Mosquitoes

pollyanna

What do you do to reduce mosquitoes? Currently we're living in a homestay where there isn't much breeze and the mozzies are a problem. We are hoping they will be less of a problem when we move into our house where the breeze is almost constant but still I know we'll need to do something to reduce them. In the latest issue of Bali Advertiser in Cat Wheeler's Greenspeak article she talks about a mosquito machine. Any idea what that is?

ronb

pollyanna wrote....... In the latest issue of Bali Advertiser in Cat Wheeler's Greenspeak article she talks about a mosquito machine. Any idea what that is?

The article says

I was sharing a quiet pot of tea with Kathy last Thursday afternoon when all hell broke loose. At exactly three o’clock the sky darkened, the wind rose and rain began to gust into the patio. Between one sentence and the next, our words were torn out of our mouths and the table we were sitting at was awash with water. I shouted for Wayan, who was ironing in the kitchen, but she couldn’t hear me for the hammer of the rain on the roof. I raised my voice a few decibels, wrapped Kathy in a warm shawl and began to race around unplugging all the electronics, inside the house and out (I’d once had a spectacular modem meltdown during such a storm). I grabbed and wiped dry the laptop, its cable, the lamp, the mosquito machine and my camera and carried them out of harm’s way as the storm gusted through the patio.

So it is electrical - so I would guess one of those "zappers" with the UV light.

Vin

Chemical or insecticide fogging is done every 2 weeks in the green areas and drains etc in and around my condo building...as well as most others ....here in Singapore. I have not spotted or been bitten by any...so far. While in Jakarta...we used to shut all doors and windows from 5 to 8 pm....which in my experience is the worst time for a mosquito invasion. At other times we used Baygon spray once a week and at night all bedrooms had the electric repellents (Mortein and others) which also served the purpose of a night lamp.

pollyanna

Vin wroteChemical or insecticide fogging is done every 2 weeks in the green areas and drains etc in and around my condo building...as well as most others ....here in Singapore. I have not spotted or been bitten by any...so far. While in Jakarta...we used to shut all doors and windows from 5 to 8 pm....which in my experience is the worst time for a mosquito invasion. At other times we used Baygon spray once a week and at night all bedrooms had the electric repellents (Mortein and others) which also served the purpose of a night lamp.

I've seen many people using the zappers in the hope of reducing a mosquito problem but from all I've read that doesn't work since mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide given off by mammals during exhalation. The mosquitoes aren't at all attracted to the light. Apparently the lights kill almost everything but mosquitoes including some beneficial insects and also remove a food source for many birds and bats which are helpful in reducing mozzie numbers. Our house is too open for shutting doors and windows to be of any help. Currently we're using the coils and they work but I don't enjoy the smell and I don't like sleeping with them at night. I don't know what's in them but I wonder if it is unhealthy sleeping with them on a nightly basis.

pollyanna

Jimbo

I use the tablets on a heater and they work very well. Close door and windows during the dusk and spray with baygon, put the AC on and enjoy......always presuming you can do all of those things :-)

goldminer

We use the paper type tablets on the electric pad, works well. :icon_e_smile:

kayoticlaudia

I grew up with those coils and even smuggle them into Europe for those times that I am here. I like the smell of the coils..... ok I know a little strange! Since those coils cannot be purchased in Germany I am guessing that there is something in there that is not really "healthy". Here is my list for my guests staying with me in Bali: - shower in the morning and shower in the evening (before dusk 'cause that is when the mosquitoes are active. - avoid sweating (sounds stupid - but mosquitoes love the sweaty smell) - perfumes, smelly fragrances on clothing, aromatic creams etc are good in ATTRACTING mosquitoes. Although in the adverts it is implied that perfumes make us attractive to the opposite sex I don't recommend this in the tropics. - dark clothing is also an attractant for mosquitoes. So despite what you really feel like doing in Asia dark clothes during the day (cause flies like light clothing) and light clothes after sun down. AND what really works for me...... the artificial breeze. Mosquitoes don't like a nice breeze and a fan will keep them away.....

gilbert de jong

pollyanna wroteI've seen many people using the zappers in the hope of reducing a mosquito problem but from all I've read that doesn't work since mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide given off by mammals during exhalation. The mosquitoes aren't at all attracted to the light. Apparently the lights kill almost everything but mosquitoes including some beneficial insects and also remove a food source for many birds and bats which are helpful in reducing mozzie numbers. Our house is too open for shutting doors and windows to be of any help. Currently we're using the coils and they work but I don't enjoy the smell and I don't like sleeping with them at night. I don't know what's in them but I wonder if it is unhealthy sleeping with them on a nightly basis.

there are lavender smelling ones(purple color), dont buy the jumbo size...they stop burning halfway or so, light them again and 10 minutes later again they stop burning :icon_rolleyes:...no idea why, or if only I have that problem?

pollyanna

gilbert de jong wrotethere are lavender smelling ones(purple color), dont buy the jumbo size...they stop burning halfway or so, light them again and 10 minutes later again they stop burning :icon_rolleyes:...no idea why, or if only I have that problem?

