What can you REALLY do about mosquitos?
Posted by ponycorn_pet@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 182 comments
I live in the part of Texas that just got struck by multiple tornadoes across multiple days in the week, and had no power for a week. I had all of my preps set up, which included camping out on my two acres. The one thing that my prep did not include was mindfulness for mosquitoes. It was TERRIBLE BEYOND BELIEF. I was battling so many swarms that I gave up on camping outside and went to stay with friends
What ACTUALLY works? Because I feel like I have tried everything in the past, but this is some of the rainiest weather I can ever recall getting here in Texas and the result is clouds of mosquitoes that kept me from being able to live outside on my own property when my house was too hot without power running to it
DigitalPrepperJoe@reddit
Yeah... after heavy rain and no power, mosquitoes become a real quality-of-life issue fast. The biggest thing is layered defense, because no single product works against swarms by itself. Dump every bit of standing water you can find, run battery/solar fans anywhere you sit or sleep (mosquitoes are weak fliers), and wear loose long sleeves/pants treated with permethrin.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
How bad for you is permethrin, on a real talk level? Should I be concerned about it in the same way how DEET and other things down the road were like "oops, actually this will kill you"
Some_Guy106@reddit
You can drink a surprising amount of permethrin before it hurts you
DigitalPrepperJoe@reddit
From what I understand, permethrin is generally considered pretty low-risk if you're using it the intended way on clothes/tents instead of directly on your skin.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
See, the bottle of it that I have that came with a mister doesn't say anything about putting it on only clothes, it says stuff like "kid safe" and doesn't warn against putting it straight on your skin. That's the kind of thing that really worries me
Dannyewey@reddit
Permethrin you probably don't want to apply directly to your skin. It's a chemical thats derived from the Chrysanthemum flower. it's neurotoxin to bugs. it binds better to clothing and will last longer. unlike repellents it is an insecticide and will kill the bugs after they touch your clothing then groom themselves. This however means if there are swarms that awarm is still gonna want to be on you it's just once they get on you they dead. It's also effective against ticks. It's highly toxic to cats though so if you have cats keep them away from it.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much for the explanation, and the heads up about it being toxic to cats. I had no idea about that part until someone dm'ed me, and I'm glad it's in a top comment now where other people can see it
VanillaHuel@reddit
Tea tree oil, recommended for socks against ticks, is also poison for cats!
Dfoxcd@reddit
I used permethrin treated uniforms in Honduras, it was like a force field. No joke, they swarmed about an inch away from me. They wouldn't come close.
Dannyewey@reddit
Dope, then maybe it will act as a repellent.I've only ever used it as a pesticide.
CarlyObine@reddit
It's safe once it's dry
DigitalPrepperJoe@reddit
Yeah, that's confusing. I think the "kid safe" wording is more about it being considered safe when used exactly as directed and after it dries, not necessarily that it's meant to be applied straight to skin like a repellent. From what I've read, permethrin is usually intended for treating clothing/gear or outdoor surfaces, and the label instructions matter a lot for how it's meant to be used. If yours doesn't explicitly say it's for skin application, I'd personally assume it's not meant for that and stick to using it on clothes/gear and letting it fully dry before contact.
ExplanationMaster634@reddit
It’s nothing like it was in the late 80s early 90s when it first came to market as military surplus bug spray
It lasted 2 weeks or more on clothes and you didn’t want to spray it inside your ball cap because you be either
Sick and 🤮
Or
High as a Georgia pine tree
SammyIBEW915@reddit
Permethrin works fair but... You have to spray down clothing and let it dry completely or it burns your skin. Issue I've had is down here in central Florida it's hot and once you start sweating, it reactivates and burns a bit. When camping, we use smut fires and I have a ton of Thermocell refills and devices.
