Pest control - Mosquito Magnet?

[CarlD]

Wasn't there something using Dawn detergent as bait?

[waterbear]

Wasn't there something using Dawn detergent as bait?

It was Lemon Fresh Joy and it's false. Check out the Urban Legend Reference page.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/dishsoap.asp

[EricF]

I have a mosquito magnet. The first year it caught a LOT of mosquitoes. The second year, not so many. The third year, very few. Here is my theory, and it is ONLY a THEORY.

I believe it attracts a certain number of species of mosquitoes, and can pretty much eliminate them. However, if there are multiple species in your area, as there are in ours, it is not that effective. There are too many biting species that are not caught by the magnet.

Just my 2 cents.

EricF

[CarlD]

It was Lemon Fresh Joy and it's false. Check out the Urban Legend Reference page.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/dishsoap.asp

Rats! I was hoping it was real--and nice'n'cheap!

[waterbear]

When I go camping I just spray on the DEET and have citronella candles or torches every few feet around the area. Works pretty good. The little coils that you light and then smoulder seem to be somewhat effective also. I've tried some of the less expensive solutions such at the ones that just use a heat source and octanol (mosquito attracter) or repellant and they didn't work for me (dont want to metion any brand names but they look like a litte lantern that doesn't work when it's OFF or a tiny COLMAN stove). The large propane based ones that generate CO2 and also use octanol are what several campgrounds in Florida that I have been to used and they seemed to keep the area pretty clear, however.

[mwsmith2]

I have a basic problem with the "mosquito magnet". The problem is that it attracts mosquitos. I don't want something that brings in half of the neighborhood's mosquitos to my backyard! Sure, it's supposed to kill them, but I'm pretty sure that not all of them get sucked in.

I bought one of those "mosquito mister" systems. Yes, I've heard all the horror stories about them, but after two years of use, I've yet to see any one of them come true. My house is arranged in a U shape, with my pool in the middle of the U. This arrangement creates several permanently shaded areas that those little buggers just love. When I was previewing the house before we bought it, you couldn't stand back by the pool equipment for more than 10 seconds before you were completely covered in those little *******s. Even when you went swimming....if you kept yourself submerged to the nose, they'd bite you on your exposed cheeks. Completely not fun, especially if you wanted to swim at night.

After the mist system was installed, that completely stopped. We don't even need screens on our doors now.

Michael

[Poconos]

I just kill everything in sight. If the fog doesn't get them the noise will. Not cheap but very effective.

[CarlD]

Dang, Al! That thing looks like a flame-thrower!

In the past we've used a bug zapper. They work pretty well, but you cannot get one bigger than recommended unless you want to get ALL the bugs in the neighborhood!

[NWMNMom]

What on earth does a person do when you have to worry about contamination from pesticides in ground water and drift to surface water containing Koi? Our County Extension told us no pesticides are safe for our shallow well (flowing stream at 7' down)

We do have frogs and bats here, but I don't think there could ever be enough to keep up with the buzzing population of blood suckers here, unless we have an extremely dry year(which is not this year as the Red River of the North spread out again this year, so the Red River Valley became just the Red River again.)

Mosquitos are the State Bird here in Minnesota - when the sun goes around the side of the house or behind clouds - yikes! They can carry you away or you actually BREATH mosquitos. We had a mosquito magnet (still have but not effective enough so its been retired) The thing does attract and kill, but there are just too many when you live in a low lying former swamp and propane is too spendy to keep supplying a couple of those things constantly. We really seriously considered one of those pool domes -

[prh129]

I was researching yesterday and came across a product called "Mosquito Barrier". It's basically very strong garlic juice that you spray around the yard (on plants I think) and the smell is said to go away within an hour or so but the mosquitos are supposed to smell it for weeks and it is supposed to keep them away. I think it sold for $22 or so dollars for a quart. If you google this you should find it. I was thinking of trying a quart. I'd prefer a non-pesticide option if it works.

I'm also going to use the tiki torches around the pool idea for lighting.

Peter