Losing the war against backyard bugs...

[Maximumbob54]

I'm looking for advice. Anything short of naplam and tactical nukes. Thought it would be nice to go back to having a backyard garden this year and OMG it's impossible to just go out for a few minutes to water everything and not be molested and carried away a bite at a time. Mosquitoes, gnats, all the flies, "no-see-ums", all of the above... I've got it all. And I feel like I've tried a little of everything. I've Sevin dusted all the plants. That must have been tasty seasoning. I sprayed neem oil and I guess that was salad dressing. I've connected sprayers of Cutter and Spectracide to the hose and sprayed the EVERYTHING, lawn, tress, house, shed, EVERYTHING. Bugs the next day like nothing happened each time. Mosquito dunks in buckets with some sticks and grass clippings with water to attract the mosquitos to get them to lay the eggs that then die from the bacteria in the dunks. Logic being yes I draw them in initially but they supposedly don't live long and if you slow down the breeding then you see less of them? Haven't seen that so far. Put four fly traps in the FAR corners of the yard because that packet of nasty you put in the water STINKS but it sure does draw them in. And yet they are unending like a biblical plague. Added four of these solar powered tiki torch looking things that turn on for a while at night but they seem to just be killing moths. The last thing I've tried is spectracide triazicide a week ago spread across the lawn and all that did is chase ants into my house and there's still bugs in the yard.

Recommendations???? Before I pull more of my hair out??? And yes I can and do spray myself before I step outside, I'd just like to not have to since I'm only stepping out for a few minutes.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

I hear Florida is nice this time of year.

 

[bladegrinder]

The best bug spray I’ve found is 20% Picaridin, very light smell that goes away in a couple minutes, you’ll forget you put in on in minutes. I quit using anything with deet in it years ago, it stunk, burns, and melts anything you touch that’s made of plastic. Picaridin works good on Florida bugs. On plants I’ve had the best luck spraying them with Fertilome, it’s a concentrate you mix with water.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

No need to be angry M Maximumbob54

A box fan can help with the mosquitoes.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I hear Florida is nice this time of year.

Mind, not angry at you... Just the situation... Bleagh.... I swear South Georgia isn't usually like this. Sure, it gets buggy but this year it's FIERCE. Like I want to go buy a flame thrower fierce. Bad enough I have a bug zapper in the house on 24/7 since you can't even get in the door without hitchhikers.

I even have these goofy looking light bulb replacements that are half LED bulb and half tiny bug zapper with little UV LED lights. So far they are tiny moth killers only at best. Lame. Couple of flying ants. Eh. Crispy.

The best bug spray I’ve found is 20% Picaridin, very light smell that goes away in a couple minutes, you’ll forget you put in on in minutes. I quit using anything with deet in it years ago, it stunk, burns, and melts anything you touch that’s made of plastic. Picaridin works good on Florida bugs. On plants I’ve had the best luck spraying them with Fertilome, it’s a concentrate you mix with water.

The OFF! I use is the 20% Picaridin and it does seem to work okayish. I really have to shower in it to get it to really work. Anything with enough DEET in it to work makes my skin crack and peal which is awful and melted my steering wheel cover. Thank goodness I had a cover. I'll look into Fertilome and see if it's available local or if I have to order it.

I cannot explain this and it makes no sense but I swear I find the Avon Skin so Soft that only has 10% to work better even though you have to put up with the smell. I don't know if whatever else is in there is working some magic but that's the best one I've found if you can put up with the odd smell. It reminds me of whatever that terrible smell is they put on artificial flowers that smells nothing like flowers.

Murphy's Naturals "LEMON EUCALYPTUS OIL MOSQUITO & TICK REPELLENT SPRAY" (copy / paste) works a little bit but not as good at all. And it sweats off really quick.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

I hear ya. We are in northern Canada and right now we have mosquitoes, blackflies, no-see-um’s, deer flies and horse flies. Guess how fun it is to cut my grass?

Our saving grace is coolness in the morning, which most bugs don’t like, so we water the garden early morning.

I personally dislike “bug season,” they drive me bonkers. When they are thick…it’s unbearable, even for 30 seconds.

There was a youtube on the “boxfan” trap. I tried to get the link for you, but it looks like someone complained and it got taken down. (Probably means it works)

Unfortunately, bug zappers don’t do much to rid us of the biting bugs. They just kill the helpful insects.

We have a large beaver pond on our property so the mosquitoes can get pretty bad. On the upside, dragonflies hatch in the water so they come out in full force and help deal with the smaller biting bugs. It’s just insane when there are 10’s of thousands of large dragonflies on the property and you just walk through them with none hitting you. It’s really something else.