BigJSunshine@reddit
So bad. It will absolutely kill cats and dogs
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
Ugh
earthmama88@reddit
It’s derived from crysthanthemums
Lancifer1979@reddit
It’s a concentrated derivative from a natural repellant in chrysanthemums. It’s not harmful to people, but downright awful for alot of insects. -don’t treat your clothes with it for working with bee hives to be sure. When applied right, it lasts for a few laundry cycles (marketing usually says 5-6). The reason you don’t want it on your skin is not because it is harmful to you, but rather your skin oils actually break down the permethrin and make it less effective. The stuff works wonders against ticks. Apparently, after they’ve touched it, they’re not capable of biting you even if they get on you which they don’t want to. I’m not sure how that applies to mosquitoes. They don’t like it for sure, but like most other insect repellent, I have personally found that when it comes to mosquitoes, you can practically take a bath in them (don’t) and those pesky little fuckers will find the one square centimeter on your body that you didn’t treat and have a buffet. (bites on the eyelids are awful). I definitely second the multilayered approach use your repellent, your fans, and your nets
RhythmQueenTX@reddit
I remember in Alaska hiking, mosquitoes were biting me through my hair on head which was not covered in Deet.
Unicorn187@reddit
No, you put it on you clothing and let it dry. It doesnt transfer to you once dry.
Also, the same percentage in a cream isnthebtreatmentnfor scabies, and a weaker percentage for head lice. It is very damaging to cats and to a lot of aquatic life, so don't pour any into the ground or drains.
It's been proven of decades to be safe unless you douse yourself in it frequently, or have some medical conditions and even then it's more a contraindications for applying directly.to your body for lice or scabies (and others) than applied to clothing and allowed to dry a couple days.
edhas1@reddit
Permethrin, Picardan and DEET are less "bad" than mosquito bites.
SimpleVegetable5715@reddit
Permethrin only affects invertebrates, except cats who lack the ability to metabolize it.
CarlyObine@reddit
Mosquito bits are an awesome standing water granular larvacide
IamNana71@reddit
I use citronella essential oil and alcohol witch hazel. Witch hazel in a small spray bottle, add 6 to 10 drops of the essential oil. I am like the biggest skeeter magnet and this simple, cheap, chemical free concoction keeps me bite free! I spray on my skin, my shoes, my clothes and my head. You smell a little bit like a tiki torch, but it works great.
AccomplishedUse7745@reddit
I am so going to try this too!!!
IamNana71@reddit
Alcohol free witch hazel btw. I miss typed on original reply!
No_NewFriends_2021@reddit
Thermacell
Betty_beerslinger@reddit
Second thermacell. Been using them for 15 or so years. It’s the only thing that works for me. I have the blood type that makes them swarm on me and hardy get bitten when the thermacell is going. You can refill the butane cartridges as well. Just have to buy the legit pads.
No_NewFriends_2021@reddit
Didn’t know you can refill the butane. I just buy the packs anyway with butane and pads
AccomplishedUse7745@reddit
I didn’t know you could refill the butane either.
Sempervirens17@reddit
Thermacells are pretty tough on aquatic life and native bees. I think around your camp is fine, but I've watched people hiking/kayaking/boating with it on. Not good. I know we want to be outside, but just make sure you use it sparingly.
I feel similarly to sunscreen. I'd rather wear protection than use chemicals.
Kittenwho21@reddit
Well, even though it seems your comment wasn’t welcome, I am glad to see it. I was just debating a thermacell and wondering if it actually worked, apparently it works too well, so I appreciate this knowledge so I don’t unintentionally harm the wildlife. Thanks for the comment
No_NewFriends_2021@reddit
No one asked
Flopgunner@reddit
So many comments here that don't actually work. I can't believe only one person so far has mentioned the only thing that actually does work... THERMACELL.
Look into it right now.
I keep one in all of my vehicles along with one in my camper and one at my house. When the mosquitos are out, light it up. It takes 5-10 minutes to start burning hot enough to work, but it does work! If you have a larger group of people just put a couple of them out around the area. I live in Florida and we have horrible mosquitos but they can't stand thermacells.
AccomplishedUse7745@reddit
I second the THERMACELL!! They work great and mosquitos love me! But not when I have the THERMACELL going!!!
blindside1@reddit
Wide brimmed hat, head net, long sleeves, gloves for moving around.
For sleeping a large bug net is good, or one of those large stand up tents that the sides are all just screen.
OutlanderMom@reddit
We lived in the tropical years ago, and everyone slept under mosquito netting. I saved those nets (and the large ring that holds them bolted to the ceiling) and will get them out if needed. We also use head nets when working in the garden. And DEET and long sleeves. And we burn our fire pit to have smoke near the house. Mosquitoes (or rather, the diseases they carry) kill more people worldwide than many other causes.
babsley78@reddit
Used to live in an area where malaria was present and second this advice about mosquito netting and treating your clothes. Make sure you treat your mosquito netting and tents etc as well. Ditto socks and shoes. Head nets/hats as well.
