Mosquito Avoidance Technology?

[albionmoonlight]

Mrs. A and I come from the New Orleans area, where the mosquitos are so bad that the city constantly sends trucks up and down the streets spraying toxic chemicals into the air to kill the mosquitos. Our kids may have three heads as a result, but the mosquitos are kept at bay (a tradeoff well worth it).

We moved last year to North Carolina, where the mosquitos are not as bad naturally, so the government does not spray to keep them down. The result is that we have a much worse mosquito problem in our backyard than we ever did in New Orleans. There were times last summer where we could not enjoy ourselves outside due to the mosquitos.

I have heard about various techologies like Mosquito Magnet (TM) for keeping the critters at bay. However, consumer reviews on Amazon and the like seem to be a mixed bag on that particular product.

Anyway, my research yesterday indicated that there seem to be lots of new technologies on the market for dealing with these animals. Of course, I thought that part of my research needed to involve FOFC. Due diligance and all that.

So, what mosquito avoidance technology have you had success with? What are overpriced pieces of crap?

Thanks, as always, in advance.

[rkmsuf]

Dress up like a mosquito. That throws them off every time.

[Draft Dodger]

I don't think any of them work at all. if at all possible, try to eliminate any standing water in your yard, and also shady areas where they can hide out during the day. having lots of bats around would help too. of course, I have lots of bats, no water, and no shady areas and I have boatloads of the buggers.

Snopes says use lots of DEET
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/skeeters.asp

[gstelmack]

Earlier this week the CDC approved two other products besides DEET as also being effective.

[Poli]

As a kid, I remember the mosquito truck quite well down in Arkansas.

That said, last year at the Milwaukee Mile I was taken to a local's home. His company apparently built some type of mosquito trap, and it appeared to work quite well. As I recall, it was fairly expensive, so I didn't bother trying to remember his company, the name of the product, or the cost.

I do remember it had to be plugged in and had a tank of some sort, hydrogen or something. I don't know. I'm not that cultured.

[duckman]

Albion, do you have places in your backyard that collects water for long periods of time? If you do, you can try filling them up with "fill dirt" to keep the misquitoes from laying eggs. Also, you should spray the family with DEET to keep the little buggers off you and your family.

[Franklinnoble]

Napalm.

[Swaggs]

I was troubled by them the first Spring I lived in NC, too. Deet and staying inside seem to be the best answers. Last summer, I bought a product called the Mosquito Deleto. It was a contraption that attracted mosquitos (Therefore away from you), but it was $150.00 and required a propane tank. I eventually took it back because it sounded like too much maintainance, but I have heard they work well.

[Poli]

I was troubled by them the first Spring I lived in NC, too. Deet and staying inside seem to be the best answers. Last summer, I bought a product called the Mosquito Deleto. It was a contraption that attracted mosquitos (Therefore away from you), but it was $150.00 and required a propane tank. I eventually took it back because it sounded like too much maintainance, but I have heard they work well.
Maybe that's what I saw.

[DaddyTorgo]

i have heard that those work quite well actually. never seen one in action, because we blessedly don't have a horrid problem, plus i have fast hands and love to slap the fuckers

[Buccaneer]

Move to Colorado's Front Range cities. Too high and dry.

[McSweeny]

what about those torch dealies? we have a couple around the back deck and don't have much problem with mosquitos

[Solecismic]

We live across the street from a marsh on a heavily wooded lot. In about two weeks, there's no going outside for anything, any time. Even getting the mail is an adventure.

There was a notice in the paper last week saying they weren't going to bother testing dead birds this year for West Nile because they already know it's in our area.

Political Correctness dictates that the town not spray for the lovely mosquito, as it might upset their habitat.

I'm thinking about going to New Orleans and hijacking one of those trucks.

[Glengoyne]

I didn't Snopes the Vitamin B bit, but I do think there is something to body chemistry that can act as a natural repellant or maybe even lure. My mother is a pin cushion. If there is one mosquito in a two block radius, it will bite her. Me, I can go outside on a bad mosquito night, and only end up with a bite or two. My father on the other hand, can stand in the midst of an angry swarm with near impunity.

It's in the Genes

[JeffR]

I was troubled by them the first Spring I lived in NC, too. Deet and staying inside seem to be the best answers. Last summer, I bought a product called the Mosquito Deleto. It was a contraption that attracted mosquitos (Therefore away from you), but it was $150.00 and required a propane tank. I eventually took it back because it sounded like too much maintainance, but I have heard they work well.

Yeah, one of my neighbors in Florida had something like that set up at his back fence and it seemed to work well. Our lots backed onto a drainage pond, so we should've had a ton of mosquitoes, but I can't remember getting bitten the whole time I lived there. And his place wasn't even adjacent, it was two houses down.