Cutter. Attaches to your hose. Works pretty well

Won't damage plants when used as directed.

10000x to cutter spray!

Thanks will give it a try

back in the day .... in suburban livonia...

i used to make a batch of malathion ... which is/was labeled for such ... and spray the INSIDES of all my plants and bushes ..

it stunk for a few days...

but got rid of the problem ...

the bush is where they hide in sunlight.. and the heat of the day ... remove their hiding spot .. and they wont be there in the evening ...

the downside of course.. is that you probably get rid of good things...

i know nothing about the cutter stuff ... but i have too many plants.. that might not like the tops of leaves being sprayed ....

ken

"from the base of my neighbors burning bush".

So, I don't know what kind of neighbors you have and if they would mind, but in my garden, you spray nothing on my plants. You'd talk to me, and I would look for a resolution for you. I'd be sympathetic and concerned about your bites, but if you sprayed something that belonged to me without my input, we'd have a problem :)

It's complicated. They planted the bb many years ago but now it lies just within my property. Even though I'm not a fan of bb, I left it there because they like it and it gives privacy. Otherwise I would have removed it long ago to satisfy my hankering for space for a blue spruce.

In any case, I would never spray a plant on someone else's property but this is on mine, and my generosity does not extend to suffering mosquito bites :)

In any case, I get on well with the neighbors so don't think it would be a problem.

Even if you get on well with your neighbors there might be a problem. I get along well with my neighbors but am unhappy because they cut the bottom branches of my large fir tree (long established before either of us moved here). They were within their right as the branches extended into their yard but if they had discussed it with me I could have told them that the lower branches help support the upper branches when they are snow covered. Perhaps they would have chosen to cut them anyway but maybe not. Anyway, it would be over. Now it leaves a slight pall over the friendship that this courtesy was not extended.

Read up on the drop in bee populations before you spray. We are all overdoing it these days if we use poisons and don't believe the ads that say they don't harm benficial insects. I rub lemon juice on clothes and self before I go out and reapply frequently. Keeps bugs off very well.

Check out the Whole Foods demonstration showing our produce choices without bees. Not so good.

I will say that I only used the cutter at our old house and deal with the various bugs at the new one. The old house had a MAJOR problem with mosquitos. On top of them being bad in general, a neighbor had an above ground pool that was unkept. When there were a lot of issues with West Nile, we basically lived indoors. In fact, I had completely given up any sort of gardening because you simply couldn't be outside without being swarmed. I am not one to spray anything. I garden organically and use vinegar on the driveway weeds I can't manage to pull. Even my roses grow without sprays. But those suckers were unreal. They were (are) black and white striped and you KNEW when one bit you, it hurt like heck. No amount of trimming or lawn cutting would help. They laughed at 100% deet spray and warmed themselves by citronella candles/torches before coming back from more blood. Friends wouldn't come over to be outside after a time or two. I don't know what is in the cutter spray or if it is simply a repellent or also an insecticide, but it works for weeks if there's no rain-it's like a bubble. They won't cross the line where you sprayed (mostly).

I'm in the same position as eclectic. The spraying would be limited to one corner of the yard. We can barely go to one half of our small yard because of from that spot. I am not exaggerating when I say I come back with my face covered in bumps. I have to keep the kids away from there as well. Rubbing down the entire family with lemon juice is really not a viable option.

However, I am definitely not in favor of indiscriminately spraying the stuff around

My neighbor's arborvitae hedge stuck through our fence. I have no idea why, but it bugged the hell out of my dad. My mom and I just viewed it as a plus that the ugly chainlink fence was hidden by the foliage.

So he asked my elderly neighbor if he could "trim" the branches on our side. He said sure, probably assuming that my dad had some iota of knowledge here and really meant to just trim it lightly. Nope. He hacked them all the way back to the fence. Neighbor (who'd been our neighbor for 30 years) was furious. Didn't talk to my dad for the next two years.

Oh, and now we not only see the ugly chainlink fence again, but loads of dead, scraggly branches too.

So, yeah, be careful not to piss off your neighbor :)

Our entire backyard woodland garden is mosquito habitat. From the time they come out of hibernation in spring until they return to hibernation in the fall, I garden in a bug shirt and leave no exposed skin! DH is not bothered by them a bit but I'm clearly a gourmet dinner for them. I don't like using spray so the bug shirt is the best option. It can be a bit of a PITA at times but it works. Lee Valley Tools also sells hats with a bug veil and I use one of those at times too, particularly when it's too hot for the shirt - but I still need to wear a light-weight loose shirt with the hat to protect my arms. I'm sort of the neighbourhood eccentric when it comes to what I look like in the garden! But it's West Nile Virus country around here so it's worth taking precautions. So you could consider the bug shirt or hat as a non-chemical option....

