re: The War on Mosquitos. Best way to keep them at bay?

quote:

---

you can't beat OFF

---

Beat [ON] OFF

quote:

---

Some of these include Lavender, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Basil, and Mint.

---

It's already part of the plan. I got all the overgrown weeds and shrubbery knocked down and back and cleaned up. Next will be lopping off all the cypress knees down to ground level (property was vacant for a year, back yard left untended for a while before that.)

The cleanup revealed extensive brickwork, really nice bones. Next I'll be adding a number of large pots with those herbs mentioned in them. Hopefully that will help keep them at bay.

quote:

---

Screen your patio.

---

There's already a nice system of roll down rain windows on pulleys that closes in the lions share of the covered patio and outdoor kitchen , so I could always use that. But I'd really prefer the mosquitoes just not be there in the first place

I use one called spartan ind put them in the furthest corners of the yard and i use a generic insect spray from home depot and spray the yard with the hose make sure to get on bushes or anything in the shade and I keep them at bay.
I also have a family of bats they are my seek and destroy wing of our defense.

Malathion

Those things you have pictured work pretty good. I useed them before but it was a different brand I got at home Depot. Then I learned you can refill them with basic ingredients from any grocery store so it was very cheap to do. I think the ingredients were yeast, sugar, salt and water. I don't remember the proportions but it was dirt cheap once I had the formula and they are definitely effective. Better than citronella. I had one hanging at each corner of my yard so 4 total and I refilled once a month.

Eta: Spartan was the brand I used. They worked well for me as long as I changed them out regularly.

Do a little of all of it.

Remove all standing water in your yard / area to go outside.

Big fan. This transports your carbon dioxide out, and gives them a hard time flying.

Thermacell where there is no wind/current. These really only work in stagnant air, and they are effective but not perfect.

Then try those mosquito traps that work for a couple of weeks on the edge of your property before you need to refill them with the stuff that attracts them.

Citronella doesn't work for squat. You'd need a wild amount of that stuff to help out, but it is technically better than nothing.