Dragonflies and bats are highly effective ways of controlling mosquitoes naturally, as you’ll read in other sections of this website. But because the spraying of pesticides kill those natural predators as well as mosquitoes, and because mosquitoes have a shorter reproductive cycle than their predators, following every spraying there are more mosquitoes than there were before, as a number of studies have shown. If you need to control mosquitoes, do not spray; instead, remove standing water (in which mosquitoes breed) and consider introducing dragonflies to the area.
Steve Tvedten was a former pesticides applicator who reversed his life when he saw what pesticides had done to his family. He lived in Michigan and advised the No Spray Coalition from afar. Steve put together a large book on how to deal with pests using least-toxic methods, and placed it free for public use, here:
The Best Control 2 is at http://www.thebestcontrol2.com
Alternatives to Pesticides to Repel Mosquitoes:
- Folk remedy proven for repelling mosquitoes — mash the berries & leaves of the American beautyberry plant, Callicarpa amerciana, repulse mosquitoes known to transmit yellow fever and malaria. One of the chemicals in the plant — callicarpenal — is an arthropod repellent.
- Cinnamon Oil better for repelling mosquitoes than DEET
- Catnip repels mosquitoes more effectively and way more safely than DEET
- Cedarwood oil repels insects effectively.
- Anti-bacterial/Anti-Malarial Plant: Spilanthes acmella & oleracea (chew the flower bud)
- From Patti Gentry:What I use as an insect repellent for my children is super-safe and very effective, utilizing my pure unadulterated Essential Oils of Geranium, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Cedarwood & Cypress, along with Distilled Water and a bit of my very safe hair conditioner. Works like a charm.
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/05/08/182339563/using-bacteria-to-swat-malaria-inside-mosquitoes
There is a collection of information at http://www.thesilveredge.com – not just on mosquito control, but about how colloidal silver acts on viruses, bacteria, fungi, et cetera. I’m not saying I WANT to get sick, but if I do, recovery time is pretty short. I’m 42, never had a flu shot, the last time I was almost sick was about 3 years ago, and whenever I get bit by a mosquito, which is like every day lately, it leaves a mark but no infection, not even an itch. Knowing how silver works on viruses has put me at ease – bring em on! I ain’t skeered! I still use the stuff my brother sells from Genesis Pure, but I hope to have my own CS generator one day. COLLOIDAL SILVER ROCKS
Manatee County Florida has a very antiquated mosquito control program than is filled with questionable and outdated insecticides sprayed aerially 2 out of 3 days and repeated within weeks. It kills all the bats & dragonflies just like the author stated & the problem is always MUCH WORSE following their applications. The community has not voted on this issue since 1947 and there is little to no oversight or professional understanding of the danger involved.
Robin, contact me. Several of us in the Myakka area if Sarasota county are beginning to investigate local spray practices and hope to change them. Jodi; jjecoessentials@gmail.com
FYI, in South Carolina. From 2016. Should be on the record. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/south-carolina-honeybees-zika_n_57c91f92e4b0e60d31dea238 South Carolina Accidentally Kills Millions Of Honeybees With Zika Spraying
“There was no need for a bee suit Monday morning to go down there, because there was no activity. It was silent.”
Aluminum DO NOT SPRAY signs
https://www.hartmanprinting.com/nononsensesigns/p/do-not-spray-sign