Mosquitos

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By the Care2 Staff.

Nothing ruins outdoor fun like itchy bites from these pesky little

whiners, but conventional bug sprays are toxic to the environment and

contain neurotoxic ingredients. Instead, try these safe, effective

tips: Find out what bananas, rosemary, and bats have to do with

mosquito control, learn how to prevent the eggs from hatching, make

simple, fragrant repellents, and effectively relieve the itch from

those nasty bites.

SIMPLE SOLUTION:

 

When West Nile virus started getting news media attention, individuals

and communities ramped up their use of conventional insecticides and

repellents, but these contain DEET and the organophosphate pesticide

malathion, both suspected neuroxicants.

 

Try these methods of dealing with mosquitoes instead:

 

1. An Ounce of Prevention

 

If you think mosquitoes are strictly swamp-dwellers, think again: most

likely, the bug that bit you was born and bred in your own back yard.

According to expert William Olkkowski of the Bio Integral Resource

Center, flower pots, old tires, roof gutters, jars, pet dishes, bird

houses, small wading pools, plastic weed coverings in gardens--any

place with still, standing water--can foster mosquito hatchings.

Remove the standing water from any and all such places.

 

2. Nontoxic Mosquito Dunks

 

An over-the-counter product called " Mosquito Dunks " is recommended as

a least-toxic material for outdoor mosquito control by Erik Kiviat,

Science Director of Hudsonia, an ecological research and consulting

institute at Bard College, who has worked with health departments

concerned with West Nile-like virus in New York state.

 

The dunks are safe for birdbaths, rain barrels, ponds, ditches, tree

holes, roof gutters, unused swimming pools--anywhere water collects.

Available in hardware stores, Agway, and catalogs such as Real Goods,

the dunks contain Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), a

bacterial mosquito larvicide. Bti is effective in waters that do not

have high organic matter levels, and its effects are limited to

mosquitoes, blackflies, and some other related species of flies with

aquatic larvae.

 

Note: Bti may be allergenic to some people; avoid inhaling the dust

and wear gloves to handle it. Frequent repeated use in wetlands or

streams is not recommended.

 

3. Make Your Own Safe, Effective Repellent

 

Mosquito Repellent Oil

 

INGREDIENTS

 

10 drops of one of these essential oils, or a mixture:

basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, peppermint, rosemary, lemon balm

(citronella), onions, garlic, and feverfew.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops

on your skin or clothing. If you don`t want to smell like dinner,

avoid the onions and garlic, and eat plenty of them instead.

Note: Pregnant women should consult with their doctor before using

essential oils.

 

Rosemary Infusion

Add a cup of boiling water to a half-cup or so chopped fresh rosemary

and allow to steep for about an hour. You can keep this formula in a

spritz bottle in the fridge and apply as needed.

 

Parsley Pest-Away

Place a bunch of fresh parsley, crushed, in a small jar of apple cider

vinegar. Refrigerate for a few hours. Apply the infused vinegar to

exposed skin or dip a kerchief in the mixture and wear as a hatband or

around your neck.

 

4. Try these easy tips:

 

a. Grilling? Toss a bit of rosemary or sage on the coals. The pests

detest the smell, but humans find it delightful.

 

b. Up your intake of vitamin B-1. Fisherman and other outdoorsy folks

swear by it: one B-1 tablet a day during mosquito season will prevent

mosquito bites.

 

c. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark-colored clothing; go light.

 

d. Lactic acid produced after eating high-potassium foods (like

bananas, for instance) will attract mosquitoes. Hold off on that

banana split until you plan to be indoors.

 

e. Fruity or floral fragrances are mosquito-attractants. Artificial

fragrances contain chemical ingredients that are harmful to many, so

this just gives us one more good reason to avoid them.

 

f. Tansy, rosemary, and basil plants repel mosquitoes. Keep pots of

these herbs nearby.

 

g. Make friends with bats. One bat can eat thousand upon thousands of

mosquitoes every night. Buy or build a bat house and encourage them to

move in.

 

5. Buy Greener Mosquito Repellents

 

Health food stores now carry a wide variety of herbal bug repellents.

Look for these effective herbal ingredients that repel mosquitoes:

basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, peppermint, rosemary, lemon balm

(citronella), onions, garlic, and feverfew.

 

Victor Poison-Free non-poisonous mosquito spray and Victor Poison-Free

Mosquito Barrier which contains garlic, water, potassium and sorbate,

can be ordered online at Victor Pest.

 

6. Itch Relief

 

Apply a drop of osha root tincture to mosquito bites and the itch will

magically disappear.

 

If you can't find the tincture, try making a paste of water and baking

soda and dab that on the bite instead.

 

Try rubbing a clove of raw garlic on the bite, or a little aloe vera gel.