Re: mosquito control

**Don Boekelheide d*@yahoo.com**

Hi, Emily,

Have you considered 'dunks' (they look like very
shopworn donuts) of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis
subspecies israelensis)? They are, like BT for control
of cabbage worms, a naturally occuring bacteria.
Unlike 'garden' BT, which clobbers any caterpiller
that eats it, the 'dunk' BT seems to only affect
mosquitos and black flies. Here's the EPA sheet:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_006476.htm

I use them in a couple of ponds when the fish and
dragonflies can't keep up with the wrigglers, and they
work great.

A bit wilder idea would be to introduce fish to your
water barrels, either Gambesia (mosquito fish) or
something else that eats skeeter larva. 

And you can make sure you drain your barrels
regularly, meaning the bugs can't establish a complete
life cycle.

Here's another interesting lead, from the turtle
people:

http://www.tortoise.org/general/pondvectorcontrol.html

Good luck. I like bats and birds a lot, but I think
you need to nip the little bloodsuckers in the bud,
before they start flying around looking for you. I
like the oil idea, too - might be you can combine
strategies.

Don B. Charlotte NC

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