Hopefully someone has an answer to this, because they were absolutely swarming this morning! I always pile on the DEET, and it usually works, but today while I was out watering at 7:00, they came pouring out of the flowers and trying to land on me! I don't know of anything else to use, but there's got to be an old-fashioned remedy that works. I think I'll go look in my Jerry Baker books and see if Grandma Putt had a secret concoction!

My sister swears by the CO2 traps. She doesn't even have one; it's her neighbor's, but the entire block is covered. And she lives 4 houses in from the Chesapeake Bay! She knows it works, because a couple of summers ago it was out of commission, and they all suffered terribly.

I heard that bounce fabric softener sheets work if you rub them on your skin. I haven't tried it. Mothballs around your patio, will help--about 6 inches apart. we have used the mothballs.

DH cut the grass tonight...already did it yesterday...but it was so long he had to do it again. He left the garage door open and turned off the light. When I went out to get something, the garage was swarming with mosquitoes. They disappeared once the light was on for a couple of seconds. When the garage door was closed again, I went out and sprayed the air with Raid. Later, I went out again...and there were still live mosquitoes out there!!!! I could not believe it! If Raid won't stop them, I don't know what will. It's kind of spooky!

Sounds like a sci-fi movie, "Invasion of the Killer Mosquitoes"!

~Sandy~

Know what you mean Sandy. We had rain 29 days out of 32 and they swarmed me when I went outside- covered in Deet- even sprayed my clothing. I decided the tomatoes weren't worth it to me the day one got behind my glasses & bit below my eyebrow...it was so swollen by morning I barely see. We're in West Nile Virus country and had several people in our county get it as well as horses.

Bounce doesn't work for me, nor Skin So Soft or any of the other remedies I've tried. Someone said rub yourself with Banana peel- no thanks.

Watching "Dirty Jobs" one night as Mike Rowe was in New Orleans with mosquito scientist, I was astounded to learn the eggs don't die when they're dumped on the ground. They just dry into tiny specks & once water is available they immediately turn to those little "wiggler" larvae!
Suzi

Reconstituted Mosquitoes!

Good one, Nancy!!

Have you ever considered installing a bat house? I think this is the most economical way of reducing the mosquito population dramatically. I have had great success in the last year with mine. I bookmarked a site that has great information to look into.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mosquito Control

Move to Phoenix...we could go shopping and enable one another in so many ways. LOL.

Gosh, I can not even imagine dealing with what you are tho.
How absolutely awful. The city needs to do something more, I can't even imagine children trying to play outside in this.

hugs, Karen

I use skunk oil on my skin every summer. Rub a lot under your armpits and in the bends of your knees especially. It is kind of greasey but it seems to really work for me. They dont make an unscented type just the original. I kind of like it mixed with my honeysuckle perfume. It reminds you of Ode'de Pew. You can buy it by the pint bottle from the Bureau of Wildlife and Mosquito Mangagement. They recycle everything.

I had the same problem last spring. I used Sevens granule type insect treatment on the entire yard and between uses it was really good. I think I used it 3 times before fall but it made a huge difference...and so far this spring they haven't been nearly as bad. And that is saying a lot since I live by a lake...we also have bats in the area which take care of most of the rest of the bugs. Now tell me how to get rid of grubs and moles...the moles are tearing up my garden getting the grubs. We have to go out and do the mole stomp every day. I think the neighbors think we are doing some kind of tribal dance. LOL

Smickie, My Yorkie eats grubs. I am not kidding. It is gross.

Susie & Micki!You sure ruined my "almost asleep better get to bed before I fall out of the chair" with your wacky solutions!! Don't think I've ever been bitten under the arm!! Your DH must sleep in the dog's house!! Keep your bathtub full of tomatojuice do you!! I don't do a dance for gophers but I sure have problems with them. I was bitten by mosquitoes 3 times in 2 days while watering last week. Love the calf of my leg. I hate using Deet but it is only thing that works. Micki, just dig the grubs & feed the dog & forget the dog food. Oh, aren't frogs & toads supposed to eat mosquitoes, need some frog & toad farms in the Midwest! If you start swelling up from a bite put Caladryl on it or take a Benadryl, the sting is a toxin, it can multiply,same with bees, wasps, or even little old ants can cause serious reactions. Some neighbor was having a party & lady was selling Jabba or something like that started with a J & she talked about the wonderful stuff in it & mentioned royal jelly just as she reached over & rubbed a circle of it on my cheek. I didn't think anything about it & suddenly everybody was yelling at me, get to the sink, wash that off, my face was swelling so fast by time I got to sink my eye was swollen shut. I took Benadryl & it stopped the reaction. Seems they use stuff that bees have been in contact with & I'm allergic to even their parts, I found when I scrapped off bottom of cheap candle that was for Halloween & made in China, it had pieces of bees in it so anyone with allergies or even if you don't you can get them at any age be careful of stings, creams & lotions & makeup & maybe even eating "royal jelly" You could have a reaction.Firemen told me some people don't have reaction right away & can happen even couple of days later. Jan.

