DQOTD: Mosquito Control Services

[Midpack]

We have pest control, and we often get solicited to add mosquito control. If it kept mosquitoes away I might be interested, but unless ALL my neighbors have it as well I assume it won’t do anything. I assume mosquitoes don’t respect property lines… What am I missing?

 

[Aerides]

There were mixed opinions in this earlier thread: https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/dqotd-mosquito-control-services-109775.html

(i'm still of the same mind, won't matter much unless it's a really wide area)

 

[ShokWaveRider]

The city does ours on request, we can just call them, and they usually come round and fog the same day. Gret service considering how minuscule the portion of our RE taxes they get.

 

[savory]

Mosquitoes like shade and will stay in the shadows until the evening. They are also lazy flyers. The treatment eliminates the mosquitoes in your yard. That will be helpful for at least 5 days. It could be longer depending on the population at the neighbors and/or rainfall. Their eggs have already been laid and are just waiting for moisture.

If you want to test in your yard, try Yard Gaurd. It's not cheap and depending on yard size, you will need more than one can. Spray the bushes that provide shade for those little critters. That would be your best test to see how long it takes for the population to rebuild

If you are having a single get together in the backyard, treat about 3/4 days B4 to reduce/eliminate the population.

 

[5Miler]

We have pest control, and we often get solicited to add mosquito control. If it kept mosquitoes away I might be interested, but unless ALL my neighbors have it as well I assume it won’t do anything. I assume mosquitoes don’t respect property lines… What am I missing?

I previously thought as you do and resisted trying mosquito service for many years. Important to note - We live in the Atlanta area with a water retention area behind the houses next door to us. Within minutes of entering the back yard, swarms of mosquitos would attack forcing us back indoors.

We finally tried the service about 4 or 5 years ago as our backyard had become unusable from March through October due to the mosquito infestation. Since starting the service, we have been able to reclaim our yards (front and back) and quite frankly I haven't even thought about mosquitos as an issue for several years. I pay annually to get a slight discount and put it out of my mind. I don't even consider not having the service.

We tried do it yourself measures but you do get what you pay for. I can't even remember the last time I was bitten by a mosquito at home.

I'm only aware of a couple of neighbors with the service but we were the first and it proved effective before anyone else started their service.

 

[Jerry1]

I friend of mine has her yard treated and I’m pretty sure none of her neighbors do and she’s very happy with the results. She backs up to a small wooded area and I’m positive no one treats that. It’s worth a try. Her only hesitation is that she doesn’t like the chemicals especially given her dog running around in the yard. I guess everything has pluses and minuses.

 

[W2R]

I haven't been bitten by a mosquito even once since I moved here. And, I don't pay for my own mosquito control service. I do pay my property taxes, though, and the taxes pay for regular fogging for mosquitoes throughout my entire suburb by the Parish (=County). They know what they are doing, and alternate between a number of different repellents so we haven't developed any sensitivities to them. All in all, this has been ideal for us.

 

[Midpack]

I haven't been bitten by a mosquito even once since I moved here. And, I don't pay for my own mosquito control service. I do pay my property taxes, though, and the taxes pay for regular fogging for mosquitoes throughout my entire suburb by the Parish (=County). They know what they are doing, and alternate between a number of different repellents so we haven't developed any sensitivities to them. All in all, this has been ideal for us.

I would think that kind of blanket treatment would be more effective, I remember that as a kid. But based on the replies above, it appears the home by home services are also worthwhile.

 

[Lucie]

My husband just built me a bat house. Hopefully we’ll get some busy little tenants to keep the mosquito population down.

 

[rk911]

Wehave mosquitio 'control' service every 3-weeks. It appears to be workimg as there are significantly fewer of the little buggers now as compared to before we started the service.

 

[PatrickA5]

Started an every-third-week service about 5 years ago. We have a creek in our backyard with often stagnant water. Before using the service, we couldn't go out from about May - September without getting eaten alive. I think I've had maybe 2 bites all year. It really works. Neither of my neighbors spray for mosquitoes, so they apparently don't travel far. I still try to avoid going out back early morning or late evening.

 

[harley]

I would think that kind of blanket treatment would be more effective, I remember that as a kid. But based on the replies above, it appears the home by home services are also worthwhile.

I remember that too. I also remember all us kids being outside playing while they fogged the neighborhood. It's amazing any of us survived this far.

 

[Koolau]

Pest Control is a very hit and miss proposition. Our summer place is treated monthly for pests. SO when we arrive we don't see roaches or other crawling vermin. But after we've been gone 8 months from our summer home, spiders decend from our recessed can lights whenever we turn on the lights for the first time.

I talked to the pest guy (bug guy) and he said spiders are not like roaches and other creepy-crawlies. Spiders don't clean themselves like roaches. The pest control depends on the pests "licking" the poison off their bodies that they walked through. The pest guy gave me some spider traps. They're just a sticky trap with an attractant.

Regarding mosquitos, he suggested just buying a can of raid for mosquitos inside your house. It's very safe and effective (IIRC the active ingredient is chrysanthemum "juice.") Pest guys only deal with mosquitos on the outside. And it's expensive 'cause it's a huge area and it takes a lot of billable hours and pesticide to accomplish. YMMV