Mosquitoes!!!

[JessicaR]

Ok, the mosquito situation here has been really bad and they say it's going to get even worse with all the flood waters here. We just put in a deck and I got a new patio set, and I'd really like to enjoy them! Anyone try anything that works great? I'm willing to spend some money if it will make us more comfortable. Thanks!

[tokmom]

I have friends that spray the perimeter at night. Not sure if it works well with armies of mosquitoes, but I notice I don't get bitten.

[Knit4Fun]

Hmmm...well, I know that the scent from marigolds repels mosquitoes, so having some of those around may help.

The OFF citronella lights that you put into the metal stand are pretty good too.

Avon has a natural bug repellant that seems to work well for me too.

I get bitten a lot - no one else in the family does...sigh...guess I am lucky that way.

Good luck!

[Sajomaro]

I live about a mile from the river so we've had our share of mosquitoes. My dad is a bird enthusiast so we put up bird houses for swallows. Swallows are great at keeping the bug population down. I don't know a lot about the bird population in Iowa so I don't know if that's a feasible option for you.

I do know that increasing your Vitamin B12 intake will keep the mosquitoes from biting. There is something in the B12 that causes a mild smell (undetectable by humans) that the mosquitoes don't like. I take a B50 complex.
It will makes your urine a bright yellow (think fluorescent) so don't be alarmed the first time you go to the bathroom after you start taking it.
It should also be said that because this only keeps them from biting they do tend to buzz around you so it is probably best to implement some other form of repellent.

[Sewing Angel]

I don't have any other solutions to keeping them away, I use the citronella and will spray yard guard about 30 minutes before we want to sit on the deck. If we get bit, we use tea tree oil for the bites. Just a little on a q-tip applied to the bite works great! The sooner you get it on the bite the better it works.

[ecb]

I do know that increasing your Vitamin B12 intake will keep the mosquitoes from biting. There is something in the B12 that causes a mild smell (undetectable by humans) that the mosquitoes don't like. I take a B50 complex.
It will makes your urine a bright yellow (think fluorescent) so don't be alarmed the first time you go to the bathroom after you start taking it.
It should also be said that because this only keeps them from biting they do tend to buzz around you so it is probably best to implement some other form of repellent.

I work at a Ecology Camp for kids, one thing me and the staff uses is B-1 (thiamine) not B-12
B-12 is the energy enhancer (you can get injections or sub lingual drops)
and I think it is the B-2 that makes your urine yellow


Being a Nurse with Dietician slant to my studies and working int he great outdoors of Maine (BIG mosquitos) makes me a bit of a work in progress. I learn more and more each year

ecb

[Sajomaro]

I work at a Ecology Camp for kids, one thing me and the staff uses is B-1 (thiamine) not B-12
B-12 is the energy enhancer (you can get injections or sub lingual drops)
and I think it is the B-2 that makes your urine yellow


Being a Nurse with Dietician slant to my studies and working int he great outdoors of Maine (BIG mosquitos) makes me a bit of a work in progress. I learn more and more each year

ecb

Hmm, I hadn't heard that. As I mentioned I take a B complex vitamin so that's probably why I don't have a problem.

[Ingrid]

I've read that keeping a Bounty softener sheet hanging out of a pocket helps. I tried it last year and it seemed to work! There weren't tons of mosquitoes around, though. I noticed that the few that were coming over didn't stay, though.