Mosquitoes

The Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito is known

to be a vector for various diseases and viruses.

Now there appears to be a new virus – the Zika virus.

Controlling Mosquitoes Naturally

(why naturally? Besides health reasons, it  is important to understand that by using chemical pesticides, that even if just 1 mosquito survives, that offspring will be immunity to that pesticide and so will be it’s children!).

1. Remove conditions that allow them to live and breed

? Eliminate standing water anywhere where mosquitoes can breed.

? Change the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.

? Fill temporary pools of water with dirt or add the oils or food coloring or spray with garlic or add a few drops garlic oil every day.

? Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating. Use a misting system around the pool and spray garlic or essential oils.

2. Prevent exposure

If they can’t find you, they can’t bite you! 

You can eat garlic twice a day or place a small crush garlic into your shoes and wear it for the day. Ok Ok can’t do the crushed garlic in your shoes? Place powdered garlic, about 1 tablespoon in each shoe!  The garlic will enter your system thru your feet and will come out thru your skin!  You only need one-half a clove of garlic (or 1 tablespoon powdered garlic) in your shoes, not needed in both but if you know you are going out into the woods say, I would put one in each shoe as well as take a few extra cloves with me!

? Use clothing that protects you body such as head nets, long sleeves and long pants.

? Bug Proof your windows and door screens b fixing any holes or breaks. Hang a screen on the doors.

? Replace your outdoor lights with yellow “bug” lights that attracts less mosquitoes than ordinary lights.

         3. Install a misting system around the places you hang out like the porch or pool. A misting system is easy to install.

Biological Measures

Larvicides target larvae in the breeding habitat before they can mature into adult mosquitoes and disperse.

Larvicides include:

Bacterial Insecticides

• Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis
• Bacillus sphaericus

Other Materials

• Mineral oils
• Cooking Oil
• Diatomaceous Earth, always use Garden Grade
• Any Natural Soap (try Dr. Bronners Soaps)

Most Oils as well as any natural  food coloring, natural soap,  will disperse into a thin layer on the surface of the water which will cause the larvae / pupae to drown.

Make a misting system that you can place around the outside of the house or area you want to keep the mosquitoes away from. You can make your own by using a fertigation unit as the source and attach to misting system with a timer and water source. Very simple really. Mosquito misting systems normally use special naturally occurring insecticides made from pyrethrum flowers. The insecticide is bought in a concentrated form and diluted with water. The mixture is then atomized with a mid pressure pump and nozzles and dispersed throughout the target area. Although pyrethrum is generally considered to be safe for use around people and even foods, it will aggressively attack and degrade the seals, cores, collars and other parts of lesser grade nozzles and fittings so be sure you are using a natural product which doesn’t have petroleum  distillates. However, for the purpose of controlling mosquitos, I would use a garlic concentrate instead. Try Mosquito Barrier.

Garlic

Garlic’s natural sulfur repels and kills mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, flies and most insects on contact. Spraying garlic to kill and to keep insects away has been done by farmers and master organic gardeners for many generations.

Since mosquitoes are soft bodied insects the garlic juice is very toxic to them in proper concentrations. The juice does not harm humans or pets or plants, but to mosquitoes and many insects, it is deadly. The garlic odor chases them out of your area and they stay away as long as they can detect the odor. Mosquitoes and all insects have extremely sensitive odor sensing antennae so if you can smell it, you know they can too!  If the mosquitoes aren’t in your yard, they can’t get into your house to find you or your pets!

Garlic does not  kill bees or butterflies and is completely safe for children, fish, birds, dogs, cats etc and is environmentally safe. Best way is to spray it.

(1) It kills all adult mosquitoes on contact.

(2) The garlic can be used to coat plants, vegetables, flowers, lawns, etc which will keep mosquitoes as well as other insects off your plants and out of your area.

1. It suffocates any mosquito and any other larvae found in standing water.
2. If used in a misting system, can be applied every day to ensure the best protection.
3. Should be eaten every day
4. Place a small clove (or 1 tablespoon powdered garlic) in your shoe when you go out hiking or if you work outside.

For effective mosquito control, apply Garlic Barrier as follows:
Gallon size: mix 50 parts of water with one part Garlic Barrier (include several tablespoons of any natural Castile liquid soap to help it “stick”. Pint and Quart : mix 5 parts of water with one part Garlic Barrier.  Bath with any Natural Castile soap like Dr. Bronners. Any of their soaps will work but I love to use a different variety each time. Try the Lavender.Wash your clothing with it to make your clothes smell!

Got Catnip?

A tea made from catnip will kill mosquitoes on contact and contain a powerful essential oil named nepetactone which is harmless to humans and pets.

Lemon Grass

Lemon Grass is  plant that contains citronella oil. An easy tea to make is to grow your own lemongrass then make a tea from it and spray or use in misting system.

Basil

Basil can be made into a tea and then sprayed to keep mosquitoes away.

Diatomaceous Earth

Garden Grade DE can be used to control and kill mosquitoes as well as many other insects.

any questions?

email me at andylopez@invisiblegardener.com

check out my Natural Mosquito Control Ebook