Hello everyone, I'm new here, not sure how things work, so, I'm sorry if I mess up. I saw this post, and I have been wondering about the electronic mosquito repellents that you can clip on your clothes, or just sit near you. I saw one at Big Lots yesterday. Has anyone tried one?

I've wondered also if they work, lovefrogs! Welcome to our crazyness! Anyone have an answer???Jan

We're screening in the back porch. (Or I should say dh promised me it would be done by the end of next month, we'll see lol) Don't have much hope for anything else. We even bought a small cheap ($30) screen house for when we go camping. Susie I'm still laughing about yours. I think I'll smile all day about that one. Dh evicted the bats from the attic when he repaired the soffit so I really should get them a house of their own. Skin so soft used to work a decade or 2 ago but either they changed the formula or someone tipped the 'skeeters off that it isn't really poison. We don't have many mosquitos yet but the black flies are brutal. SkinSS may still work on them. Fortunately they are seasonal and will go away soon. Does anyone else have black flies or are they a New England scourge? If personal zappers worked on them I'd get one.
kathy

Kathyprimrose- We have what I call "Cow Fly Season". The $5.00 foot long place (Sub sandwich place) is across the street from a huge commercial cattle ranch. There is one season each year where you can not stand to watch them try and make a sandwich. They wave the flies off of the sandwich with one hand while they are putting it together with the other hand. If the sandwich kid turns around to the little oven the flies will cover the sandwich.

When I was new in town I made the mistake of wandering in during "Cow Fly Season" and ordering several sandwiches. I saw the fight that was going on to get a sandwich wrapped up before the flies ate it down to crumbs. I turned green with nausia and said "I'm sorry, I just cant feed those to my family". Then I walked toward the door. The sandwich kid called out "The manager knows about it". Oh well then that must make it Alright. Silly me. LOLOLOLO

When you are not in a shop ordering dinner these same cow flies will nip you all over the legs and arms. My Father-in-law (the incredible wizard that he is) said "If you dont want the flies to bite you on the legs, then cut a hole in the backside of your pants.

I just have to chime in here with my 2 cents worth...
Our farmer friend says to dab vanilla on. a bit behind the ears, on the neck, on your arms, and any part below that is exposed.
Everyone in our community is talking about it.
I took a small spray bottle and mixed half water, and half vanilla. I spray a bit in my hands, and rub it on wherever the skin is exposed. It seems to be working very well. I used immitation vanilla, and it works fine.
It has caused such a stir that the local WalMart ran out of the stuff!

Jan

Also have used vanilla for yrs...but mainly, for those dreaded "gnats!" ... always heard to use the "pure vanilla" only...and not watered down...so glad to hear it works for "gourdfriend."

Skin-so-soft helps sometimes...but Deep Woods Off with Deet works best for me...when my DH mows, he puts a dryer sheet under the back strap of his hat so it hangs down his neck...helps, he says.

Just heard more on e-mails about Listerine...haven't tried it yet...hate the smell of it, anyway! Ugh! Looks like it's gonna be a bad yr...so Minnesota will be breeding GIANT ones if they're that bad around here in IA already!..don't want them flying South! I LUV MN! Ugh, again!

Keeping grass mowed helps...and those mosquito "dunks" in the bird waterers & ponds...that's about all I know. Happy swatting, GJers! Jeanne S.

I'm lucky, I'm not allergic to mosquito spit so I don't get mosquito bites. Haven't since I was a kid. Not to say they don't bug the heck out of me though.

Sandy, whatever happened to Frog Town? Shouldn't there be a deluge of frogs eating all those mosquitoes in Toledo?

A single bat will eat up to 2,000 mosquitos in a night. If anyone ever wants to learn about bats, please visit Bat Conservation International. They can dispell any fears you have about bats. You can even buy bat houses equipped with bat cams so you can watch them. lol!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bat Conservation International

Oh .... those darn skeeters .....

Bats are a good thing for sure, and so many people have been misinformed about them. I love a bird that eats 2,000 skeeters a night!

As to CO2 traps, I know nothing about them, but must look into it, sounds really good ....

We don't go outside much after the sun starts going down, that's when they're the worst .... if we do I use citronella candles and incense, and usually one of the deet sprays.

Gonna have to try the vanilla .... hope it works for us!

Moving to Phoenix ..... that sounds like the best plan LOL ....

~tenderlee

People use to believe that keeping Purple Martins was good insect control. Then some studies were done that said it's mosquito eating was more minimal than they previously thought. How on earth could they know that? Dont answer that!!!!

Ya'll (she gasped) I bought real vanilla flavoring and mixed it 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. I just came back in from the front porch with a mosquito bite and 6 cow flies followed me in. I have to say that it did not work for me. I felt like "Pig Pen" sitting out in the swing with flies circling around me. If I used it full proof I am afraid it may stain my clothes.

