Itchy, burning, red welts that cause you to scratch like a demon — such is the havoc that mosquitoes wreak with the torment and suffering that their bites bring.
While mosquito bites cause a seemingly bottomless pit of anguish, the mosquito itself is not actually an insect from hell — that insidious glory must go to the cockroach. However, if ever a blood-sucking creature deserved to be identified as a visitor from the deepest of all infernos, surely it is the mosquito.
Do not let the presence of annoying mosquitoes ruin your next cookout, backyard swim party, camping trip, or picnic in the park, as there are a few different ways to keep purgatory-bound mosquitoes away.
Here’s the buzz (groan) — it will take more than one method to rid an outdoor venue of mosquitoes. Select at least two methods from the following suggestions to ward off wretched mosquitoes away.
1. Citronella. We like this non-chemical approach to getting rid of mosquitoes because “good” insects are not harmed. Place several bucket-style citronella candles throughout the area where people are hanging out. Tiki torches are also quite effective. Fill the torches with citronella fuel and use caution when lighting them. You will need to use more torches and candles than may you think, to be effective, so buy an ample quantity. Please be careful when using products with citronella fuel, and keep them away from children.
Recycled Wine Bottle Tiki Torch. Consider making your own Tiki-style torch out of recycled glass wine bottles and a few pieces of hardware. They look pretty darn cool, too.
2. Spray-can yard foggers. Nobody wants to use chemicals that also kill good insects like butterflies, ladybugs, and earthworms. Spray foggers, however, are very effective if sprayed just in the immediate area, especially around decks and swimming pools. This limits the distance that the fogger spray travels, hopefully avoiding “good bugs” and putting up a barrier for mosquitoes. Lasts about 2 hours – use in conjunction with citronella torches or other deterrents.
3. Zap ‘em. We like hand-held bug zappers that look like tennis rackets and run on batteries. Kids enjoy frying mosquitoes and gnats with a swing of the racket, so this method keeps them busy, as well.
4. Avon calling. Skin So Soft products by Avon cosmetics company contain ingredients that help keep mosquitoes away. Consider purchasing Skin So Soft as a body wash to arm yourself against mosquitoes.
5. Speaking of arming yourself, consider wristbands that offer mosquito-fighting abilities. Wristbands are surprisingly easy to use, especially for children. 10X Mosquito Bugslock Bugs Lock Repellent Repeller Band
6. Mosquito inhibitors. Resembling canisters, inhibitors purport to block the scent-tracking ability to biting insects. We have never tried them, but have noticed the trade name “Dragonfly” for this product.
7. Smoking coils. This method is similar to citronella candles, yet covers a smaller territory. We have used them on a small table in the backyard with fair results.
8. Mosquito misting systems. We often wish we could afford this method of keeping mosquitoes away when we are at our wit’s end on a hot summer night, listening to the whining keen of a hoard of mosquitoes. However, misters that we are familiar with kill “good” insects too, and we are therefore reluctant to use them. Even if we could afford them.
9. Mounted electric zappers. Unfortunately, those large, honey-comb-like bug zappers — generally mounted in yards — also kill moths and butterflies that pollinate flowers. If only these large zappers could differentiate between mosquitoes and other flying insects, we’d be in business.
If you have any great mosquito prevention tips, please share them with our readers. Thank you.
