Mosquito control

I got a couple of questions about mosquito control. With the very hot weather and rain, insect activity will increase and you may have to deal with mosquitoes. Here is some information you can use to prevent mosquitoes from being a problem in your yard. First, reduce standing water where mosquitoes can breed. Some species of mosquitoes only need a half inch of standing water and eggs of some species can hatch in a week or so. Make sure you change any pets drinking water and birdbath water. If you have plastic tarps or plastic on the ground anywhere, folds in the plastic can gather water. Check those areas. Check water in bottom of plant containers, including hanging plants. You can add food grade diatomaceous earth to any standing water to kill mosquito larvae. It wouldn’t hurt to build a bat house and encourage bats. A single bat can eat several thousand mosquitoes in one night.

When you go outside, wear a good Non-DEET mosquito repellent. Here is a recipe for a very good repellent.

Combine in a 16 oz. bottle:
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp. of vanilla extract
1/4 Cup lemon juice.
Fill bottle with water. Shake. Ready to use.

We do not need city, county or state agencies trying to protect us from mosquitoes when all they really accomplish is the destruction of the ecosystem with their misuse of pesticides. The pesticides they use are far more dangerous than any “terrorist” mosquito.