Mosquito Control

If you have a mosquito problem, (i.e. If you get at least 1 mosquito bite ;-)) there are a number of things you can do to help eliminate this problem.

A few facts about Mosquitoes before we begin:

– Mosquitoes are generally found near water, though some breeds can fly up to 75 kms from their breeding grounds.
– Only the female mosquito bites you. The male mosquito feeds on plant nectar
– The Mosquito Bite itches because of the anticoagulant that the mosquito injects into you while biting you. This prevents the blood from clotting while feeding. It will stop itching once your body has broken down the anticoagulant proteins.

So, how do you go about implementing Mosquito Control? Well, the main strategy would be to remove the mosquitoes breeding grounds. Ground is quite a strange word for this, as mostly, it’s about removing any unnecessary water. But anyway, here are a few things you can do to help:

• Cover any containers you might have in the garden that could possibly collect rainwater. If you want to collect the rainwater, make sure you put a screen over the opening to prevent mosquitoes from gaining access to the water.
• Level out any ditches or holes in the ground where rainwater or other excess water can accumulate.
• Fix any leaks that you may have outside that could cause a build-up of excess water.
• Ensure that your pond, water fountain or other water feature has chemicals to prevent mosquitoes laying eggs in them. Be careful if this is a water feature that birds are using to drink from, as some chemicals can be harmful to the wildlife. Otherwise, fish are a good detterent as they eat the mosquito larvae.

There are some good products available that can kill or repel mosquitoes, such as:

• Bug Zappers – Attract and then kill the mosquitoes
• Mosquito repellents – Most contain DEET, but others are more natural such as Citronella fragrances, etc.

Good luck, and let me know if you have any other suggestions…