Getting rid of pesky mosquitoes

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, March 15, 2017

It’s been another mild winter. We have even less chill hours than we had this time last year. There have only been a few cold nights since December. I was very annoyed this week to already feel mosquitoes biting me. I drove into work with the windows rolled down hoping to suck out these morning intruders.

We will likely see many insects around our homes that were not killed off this winter. This makes for an exceptionally long growing season. What do we need to know about mosquitoes right now?

Although they can be blown into your yard by the wind, it is likely that the mosquito biting you has come from just a few yards away. Adult mosquitoes lay eggs in damp soil or rotting vegetation. The eggs remain dormant until rain saturates the area. A small, hidden pool of rainwater that remains for just 10 days may produce hundreds of ravenous pests.

Many people have seen the fogging trucks operate at dusk. The insecticide fog stays close to the ground and kills most of the night feeding swamp mosquitoes. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to control Asian tiger mosquitoes with fogged or sprayed insecticides. Since these blood-suckers feed during the day, fogs and sprays are quickly dispersed by the wind.

Female mosquitoes are the only mosquitoes which bite. It is difficult to make an area entirely mosquito free, but many measures can be taken in order to make your time outdoors tolerable. Here are a few mosquito tips:

No standing water — It is important to understand that mosquitoes have a complete life cycle that requires standing water to complete. The larval and pupal stages of mosquitoes develop in water. The best step toward control for either type of mosquito is to look for pockets of water outdoors and drain them. Look for clogged gutters, leaf-filled drains, drain outlets from air-conditioners, plastic wading pools, dog dishes, soft drink cans, plastic bags, old tires, birdbaths, potted plant saucers, standing water in tire ruts, stumps, tree holes, puddles hidden under English ivy and pools left by flooded streams.

Treat puddles — If a pool of water cannot be permanently drained, i.e. bird baths and landscape water features, a special organic mosquito control can be used. The mosquito disease spore Bacillus thuringensis (Bt) may be sold at garden centers. A common brand name is “Mosquito Dunks.” These can be put in pools of standing water, where they provide control for several weeks. The active ingredient has no effect on birds or animals. It also helps to have fish in a large area of water. Fish feed on immature mosquitoes.

Foggers/sprays — Temporary relief outdoors can be found by using a fogger (not a garden sprayer) made specifically for mosquito control. A special insecticide will be sold for use with the fogger. Use it a few hours before an outdoor activity is planned. It will not be very effective on a windy day. Also, a garden sprayer can be used to spray mosquitos in the yard that often hide in shrubs during the day. This will need to be done often, at least monthly.

Citronella candles — Citronella oil is extracted from citronella grass, which is grown in the tropics. The oil can be vaporized by mixing it with wax and manufacturing a candle to be burned outdoors. Citronella oil is effective for repelling insects. However, the smoke and odor may be too strong for some people’s taste. Several candles must be used to be effective outdoors.

Repellent sprays — Having mosquito repellent spray near the garden, lawn and deck is very beneficial. The CDC recommends using products that contain active ingredients which have been registered by the EPA for use as repellents. The active ingredients DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD and IR3535 have been shown to provide reasonably long-lasting protection from mosquitoes in scientific studies. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using products containing DEET with concentrations of 30 percent or less on children as young as 2 months of age. The other approved products are labeled for children above 2 years of age.

Andrew Sawyer is an Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent with the UGA Cooperative Extension in Thomas County. To contact him, call (229) 225-4130 or email at agsawyer@uga.edu.