If you live in an area with mosquito borne illness (which we all will be soon) advise you spray permethrin in the corners of your bedrooms, near the ceiling, as that where they like to hide during the day. Though in the US we now have the kind that like to bite during the day, so maybe consider just spraying all the walls/ceiling. You can buy it at Tractor supply and just put in a garden sprayer.
OutlanderMom@reddit
We discovered that Off dissolves plastic. It ate the polyurethane on the wooden kitchen table from people’s forearms being sprayed. It will eat holes in headnets and bed nets because they’re basically nylon tulle. So we spray our clothes but not the netting. Ticks are also a concern so DEET and pants and long sleeves are important. When we pick wild blackberries in the woods, we duct tape our pant legs at the ankles to keep ticks from climbing up inside.
HitIerWasWrong@reddit
All DEET products do. It's for your skin.
OutlanderMom@reddit
That’s why I said it dissolves plastic. It’s also for clothing, which is why the container says “hold container 6-8” from skin or clothing, and spray in a slow sweeping motion.”
babsley78@reddit
Right, DEET and permethrin are not the same.
We used permethrin on our mosquito nets (and actually distributed pretreated mosquito nets in humanitarian projects) so it is not going to dissolve a net. It also survives multiple washings if you treat your clothes properly.
It was the mosquito killer of choice in the malaria endemic area where we lived. Hence my recommendation.
skywench@reddit
When living in Houston I had good results using those “mosquito death buckets” Basically you take a large bucket, fill it like 1/3 with water and add in 1/4 of a mosquito dunk along with some leaves. It doesn’t have an immediate effect but the mosquitos will be attracted to lay their eggs in it and the mosquito dunk will kill the larvae. After a couple weeks I noticed a pretty big difference in the amount of mosquitos on our property.
DearAndraste@reddit
I’m in the CSTAT area and I’m trying this too! Not a perfect solution but I’ve heard it works pretty well to lower the population in an immediate area (ie your yard)
SublimeMime77@reddit
I believe permethrin should not be used on synthetic materials; it can dissolve or eat away at some synthetics.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
Would it also create problems since eventually you'd be washing it with other clothes? Like I'm wondering if it would be problematic, because I would be spraying it on my kids clothes, and I wash their underwear with their regular clothes
SublimeMime77@reddit
The instructions for brand I bought said to wash separately.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
damn, see, this is why I'm so paranoid about everything
Fellums2@reddit
I know I’m late to the comments here, but dryer sheets. Rub one over your exposed skin and keep it in your pocket. I’ve used this trick for years and been in forests teeming with mosquitoes. Everyone else gets eaten alive but the mosquitoes avoid me completely.
CuddlyMofo@reddit
Lavender, lemon balm and rosemary, you can make a tincture that you can spray or rub on yourself, works really good, especially if you use dawn as an astringent. Then dry the leaves and stems. Can make bundles to throw in fire pits that deters them. Beyond that, they like dirty, stinky humans. BO is like frying onions to a mosquito. Wash regularly, wear deodorant with Cypress, pine or Sandalwood. Change sweaty socks and shoes often. Don't be the food they want.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I have a HUGE rosemary bush right outside my front door and they're always landing on it lmao
CuddlyMofo@reddit
A living plant is different than it being smoked. Throw some of that rosemary in an aluminum pouch with a small hole poked in it.
AsparagusProper376@reddit
I spray my yard with bifen once every 4 weeks; that's what you need to do
FlatMolasses4755@reddit
I didn't read all the responses but I am experimenting with mosquito dunks on the property this year.
https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/s/LPo1g01yvh
Remarkable_Ad5011@reddit
That sounds miserable… the clouds of blood suckers. (Searches for suppliers of permethrin).
HummousTahini@reddit
I don't have much personal experience with them, but the Youtuber Camping with Steve swears by Thermacells (basically heated mosquito coils): https://www.thermacell.com/
I have one but haven't had the opportunity to use it much (doesn't mean they don't work, though). Good luck!
