Mosquito Control

Female mosquitoes detect the carbon dioxide as we breathe and hone in on us. Males mainly feed on nectar.

Check sources for standing water: drain boxes, plant trays, webbed furniture, pots behind the shed; a few drops of water is all a mosquito needs to lay eggs.

Cover rain collection systems. If you collect rainwater in buckets or barrels, attach window screen tightly to the top.

To kill or to repel:

Mosquito Dunks, designed for standing water, contain Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis, a bacterium that paralyzes the gut of the mosquito larva and pupa so that they don’t mature into adults. One dunk can control about half of the population within fifteen minutes and kill all of the mosquitoes within an hour of being in the water.

Each dunk lasts about 30 days and treats 100 sq. ft. of water. For smaller areas, simply break off bits of the donut dunk. You can also buy it in a granular form, which is especially good for small areas.

Repellents:

Dr. T’s is a granular product based on garlic and lemongrass to broadcast throughout the garden. You can kill as well as repel with products containing oils, if you get a direct hit on the mosquito. You can use orange oil along with others. s Green Light Organic insect control contains the oils of cloves, rosemary, and wintergreen. These repellents will last a few days.

To ease the itch of mosquito bites:

Blend a little lavender essential oil with your favorite lotion.