this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
490 points (96.6% liked)

Asklemmy

43984 readers
709 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

To my knowledge there's no stagnant water on my property, I've run water through all my ptraps, and I'm careful to not leave doors open. Yet at any given time there's at least 3 in my house. I can't sleep, i can't sit on the couch, i can't exist in the fear of being sucked dry.

The breaking point is when i watched my dog get bit on her head. I'm ready to do whatever it takes and then some. I will kill a man if it saves me from these demons. Any ideas?

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] WhoRoger@lemmy.world 206 points 1 year ago
[–] teft@lemmy.world 132 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Look up how to make a carbon dioxide trap for mosquitoes. They are strongly attracted to CO2.

[–] ablackcatstail@lemmy.goblackcat.com 45 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Ah that's right! It is CO2. My mind remembered it as propane for some reason.

[–] SaintWacko@midwest.social 112 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Please don't make a propane trap

[–] SocialEngineer56@notdigg.com 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

In the business we just call that a “bomb” (hard B)

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] ColonelSanders@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's a clean burning fuel I tell you hwat

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] ablackcatstail@lemmy.goblackcat.com 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

My memory was hazy. It's actually a CO2 trap. Propane trap would be no bueno! 😹

[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 18 points 1 year ago

No wonder your momories are hazy, you inhale too much propane.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

There are traps which are called mosquito magnets and they hook up to a propane tank to burn a small pilot light which produces CO2 to attract mosquitos and pull them into a bag via a fan.

You want to place them at the edge of your property though not close to your deck because they attract mosquitos in order to kill them.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] mkeee2015@lemm.ee 39 points 1 year ago

Watch out! Generating CO2 in enclosed spaces might turn into a health hazard without monitoring it.

CO2 is also "heavy" and tends to sink, so watch out for pets as it could be deadly for them - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_Dogs

[–] nekat_emanresu@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 year ago

If you get creative you can put maybe a candle floating in the middle of a large bowl of water, then a bit of detergent will break the surface tension to make them fall in. The detergent will also kill them.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] Krompus@lemmy.world 86 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

I am allied with spiders against mosquitoes and bedbugs. I don't take down their webs (unless they're in the way) and they eat hundreds of the fuckers. They're also fun to watch sometimes.

[–] AlexWIWA@lemmy.ml 66 points 1 year ago (12 children)

I wish we could talk to spiders. I'd write an agreement with one that says, as long as it doesn't crawl on me, it can live in the house. I'll even build it a little shelf to protect from fan wind.

[–] imaqtpie@sh.itjust.works 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
[–] Apytele@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)
load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (10 replies)
[–] otter_bee@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I wish my wife didn't have some gnarly arachnophobia. The "spiders are beneficial" argument doesn't work :(

[–] carbotect@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)

indoctrinate her with cute spider propaganda

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] nekat_emanresu@lemmy.ml 73 points 1 year ago
[–] Heldenhirn@feddit.de 52 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)
  • Fly screens (Unrealistic solution but I wanted to mention it)
  • Get a Pet Frog that eats them
  • Get lots of Spiders making Webs. Be aware that the Pet frog might eat the spiders
  • Flood one of your rooms and make a little swamp where you can plant canivourus plants. The issue is that the swamp will breed more mosquito than it kills but the frog will feel right at home
  • Make a small campfire in your bedroom before you go to sleep. It is known that smoke scares them away. Make sure to keep the windows and door closed so no new mosquito get inside. This is probably the most effective as you won't get stung for the rest of you life
  • Catch some mosquitos and suck the blood out of them. The other mosquitos will see their wrongdoings and change their ways
[–] Marketsupreme@lemm.ee 15 points 1 year ago

Campfire solution worked for m-

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Elw@lemmy.sdf.org 45 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Get a couple of buckets of water and place them around your yard. Drop a “Misquote Dunks” tablet in each bucket. Follow the package instructions for refreshing the dunks every so often.

Mosquito dunks work by “poisoning” what looks to the mosquito like an ideal spot to lay eggs; a pale of still water. But the mosquito dunk bacteria kills the mosquito larvae before they hatch.

It’s a more “long term” solution as it doesn’t actively take care of the current mosquito population but it prevents them from breeding.

There is also a type of fish called the misquitofish that you can put in a small pond, such as a wash basin or feeding trough. They feed on the mosquito larvae and are fairly self sufficient. I know people who use them to control mosquito populations in their gardens and they rarely have to do any kind of maintenance.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] user1919@lemmy.world 35 points 1 year ago (4 children)

1.mosquito net for doors and windows - ultimate solution

2.mosquito badminton. - great for few of them, you can just zap them with it.

[–] Alperto@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago (5 children)

agree on the nets for doors and windows. For doors there’s also some nets with magnets that can be crossed though and they will self-close perfectly every single time thanks to the magnets.

Badminton is great too, including against flies, wasps and whatever manages to get in.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] zik@lemmy.world 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Check your gutters to make sure they're clear and there's no standing water in them. It's easy to miss it up there.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] AlexWIWA@lemmy.ml 25 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Nuclear weapons might work

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Wahots@pawb.social 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Permethrin treated clothes will kill just about anything that bites you through your clothes, including horse flies. Then you could wear a very thin layer of clothes and be fine. Their death happens before they even get through the fibers.

You can buy pretreated or get the solution to make your own. I think its using the same chemical that chrysanthemums produce to fight bug eating them.

[–] diggit@sh.itjust.works 22 points 1 year ago

I would be cautious about that if you have a cat, and/or children. It’s toxic to cats and some people are hypersensitive to it.

