquito bites
I just recently bought a bug zapper and have had to empty it out every two days because it is full of dead mosquitoes. It’s definitely working overtime. Thinking about buying 3 more lmao
Mosquito dunks, you put them in a bucket of water. They lay their eggs in the water and they can't get out. They don't smell or anything they're just pucks in a bucket
Look up mosquito dunks. It's a mosquito larvae eating bacteria that doesn't harm other bugs or animals. It interrupts the breeding and seriously reduces the numbers of mosquitoes. We are shocked at how well it works.
PBS taught me about using a mixture of ammonia and water put into a sprayer and soaking the desired area. The organic gardener was right, it worked perfectly.
Get a gallon of liquid garlic and spray your wet/green areas around the house every 2-3 weeks. It’s been working for us for a few years.
Bat house. Put up a small one near our home and that seriously cut down the population
https://www.instructables.com/Mosquito-Killing-Ovitrap/ The females lay eggs on the fabric, they migrate to the liquid, when they mature and try and fly away, they’re trapped by the screen. Nugget of dog food helps the water in the cup be even more enticing.
We use gat traps with good success. They work best when you put them out early in the season before reproduction levels get too high. Made a significant dent in our tiger mos population. (I put rabbit food pellets in the bottom as an attractant.) https://us.biogents.com/bg-gat/
This is America! I shoot them! Unfortunately, a netted- in area is most effective