DistanceLoud8411@reddit
I use one of those. It helps somewhat but I still get bitten. Just not as much. So from 20 bites to 10 I would say. I live on the edge of the woods with a small pond and there’s so many mosquitos even with mitigation efforts.
Stand_Up_3813@reddit
My go to in severe mosquito situations is this:
Wear lightweight long pants and long sleeve shirt treated with permethrin. Do NOT put permethrin on your skin, and be sure no cats are nearby when spraying (permethrin does severe neurological damage to cats, for some reason). If you’re worried about toxicity, wash the clothing after treating it and before wearing it.
Treat shoes with permethrin. Mosquitoes can’t penetrate a shoe but it keeps them from landing on you.
Wear a head net from REI or other outdoor outfitter (also treat with permethrin)
A lightweight glove or sun sleeve that covers most of your hand (also treat with permethrin)
Permethrin will remain effective through several wash cycles. When its efficacy begins to wane, reapply and wash the clothing before using again.
Use deep woods OFF when necessary
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I wonder if panting a giant moat of chrysanthemums around my house would have the same warding effect, or if the compound is like, ten million flower heads for one drop
Sleddoggamer@reddit
Drain what water you can so you van limit their breeding ground. Drop some vegetable oil in what still bodies of water where you know won't kill anything that your not supposed to kill
Set up some dunks and kill the ones that you won't stop from laying eggs. Mosquitoe coils, keep a netted off area, and wear clothes meant to resist them. They still gonna get you though 😢
Additional_Insect_44@reddit
Mosquito netting, long clothes, bug spray, citronella, i think mint crushed or garlic crushed works.
thedreadedaw@reddit
Get Marshland brand spray or wipes. It has DEET listed as 25% and 75% other ingredients. It's got to be whatever the other 75% is that works but I've never had anything work like this stuff does. Before I moved to Mississippi mosquitoes were irritating but manageable. But they have 53 varieties here and boy howdy, am I allergic to some of them. Marshland was recommended by a local and told me it would do the trick. I have tried probably 20 different products and nothing worked so I was doubtful but ordered it. It worked. It worked 100%. It stinks but you will not get bit.
ShrodingersArmadillo@reddit
Avoid bananas oddly their attracted to that scent.
Clean up any sitting water to prevent breeding. If that's not possible dump a mild food acid into said standing water to kill the larvae.
Put up bat houses to attract one of their main predators.
nvaus@reddit
A good strong fan and a piece of window screen. You'll wipe out 90% of the population of a 50ft radius in a day, 100ft radius in a few days. https://youtu.be/6BhV-o77RqQ?si=PEz-QQqzVg2XK2R-
Donexodus@reddit
Can confirm this is the way. You’ll kill hundreds in an hour.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I'm totally going to do this, I have a box fan already
Donexodus@reddit
wtf they censored my comment about killing mosquitos rofl
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
that's bullshit D: but don't worry, I literally already made it and have it running lmao, want me to take a picture?
Donexodus@reddit
Sure! Any luck?
RapidXpansion@reddit
please, we cant see their comment
Donexodus@reddit
Big fan with a net on the output. Put dirty clothes in front of intake. Will anti-live hundreds per hour.
Imagine how many mosquitos you have on your property. 3x that will be inside the net within the first hour or 2.
Granadafan@reddit
So simple and genius
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I should do this with my corsi-rosenthal box and get them from all sides hahaha MAYHEM
bapachonz@reddit
Build multiple mosquito traps and spread them throughout your property. If you do it early enough, you might make a decent enough of a dent to their population.
https://youtu.be/KLtlE41cTOI?si=RmtN49lZXV5DNH1-
luvmy374@reddit
Do you have trees that you can place bat houses in? We have bats that eat the mosquitoes. We also plant mosquito repelling plants every year. Knock on wood it’s worked for 4 years now. I live in central Alabama which is quite humid and hot. We are a mosquito breeding ground. The bats help the most though.
V1ld0r_@reddit
Curious what plants you recommend to have as repellent.
ObligatoryID@reddit
Just saved this today!
Stinkytheferret@reddit
Um. Layer in some of those mosquito bracelets. Arm and legs. And I use Avon’s Skin So Soft to spray on skin. Can you create a situation to have double mosquito netting. Like a tent within a tent? Netting in and out with a bug light outside?