[–] Hazdaz@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago (5 children)

If you are inside, set up an oscillating fan. They can't fly well in windy conditions.

Was watching a video where one place they rest is under the leaves of plants. Yiu can buy mosquitoe killer spray, but be sure to get underneath the leaves.

As others have mentioned, standing water is bad. They can survive and thus breed in a LOT smaller volume of water than people realize.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] fluffman86@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Call an exterminator, preferably a small mom&pop shop and not a big Orkin or Terminex or whatever, and have them come and and do a mosquito treatment. They'll spray a chemical on the outside of your house, under the leaves of your trees/bushes, etc. Then they'll spray inside, but just the corners for other bugs. You'll need to keep your dog out of the chemical inside for about 10-20 minutes, and out of the chemical outside for probably an hour. After that it's dry and non-toxic to mammals but will get soaked up by insects. Be sure to double check that with the exterminator, times vary depending on the chemical used.

Good treatments should last a solid 2-3 months, which ought to be enough to get you through the worst of mosquito season, unless you're in Florida or something.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] rambos@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

Only real solution is anti musquito net on windows, unless you are willing to move to island or antarctic

[–] Doctormurder@lemm.ee 18 points 1 year ago

Imo the easiest option: fly screens everywhere. Especially in bedroom and keep this door closed so they won't get in (in case they come through other doors)

I no longer have issues with them and if I ever see one, I just use my electric fly swatter. I also can't sleep when there's one in the room.

Fly screens are totally worth it. Self made might be cheaper, but I'm not cerrain since I didn't do them myself.

[–] Joe_0237@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Get a bug zapper with a UV bulb, even if its branded for outdoor use it'll work fine inside.

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] DeJaVuLXXXI@lemmy.one 16 points 1 year ago

I’m missing a solution in the replies. Create a last line of defence by using a mosquito net over your bed. They are available in quite large sizes so it shouldn’t be cramped inside.

Mosquitoes get in you house anyway. Use screens and so you keep the numbers down as low as possible. The chemicals are a possibility but sometimes also toxic for pets or even humans. The mosquito net over the bed keeps the last ones away while you sleep. I have mayby one mosquito a year that gets in.

[–] fratermus@lemmy.sdf.org 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] fckreddit@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

You just gotta take the loss and burn your house down.

[–] ours@lemmy.film 15 points 1 year ago

Capture 1000 mosquitoes, torture them and rip their heads. Mount these heads on needles and display them near windows and entrances as a warning to the others.

[–] Nerorero@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Garlic, lots of garlic. Plant it in your garden, under your windows. Rub your doorframe and window frames with it. Rub the dog collar with it.

Helps against Ticks as well

[–] pezhore@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I guess if it works to repel one type of blood sucker, it should work on all of them

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] oessessnex@programming.dev 14 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I usually kill them with my phone with the screen turned on (the background needs to be blueish and the room needs to be completely dark). For some reason they don't see it, they just sit there until they get squashed.

This doesn't work for tiger mosquitoes.

[–] notenoughbutter@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

pretty sure the blue turns into red after a while

[–] 0x2d@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

take apart a electric mosquito swatter and solder this inside:

https://www.amazon.com/AEDIKO-Voltage-Generator-400000V-Transformer/dp/B09L18GG2Z

Connect the switch between the batteries and the generator (NOT BETWEEN THE OUTPUT AND THE METAL GRID)

Then screw it back together.

Now you can get some revenge :)

[–] unknowing8343@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] whynotzoidberg@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

I didn’t see it mentioned specifically — Mosquito Barrier is a black garlic-based spray that works super well. I’ve used it at high concentrations to handle a yard.

I also use Essentria IC3, another non-toxic-to-mammals spray. Works better than the Mosquito Barrier, I think.

Both are safe for people and pets, and I think both smell pretty decent to boot.

[–] orientalsniper@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Get a spray bottle, put alcohol in it, it will always hit one.

[–] darkstar@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago

Dual wield those electric tennis rackets?

If you're talking about a particular area, using fans can help push mosquitoes away.

If you're mobile, use DEET on your skin and permethrin on your clothes and your dog's fur.

[–] Kes@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 1 year ago

Serious answer: you have to kill the mosquito larvae. Mosquitos like breeding in standing water, so eliminate as much of it as you possibly can from around your home. Set up bucket traps as early into mosquito season as you can; with no nearby standing water mosquitos will lay larvae in there and the larvae will die. This will cause an exponential decrease in the local mosquito population over time. While bug traps, bat houses and pet frogs may help kill adult mosquitoes, setting up traps specifically to kill mosquito larvae early is the most effective thing you can do to reduce the population

[–] niva@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

A lot of good suggestions already here. Try to eliminate the mosquitoes in your house as much as possible. I installed mosquito nets on my windows a few years ago. This helped a lot. I am now asking myself why I haven't done this before.

But I do still get bites like one or two a day, because I also like to be outside in my garden and sometimes a mosquito still finds a way into the house.

So there is no way you can prevent all bites. But the good thing is, you can treat them really well really easy with heat! I do this when I have a cup of tea. I just press the hot tea cup on the bite for a short while. But there are also special pen like devices called electronic insect bite healer or something similar. They are about 10-20 euros. They work as well and are probably safer and easier to handle.

Heat does disintegrate the anticoagulant that mosquitos inject and that makes the bites so itchy. The bites I get itch only ones. Then I treat them with heat and they are basically gone. Try to not scratch because you might spread the anticoagulant more. Just treat them right away!

load more comments
view more: next ›