Help mosquitoes!

[livinlovinlaughin]

Back before I knew better we used to spray our lawn with some things that I am sure are not safe to get the mosquitoes and chiggars out of our yard. I get eaten up every year. If I even think about going outside I get about 10 mosquito bites! I have huge big welts all over me. I fear my son will be the the same as me. My dad always said I'm just too sweet I am looking for something Safe to spray the yard with. Any ideas? We have tried so many things. All the normal stuff..no standing water, get rid of weeds, no tall grass, eat lots of garlic, taking vitamins. I have even used bug spray everytime I walk outside but that isn't 100% effective and so very inconvienent. Please help!

[ms.shell]

i am the same way with being attractive to/ allergic to mosquitoes. and it looks like my baby has it worse, as his welts stay big for a week. i only find the mosquitoes to be active at dusk or whenever the sun is shaded heavily by clouds and/or it has just rained. so i definitely keep the baby in during those times and try to stay in myself as well, at the end of the day.
i grow rosemary and catnip and other repellant herbs in my backyard, just off the patio and steps. if we are having a party or something, sometimes we burn dried rosemary in a little chimnea in the middle of the table.
but the best thing i want to do is install some bat boxes, which i have heard can help a lot. that and getting chickens next year.
i will be watching this thread, but i doubt there is anything effective and safe to use for "spraying the yard."
good luck!

[ollyoxenfree]

If there is something I'd like to know too.

I've noticed that the house we moved into last year has a lot of standing water in the storm drainage ditch that runs around the property, by the roadside, after it rains. I'm not sure how to deal with it, since we are only here temporarily. I don't want to undertake any big construction projects. I know it's a bad breeding ground for mosquitos though.

[nurturebaby]

We used something called 'Mosquito Barrier' - I applied it about a month ago - I don't know if it's just coincidence, but we had hardly any mosquito problems up until now - my daughter literally just got about 20 bites. It's a product that you need to re-apply every 3-4 weeks or after a ton of rain. So I'm thinking maybe it wore off and now we have mosquitos EVERYWHERE. My poor girl.

It was easy enough to apply and makes your yard smell yummy (if you like garlic!) for a few hours.

[root*children]

keep citronella torches and body spray outside. Plant citronella plants all around the area you guys hang out. Put in lots of bird feeders, bird houses & even a bat house

[ivymae]

If you have the extra cash, a propane mosquito killer is the way to go: http://www.buyacehardware.com/woodst...t-7230105.html
A friend of mine runs a farm where they regularly have weddings during nice weather, and this is the only thing they found that was effective without asking all the guests to wear deet, or burning stinky candles.

[Arduinna]

I'd use dunks in the storm drain, if you don't think it's draining completely.

[koofie]

I have the same problem... and our mosquitoes are out all day! they are a bit worse in the evening, but after working outside a lot in the past week, I am covered. Benadryl helps with itching at night, but doesn't tackle the problem. I have some self-watering planters that I use dunks in, but otherwise we have no standing water (I can't speak for the neighbors though).

I got desperate the other day and found a jar of minced garlic and spread it down my legs, hoping it would help so I could get my work done w/o keeping my legs in my line of sight to watch for 'squitos. They still bit me.

[surrogate]

UGH! I totally am with ya'll, i live in south ga the heart of mosquito (and gnat) country! I spray the kids with bug spray and keep a fan on us, but they still bite! I watch for standing water...etc...it is just bad in general. Both my kids are allergic to bug bites too...but since I run a daycare we have to go outside each day...

[lilyka]

Do you have landscaping rocks? I found out that there was standing water in mine and my neighbors. the landscaping plastic underneath them had trapped water and I could not see it because it wasn't much but it was in and beneath the rocks. Other wise I would plant citronella and lemon eucalyptus (I don't know if you can actually plant this i just know it is a plant that mosquitoes do not like).