Someone posted last year that spraying Listerine will keep them away, I haven't tried it yet.

Fridays headlines included a warning we were going to have a huge outbreak. All the recent rains and hot weather. Luckily it's been windy the past few days.
Tally HO!

Off is one chemical I'm not willing to give up.

Hi, I still have good results with the Off Botanical and if I am out in the yard late I use the Cutter wipes.
I could buy a LOT of new plants with the money I have wasted on junk methods that didn't work

jolana

We use that powder spray Off. It doesn't feel so icky on the skin. It works as well as the liquid.

Pam

I'll be watching this post... don't like sharing my DNA with that part of the food chain either!
I wear long sleeve shirts and long pants to work in the garden, no matter how hot it gets. I saturate my straw garden hat, cuffs of my sleeves and pants with deep woods off...it helps keep them off me without having to have the stuff on my skin all the time. Hubby even got me a mosquito net hat cover...awkward but that's how I figured out to saturate my hat. I also fold and tuck those repellent towlettes/wipes into my hat band after use.

One thing that has made life better when they get me is those benadryl dabber itch relief sticks...I keep them everywhere!

I know it's not good for us, but I use the jungle formulas with DEET. Even with all the wind and now the 11+ inches of rain we got overnight, the mosquitoes were fat and thick this morning when I went to look at the lakes in our neighborhood.

Sorry to hear everyone has such a mosquito problem. I guess I live in the right location after all. When I lived in Sweeny it also seemed everyone else had mosquitos except where I lived, maybe I am just blessed. I just wonder how cedar-side works. I believe it is the oil from cedar trees and is also now used to cure lumber for outside use as well. But is also toxic for my wonderful lizards [faults geckos] that help keep them and other bug at bay.

Has anyone bought the citranella(sp) plant? I bought one but don't know where to plant it to make the most of it. I figured a pot on the deck, but maybe I should plant it where it can spread?

I was curious about the citronella plants, too so I looked them up- it seems that any of the mosquito-repellant plants would have to be mashed up and spread on your skin. In other words...don't bother. I also heard about listerine, bought some,slathered myself with that stanky stuff, and lo and behold....I still got bit.And I stunk like listerine. Mosquitoes don't like wind so anything that blows air will keep them away without applying poison (or listerine) I read that they like people who eat a lot of sugar (I'm guilty) so I guess cutting sugar is another option. I was wondering about those new little clips that you put on your belt or chair, anyone tried those?

Cutting sugar, soaking in Off, smelling like listerine - surely something works, other than just moving fast.
I think it's the fault of the investment bankers and they shoud be tied to stakes as bait.

Don't forget to Heartguard your dogs. Mosquitos are in the life cycle of heartworms.

Lonny

This is what I use and it works wonderfully for me.

Vanilla home remedy for personal use:
8 oz water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp. orange oil
Mix in a spray bottle. Spray on liberally.

When I do get stung, I just dab on Tea Tree Oil (found in the supplements section of Wal-Mart, drug stores, and in health food stores). Itching is gone in just a few minutes and the bite mark is gone in a few hours.

Stephanie

Orange oil diluted in your garden sprayer will keep them out of your yard for a few days. You can rub Rosemary leaves on your skin for a great natural repellent.

We got one of the misting systems installed about 3 years ago and it is miraculous! We only have it in the back yard and the difference between the mosquito attacks between the front and back yards is amazing. I am the original mosquito magnet and literally could not be outside for more than a few minutes without being eaten alive. With the new system, I can be there for hours. It doesn't eliminate all mosquitoes, but it eliminates 98-99%. It is expensive to install, though. But for us, it was a matter of being able to enjoy our back yard and pool, so we went for it.

But romandub, I thought those misting systems use a nonspecific pesticide, so basically you are killing all the insects in your yard - good and bad, so no food sources or poisoned food sources for the lizards and birds.
Plus the isssue of poisoning the pollinators.
Am I mistaken - does this misting system somehow only impact the skeeters?