s •• q •• u •• i •• t •• o •• e •• s
How to keep them off your body and pets
STORY BY Joyce Block
A repellent is sprayed on yourself to keep the mosquitoes off of your body . The most effective repellents contain DEET or lemon eucalyptus oil . DEET as an effective ingredient has been around since 1956 . When it is sprayed onto people , it applies a thin coating onto the skin . Those repeals biting insects , like mosquitoes . It may keep them from landing on you also . In an article by Consumer Reports , DEET is reported to be safe when according to the label instructions .
Lemon oil eucalyptus is another product that have been used to keep mosquitoes at bay . In another article from Consumer Reports , Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus has been around since the 1990s . In the studies done by Consumer Reports , as a repellent , it lasts for up to five hours . And should not be used on children under three years of age .
There are other ways to keep mosquitoes from bothering you . Our parents and grandparents would burn citronella candles or oil in tiki torches . The citronella plant can be planted near the areas where you plan to spend your time outside . Other plants that may have mosquito repelling ability are lavender , lemongrass and marigolds . These plants have a scent that mosquitoes find repelling . Another product that can be used outside as a repellent is cedar oil . Cedar oil comes in both a liquid and a pelletized form . The liquid does need to be mixed with water and applied through a hose end sprayer or a pump sprayer . Where as the pelletized form just need to be spread over the yard with a broadcast spreader . I have used the pelletized form and have had some success with it . The pellets are made from cedar that has been discarded in manufacturing .
Products that contain pyrethrums are used as a spray for lawns and shrubs to kill the mosquitoes . Some of the products claim to kill for up to four weeks . But it does depend on how much rain falls . Be sure to read the label directions when using this or any other product , as they can be toxic to bees and some bird species . In order to protect the bees , butterflies , these products need to be sprayed when the bees are not present .
Of course , the easiest way to control mosquitoes is to remove any standing water where they can lay their eggs . Empty out old tires or buckets of water . If you have rain barrels float a few mosquito donuts in them . This product contains Bacillus Thuringiensis , which will kill the larvae .
Though if you have a pond or a stock tank , fish such as bass , catfish and goldfish can be kept in there to control the mosquitoes . Or add some type of an aerator to the pond , mosquitoes do not like moving water .
Other animal or insect controls include bats , purple martins or dragonflies . Add a few bat or martin houses to the yard to help attract them . All of these creatures will eat the mosquitoes .
A recent innovation has been the mosquito vacuums . What these machines do is emit carbon dioxide , which humans and other mammals breathe out , to “ trick ” the mosquitoes into thinking that there are humans in the vicinity . Most of the vacuums require electricity and a propane tank . They also need to be run 24 hours a day during the mosquito season in order to be effective . The key to success with these units is to read the directions .
Bug zappers are also sold to kill bugs . The problem is that many insects are not attracted to the UV light that they emit . If you want to get rid of mosquitoes , the bug zapper needs to have a location for an Octenol lure . The lure mimics a human breathing and attracts the biting insects .
Pictures of products does not imply endorsement by the Johnson County Master Gardeners .
This article includes information from the Texas AgriLife Extension and Texas A & M websites and Consumer Reports .
Joyce Block is a Johnson County Master Gardener and she lives in Alvarado .
Community Life 21