Is real mosquito control finally on the horizon?

[Stephen Tashiro]

I've found that bug zapper lights don't do much to control mosquitoes. I've read about devices that use propane to attract mosquitoes with heat and carbon dioxide and vacuum them into a net. However, these are expensive and I'm not sure that they work on all species of mosquitoes.

But, perhaps effective control is on the horizon: http://www.physorg.com/news185463943.html

[Paul Ryan]

Now that is cool,

Sticking things drive me nuts. Last year was a good year becuase it was dry so we had very few mosquitos. But this year is going to be terrible I think. Spring will be very wet with all of the snow we have to melt, plus the spring rains. Give me that lazer. I wish it was a mosquito bazoka but the laser will have to do.

[Jim Rimmer]

Cost to build is around $50; wonder what retail will be? Living in Houston, I would buy one if the price is reasonable.

[Curt Harms]

Talk about gettin' smoked :eek:

[Jim Beachler]

I have 2 of the propane mosquito controllers. I use one on each side of my back yard which is about 3/4 of an acre. total lot is 3 acres.

Those things work GREAT. I spend time outside every night now and go through 2 tanks of propane per controller during the year.

They are not cheap but it sure is nice to sit on the deck overlooking the yard, trees and setting sun and not be swatting every second. I feel that they were worth every penny.
PS. when we have people over they cannot believe that we can sit on the deck all night.

[Phil Thien]

How much would it hurt when this thing mistakes me for a mosquito, and shoots me the 50 to 100 times per second it is capable of?

[Van Huskey]

Interesting...

However where I really would like it is my house on the water in Louisiana and even at 100 per second I only think it could get 10% of them.:eek:

Plus they are so big (chicken sized) when they figure out what it was they would just fly over pick it up and drop it in the bayou... :p

[Bill Leonard]

Interesting...

However where I really would like it is my house on the water in Louisiana and even at 100 per second I only think it could get 10% of them.:eek:

Plus they are so big (chicken sized) when they figure out what it was they would just fly over pick it up and drop it in the bayou... :p
I have to agree with Van.
In the 60's I had the "pleasure" of being assigned to Fort Polk, just outside Leesville, La. I am convinced that the Mosquito is the State Bird. In fact one night we were on bivouac and I overheard one mosquito talking to the other about grabbing one us GI's and taking off with him. The larger critter dissented and suggested just eating us in place so the bigger ones back home would not take us away.

[Chris Damm]

I've always had the best luck by building Martin houses and atratcting the mosquitoe eating machines to my yard. It takes some work to get Purple Martins to nest but it is well worth it!

[Pat Germain]

How much would it hurt when this thing mistakes me for a mosquito, and shoots me the 50 to 100 times per second it is capable of?

In the comments, someone found a longer article wich mentions the laser will not damage human tissue.

At first, I was wondering if reducing mosquito populations would have a detrimental affect on animals who eat them. But sheesh, there are just so many mosquitoes on this planet. I think we could reduced them to one one-millionth of the current population and there'd still be plenty to feed bats and birds. Perhaps dwindling bat and bird populations are the reason we have so many blasted mosquitoes!

[Carlos Alden]

Hey all:

I grew up in the Air Force and as a kid lived in Alaska, Florida, Texas, and New York State, then lived in NYC for college then New Jersey. THEN moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, and in my early thirties moved to the Pacific Northwest. I hated bugs as I was growing up, and was REALLY happy to move north and west.

There are almost ZERO bugs in the Inland Northwest (northeast Washington State) unless you go up in the mountains or travel to swampy areas. I mean that I MIGHT get 3 mosquito bites a year. We do have yellow jackets and bees, but with a bit of awareness one can avoid those particular pestilent pokey pests. If you are truly tormented by bugs and skeeters the only solution is to move somewhere where they are not. The difference is astounding, truly.

Carlos
totally bug-free

[stacey martin]

I was at the local feed store the other day and was looking at the leaf blowers and echo makes an attachment to go on the blower for fogging mosquito's and other bugs
Stacey