Mosquito Plant and Other Alternatives To Pest Control
69
Mosquitoes are nectar and blood feeding insects belonging to the Culicidae family.They have been around for ages and are responsible for killing millions of people worldwide.
Do You Like The Above Mosquito Clip Art?
- Graphics Factory Royalty-Free Clip Art Images, Backgrounds & Animations
Graphics Factory includes over 1 million royalty-free clip art images and you can easily locate the perfect image instantly using our lightning-fast search engine!
The female mosquito is the primary culprit as she needs to supplement her diet with protein and iron in order to bear eggs, which she happily takes from animals and humans. This practice can be detrimental to one's health as mosquitoes pick up and transmit many disease-causing viruses and spreads them from host to host.
Fortunately, pest control programs have been able reduce the mosquito population stabilizing the threat of infectious disease. Some methods used to control the pests include adding predatory insects to certain areas, removal of breeding habitats to using pesticides to control larvae.
The management of mosquitoes has helped, however, complete eradication is impossible. For this reason, many people opt to look for personal ways to keep these annoying insects at bay.
Although below you will find suggestions to curving the appetitie of biting mosquitoes, keep in mind that mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide emitted from breath and sweat. They are also attracted to movement and dark colored clothing.
Tips to Control Mosquitoes In Your Envrionment
- Wear Light Colored Clothing
- Drain any Standing Water
- Empty Unfiltered Pools Weekly
- Clean Out Gutters
- Keep Ditches Clean and Free of Debris
- Regularly Change Birdbath Water
Insect Repelling Plants
Insect repelling plants are plants that secret essential oils known to deter mosquitoes. Many are effective, however, only when rubbed on skin.
Planting specific species around your home will usually have no beneficial outcome when it comes to controlling these pesky bugs. Refer to the side chart on how to best prepare your environment.
Mosquito Plant
The mosquito plant is a very popular choice, however, probably one of the least effective. This plant is actually called citrosa geranium, also know as citronella. A cross breed between the geranium and citronella species. Although this plant is known to continuously release citronella oil, studies have showed it be ineffective against mosquito bites.
Catnip
Catnip is a perennial herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The primary essential oil derived from Catnip is nepetalactone. Research shows that it can be just as effective as DEET and perhaps more so and seems to be the preferred choice for those who want an all natural product. The reason is unclear as to why it is effective.
Chrysanthemum
The Chrysanthemum plant carries a natural insecticide called " Pyrethrum". This active ingredient does not deter mosquitoes, rather it attacks the nervous system inhibiting females from biting. Pyrethrum is a common ingredient in lice treatments and is also popular in the brand "Raid".
There are many other essentials oil that can be formulated that are said to bring relief such as cedar, eucalyptus, vanilla, garlic, penny royal.
Other Products Used Against Mosquitoes
Against Electronic Bug Zappers
Sonic devices and repellent wristbands
Carbon dioxide-baited traps
Vitamins and herbal remedies that include B-vitamins, beer, whiskey and smoke
Do you have a time tested formula or tip that is effective against mosquitoes? I would love to hear your ideas. Add your thoughts in the comments box.
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Yes, I heard that adding fish to ponds is a good way to control larvae. Thanks for sharing this tip!
Some people get more bitten than others, and I am one of the unlucky ones. Im a huge fan of DEET, the other options including Malaria and Dengue Fever aren't worth the risk. I also wear light coloured long sleeved clothing - but in a bad area the buggers bite my eye lids and ear lobes - and yes I used DEET there too! Of course getting rid of any water sources such as water tanks or pools is really important too
I can't imagine getting bit on the eyelids, that's terrible. I must admit, I hate bugs and so stay indoors mostly, on the computer no doubt! lol!
Such a shame...when I lived in Alabama, I planted the "geranium" citronella plant by the flat! It grew huge very quickly, a nice bright lime-y green for the garden beds. Never knew if it was really working or not as our neighborhood had a spraying program in place. Couldn't use the catnip as many of our neighbors had cats that already loved my garden beds...didn't want to encourage them even more! Now I'm in the desert...no humidity, no mosquitoes, neighbors say it's "too hot" for them, and for fleas...ever heard that? Not too hot for fire ants though! Yowza!
Ive always found that the best defense against mosquitoes is to find someone sweater than you to hang out with :)
Green pest services pick up where traditional pest services leave off, making sure that the harmful chemicals used to get rid of unwanted pests doesn't similarly affect the human portion of your habitat. In today's world, where ecological impacts are more important than ever before, it is no longer safe to rely on pesticides and chemicals as the sole means of eliminating pests in the home or office. That's why more and more consumers are turning to green pest services and Green Shield certification to help them make the best choice for their families.
Eileen Hughes says:
18 months ago
Good helpful hub. I used to wonder why they called that plant mozzie buster, because it does nothing. Like you say you need to brush against it to even smell it.
Gold fish love the mosquito lava. but cant put fish in all the water containers. Thanks for sharing