For anyone living around Ubud (or travelling through) there is a shop on Monkey Forest Road not far from the Main Road on the left going up that sells lovely, artistic holders for the mozzie coils. Don't know the shop name but it's a little modern shop selling arty stuff maybe with soaps in the window. Gilbert, I don't know why I had the impression that the lavender coils were less effective but based on your recommendation I'm going to try them. I agree with you about the jumbos. They don't work well. We'll be moving soon and I think I'll use the pads in the electric burner once we're in our house. Here we don't have enough electrical outlets to use them. But then ... in our house we aren't going to have any electricity at all for a while! Well, except for the genset.

zoyra

pollyanna wroteFor anyone living around Ubud (or travelling through) there is a shop on Monkey Forest Road not far from the Main Road on the left going up that sells lovely, artistic holders for the mozzie coils. Don't know the shop name but it's a little modern shop selling arty stuff maybe with soaps in the window. Gilbert, I don't know why I had the impression that the lavender coils were less effective but based on your recommendation I'm going to try them. I agree with you about the jumbos. They don't work well. We'll be moving soon and I think I'll use the pads in the electric burner once we're in our house. Here we don't have enough electrical outlets to use them. But then ... in our house we aren't going to have any electricity at all for a while! Well, except for the genset.

Hi Polly, I have started using HIT mat (there are other brands available). Seems to work. The smell is kind of a powdery smell. The good thing is that there is no smoke in comparison to the coils. I use the coils outdoors - the lavender ones are okay. But I guess, best is still to use repellent. Sensatia has a good one (you can buy it at Tut Mak), it's called Bug-Off and has a really nice smell. Hope this helps. Btw, your house looks nice...

pollyanna

zoyra wroteHi Polly, I have started using HIT mat (there are other brands available). Seems to work. The smell is kind of a powdery smell. The good thing is that there is no smoke in comparison to the coils. I use the coils outdoors - the lavender ones are okay. But I guess, best is still to use repellent. Sensatia has a good one (you can buy it at Tut Mak), it's called Bug-Off and has a really nice smell. Hope this helps. Btw, your house looks nice...

Well, don't just drive on by! Stop in and say "hello."

zoyra

pollyanna wroteWell, don't just drive on by! Stop in and say "hello."

Ha, ha.. will do one day. Still waiting for you to drop by at the Smile shop, though..

harryopal

Have just signed lease and preparing to move in to a house identical to that which we are leaving. While meeting with the owner it became apparent that the little backyard of about 10 metres by 12 metres and similar size front are heavily infested with mosquitoes. Weeds have grown quickly but wonder what would be most economical product to spray both areas? Removing grass and recent growth will obviously help but in the meantime..... I was wearing shorts and soon had lots of bites. Thanks.

Markit

Matador - but that won't help if your neighbors are the source, unless you spray them too.

YachtRock

Hey Harry, I'm sure you've already removed all sources of standing water by now. That usually is enough to do the trick for me but if not, I found this company in Bali. They do a non-chemical mosquito control. No idea about the prices but figured I'd share the info with you anyway: https://www.urbanbiologistbali.com/urban_mosquito.html

harryopal

No full cups. Sometimes just a residual amount left in the morning and then would then top up. I wonder how many lavae I may have swallowed before realizing the hazard. Hospitalized with a deadly malaria strain returning from Africa in 1992 so I have been mosquito conscious but evidently not conscious enough.

YachtRock

harryopal wrote No full cups. Sometimes just a residual amount left in the morning and then would then top up. I wonder how many lavae I may have swallowed before realizing the hazard. Hospitalized with a deadly malaria strain returning from Africa in 1992 so I have been mosquito conscious but evidently not conscious enough.

Take care mate. Had a friend recover from dengue recently. It was no walk in the park.

harryopal

Thank you YachtRock and Markit. We have people there today cutting back the growth in the front and back yards which I am sure provided excellent habitat for mosquitoes with little pools of water with the heavy rains. Always on the lookout for pools of water however tiny. I keep a cup of water by the bed to sip If I wake during the night. I stopped covering with a saucer so as not to disturb the wife. Then when checking before bed to see if I still had water I found lavae in the cup. I now cover with a bit of gladwrap. Very enterprising are mosquitoes. Will spray the interior as we move in and then hopefully will have not much of a problem. (This seems a very trivial concern as I watch the news about the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria. As assistance is rushed to the area so too will organized crime to see what they can pull out from aid. The Mafia, worse than virus bearing mosquitoes, have been notorious in Italy for sucking out profit from earthquakes there.)

YachtRock

harryopal wrote Thank you YachtRock and Markit. We have people there today cutting back the growth in the front and back yards which I am sure provided excellent habitat for mosquitoes. Always on the lookout for pools of water however tiny. I keep a cup of water by the bed to sip If I wake during the night. I stopped covering with a saucer so as not to disturb the wife. Then when checking before bed to see if I still had water I found lavae in the cup. I now cover with a bit of gladwrap. Very enterprising are mosquitoes. Will spray the interior as we move in and then hopefully will have not much of a problem.

Are you leaving a full cup of water by your bedside for days at a time? Last I checked mosquitoes need around 7 days in standing water to reproduce.