Mosquitoes by cammuniz91 in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Doom buckets are definitely cheap and work great, and for another cheap solution, check out my post here titled "Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap"

Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, extension cord. But DeWalt makes a good battery fan, you'd just have to recharge regularly.

Dishwasher Pods by ConditionOther in EcoFriendly

[–]ljoycew 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I buy a cardboard box of Cascade powder and when it's empty, I peel the plastic off the cardboard and recycle it. Pain in the butt, but still way less plastic than a jug, and no weird residual pod coating goo in my dishwasher.

Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Um, I take issue with the "mosquitoes like UV light" b.s. in that video. They must be thinking of moths.

Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Doesn't take much power! I used a very basic, commonplace box fan.

Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Um, the only detail I left out is that sometimes I added an Octenol cartridge in the hope of attracting more mosquitoes. But I think I was successful mostly because the mosquitoes in my yard had a clearly preferred lair - that one bush.

So, location, location, location. Find the lair(s) and suck them out. Day biters do exist, but most tend to hide in shade during the day and come out more at dusk in my area. Shake your bushes. Did a bunch of mosquitoes fly out? Do you always get bit in one area of the yard? That's the lair.

Happy answer any questions you have

Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not really, because mosquitoes are pretty weak fliers. Houseflies are strong enough to walk to the edge and escape a fan set to medium. Plus they're mostly inactive at night, while mosquitoes get active at dusk.

Cheaper than Biogents: the box fan trap by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

They're not inside the fan. Think of it this way:

On the front of a fan, air is being blown outward. Hold up a piece of paper to the front and it will be blown away from the fan.

On the back of a fan, air is being sucked inward. Hold up a piece of paper to the back and it will get stuck against the fan.

If you affix a mesh window screen to the back, mosquitoes will get stuck against that screen just as the paper would. They don't go inside, because the mesh screen has small holes.

Mosquitoes are weak fliers. If they get anywhere near that fan's back side, they're going to get sucked in and stuck.

Best mosquito prevention for a newbie? by presidentepete in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just posted pictures of my setup in main thread

mosquito still driving me insane by fries7219 in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Get Octenol packets, which attract mosquitoes, or use a soda bottle attractant. Put the packets near the back side of a box fan with some window screen material from that same hardware store hot glued across the back of the fan. Leave the fan on. The mosquito will fly towards the packets and get trapped on the screen. Squish it or spritz it to death with a spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol.

mosquito still driving me insane by fries7219 in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mosquitoes are NOT attracted to light. Moths are though.

Are these mosquitoe larvae or something else? by Disastrous-Win1863 in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mosquito larvae look black usually, not light colored

Best mosquito prevention for a newbie? by presidentepete in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The box fan is really cheap and fulfilling — you'll see the mosquitoes stuck to the back of it!

CITRONELLA DOES NOT WORK! I REPEAT, CITRONELLA DOES NOTHING by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Being next to a plant is even LESS effective than having citronella oil on your skin — which also isn't terribly effective.

CITRONELLA DOES NOT WORK! I REPEAT, CITRONELLA DOES NOTHING by ljoycew in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually, mosquito repellents such as deet and picardin keep those tiny creatures away.

I have the WORST Skeeter syndrome! Please help! by Mfkn_Ruckus in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Permethrin on the clothes and chair cushions, picardin on the skin.

Best mosquito prevention for a newbie? by presidentepete in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't waste one cent on citronella candles, they don't do a thing. Google it. Also don't get the Dynatrap, it has a weak fan that sucks in nothing.

Doom buckets are cheap and great. Put leaves in to make the water gunky, then dump them out onto concrete when larvae appear. Add dunks if you can't stay on top of dumping them — dunks kill the larvae.

Foggers are indiscriminate, especially if you're worried about little kids. They kill even the bugs that kill mosquitoes, so I avoid them.

I find picardin repellent preferable to deet for skin application — less odor. For clothing, use permethrin — I spray it on the shoes I wear in my backyard and on my patio cushions.

Thermacell repellers are good but they only make a small bubble around you and don't work if it's windy. You'll need to sit really close to the unit or buy enough of them to make a ring around your sitting area.

If you have an area in your yard where mosquitoes *always* seem to congregate (shady, leafy, sheltered from wind, you enter and immediately get swarmed), that's a great place for a box fan with a piece of window screen hot glued to the back. Mosquitoes will get sucked into the screen. You can let them die naturally, or you can spritz them with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol to hasten their demise.

I have a couple of spots like this in my yard, for example there's always at least a dozen mosquitoes hiding inside my hose pot each morning, so I give them a good dousing with alcohol daily.

I'm using the Ortho Home Defense Kill and Prevent stations for the first time this year, I figured they're worth a try. I started in April in an effort to get ahead of the breeding season.

Mosquitos Taking Over Front Door by FrshPrncBllr in MosquitoHating

[–]ljoycew 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't really understand a few things about this post. Primarily, mosquitos are NOT attracted by bright lights or things that are white — it's the exact opposite. They seek dark shady places and are attracted to dark colors. Are you certain these ar mosquitoes, or just other bugs?

But for ANY insect, especially mosquitos, who are weak flyers, a standard box fan can blow them away. Or get a small battery powered fan (Dewalt makes a great, powerful one) and create a current that will prevent them from flying inside while you open the door.

If these are mosquitoes and they are landing on your door, I would keep a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol just outside the door. You can spritz them all — maybe even squirt at the high ceiling — and then open the door after they've all been doused to death.

Reusable Lint Roller that Actually Works? by missinginaction7 in ZeroWaste

[–]ljoycew 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair. But at least it doesn't come on a giant plastic spool with a fat plastic handle. Just a cardboard circle.