I don’t know TX too much but if I were in tornado country again, I’d dig down and make an underground cabin. I actually consider it where I’m at.
Revolutionary-Half-3@reddit
You can stop having blood.... Or get a stage flamethrower setup on par with Rammstein.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I'm listening
Tarheel_87@reddit
Put up a bathouse.
myownopnion@reddit
A good prep would be setting up a bat house if possible. Bats eat tons of mosquitos.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I actually have a ton of bats that live on my property, but even they can't keep up I guess lol
RickShaw530@reddit
Google "Earth Battery".
funknfusion@reddit
https://youtu.be/ZGO-eDPMJfY?si=BeTOaza8frXqn36L
RickShaw530@reddit
Thank you. Too busy to do it earlier.
XDBEA@reddit
Dragon flies and bats are your best friends. Dragon fly nymphs eat mosquito larvae, adults eat the adults. Creat an environment that supports both and it’ll help. You’ll still have them, but they make a dent. I had 14 bats last year, this winter was rough and I’ve only seen 3 so far(pretty upset about that) but loads of dragonflies this year. Other than that netting is your best bet when it gets that bad, sucks but have some just to be safe. I bought the head nets and also a large one that’s made to go over a bed frame so I can close off a section of my porch kinda like a tent
lemonprincess23@reddit
I also heard hummingbirds will gladly eat up mosquitos, but they’re hit or miss on getting them to stay near your property
bugabooandtwo@reddit
Swallow community housing works, as well.
Questioning_lemur@reddit
And are a vector for rabies.
Live_Slice354@reddit
While bats may carry rabies there is actually a lot more to it. One piece of it is there are many kinds of bats and they are not all equal vectors of rabies.
funknfusion@reddit
Never tried this myself, but…
silasmoeckel@reddit
A house works really well. You have a power prep issue.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
My dude, my barn with my generator in it was destroyed, and everyone who had solar panels had theirs destroyed. Whole houses on my street were leveled to the ground. I am lucky as fuck that my only house damage was to the exterior, but everyone who had carports or generators in cabins etc, they were all destroyed. I do not have a power prep issue, I had multiple tornadoes that TOUCHED DOWN ON MY STREET
silasmoeckel@reddit
As you don't have power or water would say you do. PACE I'm not seeing C or E here.
TanksFTM@reddit
Tell us how you keep your kit to avoid the finger of god poking you multiple times. Please. I want to know. Do you have your shit spread out and buried on 40 acres? Did you buy a decommissioned nuclear missile silo? do you have a multiple F-4 survivable shelter? C&E?!? STFU or offer some reasonable advice. They were asking for advice, not snark. Be better. Be helpful.
shikkonin@reddit
OP mentioned that they still had their house. Not the barn, sure, but the house. Have some prep in the house (and prep the house itself), otherwise you're just begging for trouble.
TanksFTM@reddit
Why do you think he didn't have prep in the house? He didn't have his backup power in the house (smart actually). He's not bitching about water, or food or meds or anything else. He said he was mindful of EVERYTHING other than mosquitos. He was willing to camp out on site, meaning he had everything else needed to last a while. Instead of being snarky, perhaps you could have said, "power is important. in addition to a generator in the barn, you should also invest in powerbanks and some deployable solar panels. That way, if primary power goes red, you have a smaller, and less capable, but more robust power solution. In the mean time, invest in some yard guard, prophylactic care and chemical pesticides (according to manufacturer instruction). But that's not what you said. You said PACE. You're why people are scared to ask questions and for advice in this subreddit.
shikkonin@reddit
Because he camped outside, unprotected.
Not at all smart.
And yet, he did not have power. Making his house unusable, apparently. That is a power prep issue.
Can you point out where I was "snarky"?
Why are you lying now? I said nothing of the sort.
TanksFTM@reddit
You really want to do this keyboard warrior? Point 1: "I had all of my preps set up, which included camping out on my two acres. The one thing that my prep did not include was mindfulness for mosquitoes." He camped outside due to the heat without power. Not because he didn't have the other prep stuff in the house. Texas w/o A/C is dreadful. I'd be outside too, for whatever breeze I could get.
