this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
486 points (96.6% liked)

Asklemmy

43945 readers
818 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy πŸ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

To my knowledge there's no stagnant water on my property, I've run water through all my ptraps, and I'm careful to not leave doors open. Yet at any given time there's at least 3 in my house. I can't sleep, i can't sit on the couch, i can't exist in the fear of being sucked dry.

The breaking point is when i watched my dog get bit on her head. I'm ready to do whatever it takes and then some. I will kill a man if it saves me from these demons. Any ideas?

(page 3) 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] zurvan2@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] holmesandhoatzin 4 points 1 year ago

Normally, I would recommend citronella, either the grass or the candles, but I believe it is toxic to dogs.

I believe lavender, catnip and basil are safe, but they're all mints and may try to take over your garden or yard. They all grow very well in pots though.

You can also try setting a trap. Put out some soapy water. The females are the ones biting you and they need water to lay eggs. They'll fall in the water and the soap prevents them from escaping. I haven't actually tried this with mosquitos, just other pests, but I have friends who swear by it.

I use one of those plug in repellents. Since they show up in the evening, I turn it on for an hour or two around that time, wait a bit to let the smell leave the room then close windows and doors. Before sleep I do a scoop around the room to find any fucker left.

[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 year ago

You haven't provided too much information about your location... but a common swift eats 20.000 insects a day and mosquitoes are one of their favourites. If they live in your area, look up online how to build a birdhouse that will suit their needs.

[–] unce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago

Window screens, fly ribbons, and a Bug-A-Salt gun lol. The bug-a-salt shoots salt very fast to kill bugs.

[–] Rufio@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Get a big outdoor box fan you see people rock in their garage gyms, cover the side that blows air out with a screen. Any mosquito flying near will get sucked in and stuck in the screen. At the end of the day/night spray the screen with rubbing alcohol.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

Give them a perfect spot to breed, like a kiddie pool with standing water or a bucket or two. Then drop a mosquito dunk in each. The mosquitoes will be drawn to this perfect breeding ground but the dunks will kill the larvae. Once the adults die off, there will be no new ones to take their place.

Secondly, if you have a lawn, spray it thoroughly with insecticide. This will kill or repel the ones living in the grass.

[–] Fantismal@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

How frequently do you change the dog's water?

[–] joelthelion@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

If all else fails, I hear mosquito nets are fairly efficient.

FWIW my yard would be full of mosquitos if we did not have a mosquito service treat it every 3-4 weeks. It's not a big yard, and my neighbors don't treat their yards. The mosquitos still stay out of our yard though.

Point is it can be done. Whatever the Mosquito businesses do - works. Hire one of you have the money to spend or try to figure out what the professionals do.

Half the battle is getting rid of water. Every few days walk around and pour out anything that collects rainwater.

[–] wabafee@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Use a mosquito coil, manual way is to have huge pan put some oil then start swinging around the general area of the mosquitos you will eventually catch one. Put bleach on areas with possible mosquito larvae or where there is likely stagnant water in it. Introduce spiders and geckos in your home. Could also plant lavander/or any plant that is mosquito repellent lots online and introduce frogs in your garden.

[–] newguy208@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Before you go on an omnicide on the entire species, consider planting Neem tree. These naturally repel mosquitoes. You can also get their oil to burn in oil dispenser etc but be warned it stinks like hell. I prefer to have a small pot of it next to the window and once it grows big enough, put it in a permanent place in the ground.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] monko@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If you want to go full bore, nothing beats 100% DEET. It is like gasoline, but I have yet to find a more effective personal repellent.

[–] kittyrunningnoise@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

DEET works... but it's worth mentioning that it will utterly destroy the polycarbonate lenses used for modern eyeglasses

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] FlatFootFox@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Get a bug guy to come spray the exterior of your place. They can use stronger stuff then folk’s indoor life hacks. Eventually they’ll stop getting in.

[–] ZuckerbergIsCancer@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’ve started using citronella soap when I shower.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: β€Ή prev next β€Ί