Some studies suggest that taking thiamine (vitamin B1) 25mg to 50 mg three times per day is effective in reducing mosquito bites. This safe vitamin apparently produces a skin odor that is not detectable by humans, but is disagreeable to pregnant mosquitoes (Pediatric Clinics of North America, 16:191, 1969). It seems to be especially effective for those people with large allergic reactions. Thiamine takes about 2 weeks before the odor fully saturates the skin.

* I copied that from here http://www.drgreene.com/21_36.html

I've heard or read that mosquitos prefer nice sweaty skin, and also sweet perfumes and shampoos.

we have a HUGE mosquito problem, plus we live on the river. mosquito larvae will live in moist mulch under your shrubbery, they don't have to just grow in standing water. besides mosquitos we have gnats, yellow flies(deer flies) horse flies, and black flies-they look just like the house flies but bite the snotfire out of you-;red bugs,....bleh-there's more! but that's enough to scare you for now :D

I take garlic every day. The odorless kind of course. Not bothered much by these vampire blood sucking critters. HMMMMMM something bout garlic and blood sucking strike up a familiar image?????? My brother swears that this also deters ticks.

Kat

We have had a Mosquito Deleto for past several years. Runs on a small propane tank that usually lasts all season. We turn it on when we first see mosquitoes and just leave it on. We have about a 3/4 an acre here in Indiana. If we stay within our fenced in area, which is about 1/3 of our property, the mosquitoes don't bother us. But, step outside that fenced in area, and they will eat you alive. The Mosquito Deleto comes with a repellent that we place on our patio. The large unit has some kind of attractant and kills them. We tried to buy one for a Christmas present for our son and family last year and couldn't find any. Luckily I found a brand new one on Ebay for just $50. They usually sold around $150. The models Lowes has now are called Mosquito Magnets and are much more expensive but I'm told they work very well too. They are more of a vacuum. When we have outdoor gatherings, we also use a fogger that we have had for years. Be careful though using the old bug zappers as they kill the beneficial insects.

Hi,
I am new here and just saw your post about the mosquitos. I recieved and e-mail message the other day about using listerine I will gladly send it to you if you would like.I don't think you spray it on yourself just around as near as i can tell from the e-mail. I haven't tried it but am going to.Let me know if you would like me to forward message to you, or anyone else that would like it. ~Ellie~

I am in tears here, You folks are a hoot!!! As you know Mozzy's are aweful here at the beach. We are using a propane mosquito Trap this year I will let you know how that works out. It is supposed to diminish the population on up to 1 acre after 30 days...that is how long the tank of Propane is supposed to last on the energy saving setting.
Anyway, Prior to this we spayed Liquid Sevin (as directed on the bottle of concentrate in a cheap sprayer)over the entire yard, paying special attention to the bushes and being sure to empty any thing that might hold water. I also add 1 cup of bleach to my fountains to keep Mozzy eggs at bay, When we do spray the population is almost non-existent for about 3 weeks or so ( that is a feat in itself here). LOL I just looked up mosquitos on Wikipedia.....You gotta read some of this...I am itching all over!

Here is a link that might be useful: Mosquito..aka Skeeters & Mozzys

I read that an old-time mosquito remedy was to consume a tablespoon of kerosene. It was recommended that the tablespoon of oil be filled with sugar to make it more palatable.

Evidently the odor comes out on the skin and prevents mosquitoes from biting.

Evidently up to about two tablespoons of good quality kerosene can be consumed without ill-effect. In a pinch this can be used to eliminate some intestinal parasites.

The only warning was to avoid breathing the fumes as it can cause lung irritation.

I won't be trying this method (citronella oil in my oil lamps seems to do a good job), but it is interesting.

Also, thanks for the bat house link, I'd like to make and install a bunch of those!

We like bats & mosquitofish for mosquito control here at our farm in central Ohio.

The fish are relatively new to us... as we just recently put them in our pond -- so I'll have to update you later.
Taken from wikipedia-- the mosquitofish feed readily on the aquatic larval and pupal stages of mosquitoes. They & are remarkably hardy, surviving in waters of very low oxygen saturations, high salinities (including twice that of seawater), and high temperatures; they can even survive in waters up to 42 °C for short periods.

They are recommended in our area as long as it's in a contained area and not allowed to go into the open waterways--Apparently they may be hazardous to frogs and tadpoles if sharing space. Because of their aggressive nature and high birthrate, mosquitofish can overtake most native species in an area, drastically harming local populations.... so confinement is the key!

Here is a link that might be useful: Mosquito fish aka gambusia

I'm gonna hang a mosquito fish around my neck!!!!

Seriously I found a product for small ponds and fountains ect. They are called Mosquito Bullets. I got them at the Feed Store. They do not melt into granules like Mosquito Dunks do. They last for 60 days and actually kill adult mosquitos.