"Not at all smart." Don't put your backup power in your dwelling. Adjacent, nearby, outside of... sure. Ask a fireman. Don't have backup in the dwelling. It's not just a fire hazard, it could be a CO2 hazard, or something worse. The barn was a reasonable secondary location. Should he have had a 3rd tier system? yes. But stop being a pedantic ass. Most of us follow "one is none, two is one". You're giving him shit for "two being none". You're not wrong, but you're being a snarky ass about it. Be better. As I said earlier, a nicer and more educating response would be, "get a portable power bank and some solar panels, just in case your secondary got smashed".
Mindful of everything other than mosquitos. "And yet, he did not have power. Making his house unusable, apparently. That is a power prep issue." He didn't say his house was unusable, he said he wanted to be outside, but couldn't, due to pests. He had an alternative. But let's go back to what you said. You've been dismissive and arrogant. He's clearly asking for advice. You're not giving it. You talk about PACE and how he lacked C&E. The subreddit is for giving advice to followers when their plans failed. You didn't give advice, you denigrated. He had a backup, it failed, not thru lack of planning. Again, advice, not dismissal (that's your snark).
To be frank, regardless of power, the issue is how to deal with mosquitos, and 90% of the replies had solutions that didn't require power. You harped on power for no good reason related to his question. I'm not lying, I'm pointing out your arrogant failure to address his question with thoughtful and educational responses. and yes, jerk replies like yours are why people are hesitant to ask for help.
shikkonin@reddit
Exactly. Because his house was unusable due to the heat inside.
Ok, let's do that.
Where, exactly? STOP LYING. I did not say anything of the sort. Also, I did give very specific advice: have some sort of power backup in the home, instead of just the barn.
Bullshit. I specifically said that there should be a backup power source in the house (and not just in the Barn).
Yes, you are. Again. I didn't harp on power, OP themselves said that they suffered from a power failure. And I didn't talk about PACE at all, not a single comment of mine in this thread contains this acronym.
TanksFTM@reddit
To be fair, you're correct. My apologies on the PACE thing. Silas said that, not you. I just went back and looked, you replied to my comment to him, and I just thought it was him replying back to me. To the rest of your comments, my opinion hasn't changed.
icthruu74@reddit
I’ve been in areas that the only real option was to be inside. In a tent or screen room. A mesh bug suit is an option for doing anything outside.
Mosquito coils are my typical goto for camping but they have limited ability to repel mosquitoes.
Bug spray seems to only last for a short time and isn’t as effective as I’d like.
I minimize exposed skin - long pants tucked into socks, long sleeve shirts, gloves, hat preferably with a bug net.
Kitchen-Hat-5174@reddit
Buy mosquito killer. It’s one Amazon. They are called dunks. You put them in pools of water in your area to kill off the larval generation.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
preppers-ModTeam@reddit
These kinds of links can hide affiliate IDs, which is why they are not allowed. They are called URL shorteners. On top of that, the link leads to a shady website that claims to sell a professional-grade insecticide. Its legality in developed countries is questionable, and I do not trust the average person to apply it safely. Your submission raises safety concerns.
CarlyObine@reddit
You can get these products online without a license number They aren't restricted for licenses only
infospongue@reddit
I tried many sprays but I'm always a target it seems.
When am elderly Asian lady saw me stepping out of my motel in FL and instantly being attacked by bugs she gave me a nearly empty bottle of "Avalon skin so soft".
Is it a miracle in a bottle? No, but for me it comes close compared to "professional sprays".
The main drawback is that it's sticky. Maybe all you need is something that has the same smell.
tom_yum@reddit
It's Avon, my mom always put that stuff on me as a kid and it doesn't really do much except smell funny. I've had pretty good luck with picaridin spray. It's a lot less foul smelling than deet.
No_Staff594@reddit
Old bay seasoning helps a little
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
There's a time and a place, my man. This ain't it
No_Staff594@reddit
You eat the old bay not the mosquitos
SoberNavajoDad1996@reddit
Get rid of any stagnant water around your property as possible- although this is easier said than done given you’ve got two acres. Mosquito head nets (the type you use with a hat) to protect your face and neck, long pants, closed shoes (preferably boots to cover your ankles), and long sleeve shirts. Your hands will almost certainly get bit but it’s obviously much easier to smash them on hands.