Gardening in both the Lee Valley hat with the veil and a bug shirt:
{{gwi:235421}}

Three cheers for the bug shirt and no chemicals! Way to go!
Cyn's point about declining honeybees really resonates.

Another non-chemical approach would be to broadcast country music loudly across the area. I know that keeps me from entering or lingering in an area, so I figure it must work with mosquitoes too. :)

From the Cutter label - (active ingredient) Lambda cyhalothrin is a synthetic pyrethroid.

Then it continues - "To protect the environment, do not allow pesticide
to enter or run off into storm drains, drainage ditches, gutters or surface waters.
This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or weeds."

Woodyoak, that's some garden gear. The closest I come to entertaining the neighbors is gardening in hip boots so I can get up and down without turning into a mud ball in my coastal climate, I can just hose off the boots.

Mosquitos in the daytime are rarely a problem here, and only occasionally are they troublesome in the evening. Those times they are a problem, my friend who is a health dept nurse does encourage the use of DEET and DH will spray it when appropriate when he's working (although deer flies can be more of a problem in our woods than mosquitoes). I prefer not to spray it on myself, but her thinking is that its less hazardous than W Nile virus which has shown here too - she protects her children with DEET, insists my DH carry it in his truck.

When I use Deet, I spray it on my clothes rather than my skin,usually around jean cuffs and arm sleeves-away from my face especially. Check for color fastness first,it can stain clothes! I was completely amazed that it had zero effect on the mosquitos there though.

Hi all,

I have typed up some additional ideas such as Artemisia (wormwood family).

Here is a link that might be useful: My 2 bits, organic & nonorganic repellents for mosquitoes

We do use DEET occasionally but I have no intention of routinely spraying little children with chemicals just to avoid spraying a small corner of my little yard.

From Wikipedia
As a precaution, manufacturers advise that DEET products should not be used under clothing or on damaged skin, and that preparations be washed off after they are no longer needed or between applications.[15] DEET can act as an irritant;[4] in rare cases, it may cause severe epidermal reactions.[15]

In the DEET Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported 14 to 46 cases of potential DEET-associated seizures, including 4 deaths. The EPA states: "... it does appear that some cases are likely related to DEET toxicity," but observed that with 30% of the US population using DEET, the likely seizure rate is only about one per 100 million users.[16]

The Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University states that "Everglades National Park employees having extensive DEET exposure were more likely to have insomnia, mood disturbances and impaired cognitive function than were lesser exposed co-workers".[17]

When used as directed, products containing between 10% to 30% DEET have been found by the American Academy of Pediatrics to be safe to use on children, as well as adults, but recommends that DEET not be used on infants less than two months old.[15]

Citing human health reasons, Health Canada barred the sale of insect repellents for human use that contained more than 30% DEET in a 2002 re-evaluation. The agency recommended that DEET-based products be used on children between the ages of 2 and 12 only if the concentration of DEET is 10% or less and that repellents be applied no more than 3 times a day, children under 2 should not receive more than 1 application of repellent in a day and DEET-based products of any concentration should not be used on infants under 6 months.[18][19]

DEET has been found to inhibit the activity of a central nervous system enzyme, acetylcholinesterase, in both insects and mammals.[20] This enzyme is involved in the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, thus playing a role in the function of the neurons which control muscles. Because of this property, many insecticides are used to block acetylcholinesterase, which leads to an excessive accumulation of acetylcholine at the synaptic cleft, causing neuromuscular paralysis and death by asphyxiation.[21] DEET is commonly used in combination with insecticides and has the capacity to strengthen the toxicity of carbamates,[22] a class of insecticides known to block acetylcholinesterase. These findings bring evidence that, besides having known toxic effects on the olfactory system, DEET also acts on the brain of insects, and that its toxicity is strengthened in combination with other insecticides.

In 2012, media reported that two Canadian sisters died after ingesting the chemical while in Thailand.[23] (It is reportedly used as a cocktail ingredient there in a drink called "4x100".)[23]

Also, as a male in his mid-30s I have to say it is unlikely you will catch me in that get up :)

Would an electronic insect killer or mosquito trap work? I was given a sample of Off plant based insect repellent that seems to work pretty well. I don't like using anything so I always have bites but when the mosquitoes get real bad then I break out the repellent.