Speaking of…I have heard that if you put a fake dragonfly on your hat…it keeps away the biters. Makes sense, as anytime a dragonfly comes around me, the biters seem to disappear until he is gone. Something to try.

 

[Maximumbob54]

northern Canada and right now we have mosquitoes

When they are thick…it’s unbearable, even for 30 seconds.

Like a complete dummy, I forgot to put on spray last night when I went out to water. I looked down and I had half a dozen mosquitoes feasting on my legs already before I got to the hose. I started slapping and they were popping blood spots. Yarf.

There was a youtube on the “boxfan” trap.

If it's the zip tie a filter to the suction side to vacuum them into it then it sort of worked at best. I did see a few dead in there. I set it out when I watered but can't leave it out since I don't have a water proof box fan. There's an idea though. But then I'd need a waterproof filter for it. Maybe one of the washable ones? Might have to put more thought into this. I did set out an oscillating fan on high trying to blow them away from me and I thiiiiiink that mayyyyyyybe helps??? Probably not. Placebo effect.

Unfortunately, bug zappers don’t do much to rid us of the biting bugs. They just kill the helpful insects.

I used one outside until I saw I was also killing the bees. No es bueno. Now I have a small inside unit I keep in the living room. It gives a very satisfying ZAP now and then. I enjoy cleaning that tray.

We have a large beaver pond on our property so the mosquitoes can get pretty bad.

Can you use the mosquito dunks or bits up there? That's supposed to be the fix for standing water. Not sure how many a pond would need. Or if there's a max size.

dragonflies hatch in the water

Not just that. I'm working on stringing wire and twine around the yard along with sinking bamboo poles in various spots around the yard. Watched a video how to make the yard a dragonfly zone. It's not all set yet but I've seen a couple of them. Not sure if that's because I've been watching for them now and just never noticed them before or they are really being drawn in. They supposedly like areas to perch to hunt.

put a fake dragonfly on your hat

We have a guy her at work that is currently testing this. So far he's having mixed results. He said it's kind of better than not having it but not the miracle cure. I say the same about I tried the sonic bracelet gadget last year and it also kind of worked.


Bottom line, I don't care at this point how crazy it sounds. I'll probably try it. I even cut up jalapenos, onions, garlic, mixed in soapy water and sprayed all around the yard. Silly but that also kind of worked. Probably more the soapy water than anything else but that's what the video said to use.

 

[bladegrinder]

I live on 30 acres of deep Florida forest with a rainy season wet area on my place and the mosquitoes are as big as dragonflies here, yellow flies and deer flies. I don’t get too much of anything around my house or my shop but going up to the mailbox or stepping into the woods, they’ll tear you apart. I’m currently doing an experiment on a deer tick I found, put him in a glass jar 14 days ago and he’s still kicking. This is hands down the best stuff I’ve ever used. I tried that skin so soft years ago and it didn’t work for me, just stank and made me feel all greasy.

 

[Danke42]

Why Mosquitoes Bite Some and Not Others​

According to research, you are more at risk for mosquito bites if you:

• Are pregnant
• Are obese or overweight (because you might exhale more CO2)
• Have an O blood type (you attract more mosquitoes than friends with Type A or B blood)
• Have recently had alcohol (this increases your metabolic rate and the amount of CO2 you produce)
• Have a higher body temperature
• Have sweat on your skin
• Produce more lactic acid, uric acid and Octenol through your pores (these are attractants mosquitoes detect through their antennae)
• Have recently exercised (your raised metabolic rate increases your CO2 emission)
• Are moving (it’s easier for mosquitoes to spot you)
• Are wearing dark clothing (dark colors stand out more to mosquitoes)
• Haven’t showered in a day or more (old sweat is more appealing to mosquitoes, especially to the species carrying malaria)

So what you need is a friend who ticks as many boxes from the list as possible. Hang out with them in the yard and you won't be appealing (unless of course you tick a lot of the boxes).

 

[Maximumbob54]

I live on 30 acres of deep Florida forest with a rainy season wet area on my place and the mosquitoes are as big as dragonflies here, yellow flies and deer flies. I don’t get too much of anything around my house or my shop but going up to the mailbox or stepping into the woods, they’ll tear you apart. I’m currently doing an experiment on a deer tick I found, put him in a glass jar 14 days ago and he’s still kicking. This is hands down the best stuff I’ve ever used. I tried that skin so soft years ago and it didn’t work for me, just stank and made me feel all greasy.
(snip)

Ordered... Plus a few more things from their product line and a just of permethrin I may just spray around the doors and such.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Why Mosquitoes Bite Some and Not Others​

According to research, you are more at risk for mosquito bites if you:

