Mosquito problems in Weber Co. (Layton, Hooper: work, property, oil)

[bfr57]

This is our first spring/summer here and we're already being eaten alive by mosquitos. We live close to Williard Bay, which probably has a lot to do with it. I've done a lot of research on the web on controls, such as traps, sprays, etc. I don't like the idea of coating my family everyday in Deet as it's a potent chemical. Anybody have some good products, anything at all!!!

[alexei27]

There is not a lot you can do. The mud flats are the perfect breeding ground.

You can call the town and ask them if they plan to do areal spraying. They did that in Layton and it helped a bit.

I put those tiki torches with citronella around my patio and that kept that small area reasonable.

I definitely sympathize with you....theres a lot of mud out there!

[Char in West Jordan]

Wow, that area is prone to mosquitos. You may have an uphill battle. If you can stand the citronella scent of Skin-So-Soft from Avon it may help and it doesn't have the chemical DEET in it. Nothing natural really protects like deepwoods off, but I totally understand concern about the chemicals that we place on our kids. I have used Lavendar and Lemom Thyme to deter insects in my garden. Bees like them but anything else (gnats, flies, ect.) will fly away when the leaves are brushed with your hand. They don't seem to like the smell. I have heard that mosquitos don't like it either. I love the fragrance aspects of both! Lemon Thyme is a plant that does double duty as an insect repellant and a cooking herb. If you keep it short and have busy kids like mine, it's sure to be stepped on and with each step you get a nice lemon scent. I've read a lot about a "mosquito plant". Some forums think it's a bunch of hooey but others claim that it does repel the little pests. It is supposedly created by mixing Chinese citronella grass into a scented African geranium. It appears to work best when the leaves are crushed to let the natural oil and scent come out. You may want to have several around your patio in pots and crush some leaves in order to deter the mosquitoes. It's normally potted and grown outdoors during the summer and brought in for the winter. It may be worth a try! There are several seed catalogs that sell the plants: Gurney's, Michigan Bulb ect.

[Hooper Dude]

BIG NEWS - POSSIBLE SOLUTION. I have lived in Hooper, UT for a little over two years now. I also got fed up with the mosquito problems and the need for chemical controls. I work at a plant right next to the Great Salt Lake that used to have horrible mosquito problems. Three years ago we all but eradicated them using technology...not chemicals. My plant placed several dozen Mosquito Magnet machines around the property and during that same season, the mosquitoes were gone. The machines, if you are not familiar with them, use propane and other attractants to lure the mosquitoes into a vacuum path and catch bag. The mosquitoes then dehydrate and die. Up to 3000 mosquitoes can be caught nightly. As I said, these machines were placed three years ago. The technology to lure and trap mosquitoes has improved significantly since then and the prices for these machines has come down considerably. The old machines used to use propane, ran 24/7 and lasted about 45 days before needing to have their propane tanks refilled. Current technology allows the machine to run only when mosquitoes are active, while using several luring devices. The propane tank can last an entire season too. I recently purchased one of these machines myself for my half-acre of land in Hooper. It cost me $389.50 and had free shipping. It works for 1.5 acres and uses 7 or 9 different attractants (I can't remember how many, exactly). I wanted my backyard back bad enough to make this investment. If you are interested in considering one of these machines, there are several models available. My research has shown that the Flowtron PowerTrap MT-350 has the most features, is the most reliable and works for 1.5 acres. The best deal I found was through buzztrapper.com. Give them a look. There is a lot of favorable data on the web about this technology. I hope you find this useful and are able start enjoying the outdoors again. BTW, citronella candles and plants simply don't work. At least not in Hooper, where the Tiger mosquito rules the skies.