How to keep the mosquitos away?

[Just Kate]

We are moving into a house with a lovely front porch and a great back yard for the kids. I hope to spend a lot of time outside, but what to do about mosquitos???

[Ottakee]

Try to eliminate as much standing water as possible. That is one step.

 

Are you in the woods or more open?

[Dandelion]

We don't get many mosquitoes here, but when we lived at a lower elevation, we used citronella candles.

[Ameena]

*all ears*

 

We don't have a lovely porch, but we do have lots of windows without screens that are currently our only cooling in the house.

 

No standing water here, but there is a drainage ditch not far away that I bet is where they are coming from.

[Lara in Colo]

I am looking at this very closely!!! http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/

 

It says it works for fire ants too

[Erica in OR]

When we lived in the midwest we finally purchased a Mosquito Magnet. It was very effective for us, although you have to continue to refill the propane tanks.

 

Erica in OR

[Rosie_0801]

Lavender ointment works pretty well as insect repellant.

[happi duck]

I am looking at this very closely!!! http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/

 

It says it works for fire ants too

 

Thanks for posting. This looks interesting!

[Just Kate]

Great ideas! Thanks everyone!!!

[Melissa in Australia]

eating lots of vegemite is said to help.

[kewb]

Take B1. I know the studies say it doesn't really do anything but we have had great success when we consistently take it every day during mosquito season.

[melissad2]

Put a dryer sheet in your pocket...they don't like the smell :)

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

We lived in Louisiana for 43 yrs and had to deal with mosquitoes. 18 of those years were 1 block from a bayou and ditches along the street. You can never get rid of them. However there were things we did that helped keep them from getting in and if in to keep them from biting in the night.

 

We put fans up near the doorways into the house. This was the most effective way to keep them out. Just a cheap box fan we kept running 24/7 and aimed at the front door.

 

Dryer sheets under the bed...sounds silly but it worked, the stronger the smell the better they worked.

 

Dd's bedroom was a magnet for mosquitoes, if one got in the house it always went to her room. We put party streamers on her door way (in strips side by side hanging down to the ground so it makes a solid wall when no one is going through).

 

As far as keeping them out of a screened in porch, use the box fan idea....might help.

[speedmom4]

We have a lot of mosquitoes in my neighborhood. They are the worst! There are companies that will come spray your yard to eliminate them but it also kills the good bugs and frogs as well.

 

Good luck!

 

Elise in NC

[Sun]

For those of you who don't have hordes of mosquitoes, I saw this cool idea recently, using yeast, a sugar, and a funnel to attract and trap the mosquitoes. As an added bonus, it would make a great science lesson for young kids.

 

Using yeast to attract mosquitoes