• Are pregnant - NO
• Are obese or overweight (because you might exhale more CO2) - Working on it but YES (lost 90 lbs so far...)
• Have an O blood type (you attract more mosquitoes than friends with Type A or B blood) NO
• Have recently had alcohol (this increases your metabolic rate and the amount of CO2 you produce) NO
• Have a higher body temperature NO
• Have sweat on your skin - it's south GA, BIG YES
• Produce more lactic acid, uric acid and Octenol through your pores (these are attractants mosquitoes detect through their antennae) - Huh? How? Wha?
• Have recently exercised (your raised metabolic rate increases your CO2 emission) - I do walk the neighborhood so I guess BIG YES
• Are moving (it’s easier for mosquitoes to spot you) - step out the door = death my mosquito
• Are wearing dark clothing (dark colors stand out more to mosquitoes) - Johnny Cash is my hero
• Haven’t showered in a day or more (old sweat is more appealing to mosquitoes, especially to the species carrying malaria) - If you skip a shower around here I'd bet you start growing mildew in your armpits. I shower at least twice a day sometimes three.

So what you need is a friend who ticks as many boxes from the list as possible. Hang out with them in the yard and you won't be appealing (unless of course you tick a lot of the boxes).

Five and a maybe out of eleven? Guess now I have to look up how to measure my octenol and how to reduce it. Goody gum drops.

 

[Trawlerman]

The years that we spent on our boat travelling thru SC, GA and FL we swore by these Thermacell devises. the marina in the Keys had a tiki bar and we'd place a few if these around the perimeter and they really kept the no-see-ums at bay.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I've had mixed results with Thermacells. If there's zero wind then they seem to work pretty good. But the slightest breeze moves your invisible bubble or protection to somewhere over yonder.... I did use one in a tree stand one season and worried maybe the deer would avoid that area as well. Had zero impact on deer.

 

[Lesknife]

Around here it varies from year to year and some are way worse than other times. We have both large dairy farms and pig farms so flies and mosquitoes can get out of control when we have rains. A lot of the rural farms are using a combination of large electric zappers and propane attractors that draw the pests to them and then they meet their demise! Killing thousands of flies and mosquitoes every day. I went to one farm and the ground was covered with dead bugs in just a few hours! I’ve seen them for sale in the local farm and ranch stores around here and they have a variety of sizes depending on your needs from small patio to barn yards. Everyone who Ive talked to said they work great .

 

[Maximumbob54]

Around here it varies from year to year and some are way worse than other times. We have both large dairy farms and pig farms so flies and mosquitoes can get out of control when we have rains. A lot of the rural farms are using a combination of large electric zappers and propane attractors that draw the pests to them and then they meet their demise! Killing thousands of flies and mosquitoes every day. I went to one farm and the ground was covered with dead bugs in just a few hours! I’ve seen them for sale in the local farm and ranch stores around here and they have a variety of sizes depending on your needs from small patio to barn yards. Everyone who Ive talked to said they work great .

found the Mosquito Magnet which I think is what you're talking about. But reviews are kind of all over the place. Going to look into this more for sure because I like the listing saying an acre of coverage.

 

[Ajack60]

Stick a Bounce dryer sheet in your pocket to keep the mosquitos away. I rub it on my shirt first and then stick it in my pocket. It works

 

[270ultimate]

We did a block of dry ice in a cooler for a kid’s birthday party several years ago. The CO2 attracts them, then kills them when they land on it.

Seemed pretty effective, but not anything I’d believe to be practical for daily use around the yard.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Stick a Bounce dryer sheet in your pocket to keep the mosquitos away. I rub it on my shirt first and then stick it in my pocket. It works

Is there a specific brand? I've tried Snuggle and Bounce with zero success.

 

[Hatch Power]

You can buy Permethrin at tractor supply. Mix it according to directions on bottle in a pump sprayer. Spray around edges of all water within 75 yards of your house. Make sure spray overlaps water and ground. Check your gutters if they are holding water spray them too. I would also spray your mosquito traps. Mosquitoes need water to lay eggs. This works for me it might help you.

 

[Maximumbob54]

You can buy Permethrin at tractor supply. Mix it according to directions on bottle in a pump sprayer. Spray around edges of all water within 75 yards of your house. Make sure spray overlaps water and ground. Check your gutters if they are holding water spray them too. I would also spray your mosquito traps. Mosquitoes need water to lay eggs. This works for me it might help you.

I'm doing exactly this sometime this week. I had no idea I can buy a jug of concentrate to mix. I thought it was all just squirt bottles from walmart and such. Stopping by tractor supply on my way out this afternoon to see if they stock it. Otherwise it will be delivery in a day or two.