Citronella candles; in my experience they’re not especially effective at least not as much as people say, but that might help a little.
As well as obvious things like keeping your external doors closed as much as possible; particularly at night.
Also; keeping cool is very important- especially without cooling. Designate heavy duty/active tasks for night or preferably dawn (as dusk is often still quite warm).
There’s an old school trick my grandmother (who grew up in the 40s and 50s in the southwest with no air conditioning) taught me that’s very simple. It’s better for dry heat but you still might find it helpful. Is to get in the shower with cold water turned on full, rinse off sweat, dust, etc and then get a thin cotton bed sheet (the thinner the better) and soak that, lie down with the bed sheet over you underneath a window wherever the wind is coming in at the time, and repeat as needed. It really works. If you don’t have air conditioning, then same deal with a bucket of water. Your groin, arm pits, and head/back of the neck hold the most head so wash away that sweat with a cupped hand and then put the sheet in, wring it out in the bucket and do that until it’s been wet and wringed out.
arthurjeremypearson@reddit
Have you tried burning sweetgrass?
Annual-Assistant-414@reddit
Attract birds to eat them
Pale-Firefighter-253@reddit
Bens, smallest orange bottle that has a non aerosol spray.
NewWorkdayGuy@reddit
10x10 canopy fully enclosed with a bug net, Thermocell, avon skin so soft rubbed on you, those citronella candles, large brim hat with netting around the head.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
The problem with rubbing stuff directly onto my skin, aside from how sensitive my skin is, is that the whole week I was without power, I was also without water, due to my water being on a well that doesn't have a way to run a generator to the well head. So if I were to rely on putting things straight onto me, I'd get super nasty, fast. It got up to 96 degrees two of the days I didn't have power
NewWorkdayGuy@reddit
I didn't realize you were near a tornado.
I feel for you mate. We had one touch down about 1 mile from our house and the devastation was unreal. I will say that the power companies were VERY quick to get everything back up and running with the amount of damage there was. Like.. 3-4 days for our area.
I don't think you could have done much different if your barn went down. Good luck mate. If you find yourself needing a generator still this weekend, I live in texas and have a 2350 or a 4000W I would loan you if you want to meet up somewhere. I'm central texas based.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much. I was a part of this mess. The power was down from April 25th to May 3rd, and the emails from the power company said the damage was the worst all of their linemen had ever seen. It's finally back on again, but driving through my town is just devastation to every house for miles. The curbs are lined with full growth 30+ year old trees that have been dragged there to be collected, and it's non-stop dump trucks going through taking away chunks of peoples houses and carports and barns, etc
I really appreciate that offer, if everything were still down I would have definitely taken you up on it, especially on those handful of days where it was 93 degrees with the feels like of 100 because of the wet bulb effect
https://www.tcectexas.com/news/employees-working-around-clock-after-tornadoes-strike-north-texas-communities
NewWorkdayGuy@reddit
WOW!
If your town is anything like mine, just know that rebuilding efforts, branch/debree cleaning efforts will take MONTHS if not years. We're 2 or 3 years out on ours and I STILL feel like big buildings are just now getting back to where things were.
Good luck bud!
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much <3
They already deleted it, but one person had commented on here that if I deserved to be miserable because I obviously hadn't prepped enough and that my "PACE" was lacking lol. It's like okay, let's see how well you do when you've got the movie Twister making a cameo in your front yard XD
Ugh, I'm glad your town is finally recovering, that really sucks for how long it's taken. FEMA declared my area a catastrophe zone, but it'll never get funds released for the emergency housing of the displaced because those depend on the current president declaring an official emergency, and he hasn't been doing that for any of the places that need it lately
NewWorkdayGuy@reddit
yeah -- No one expects a tornado. It's completely different than any other event. You can prepare for a hurricane, drought, etc.. But if a tornado takes your barn out with your generator that you've already prepped for... Good luck. Not to mention that when a tornado hits, everyone around you is scrambling for good that are needed.
Super scary mate. Hopefully Fema funds get released, ours happened during Biden's area and we got quite a bit of money for companies to come in and clean the area.
lostinspacescream@reddit
Get a hand pump installed for your well. They still work when the power goes out. We had one and it was a godsend. Takes quite a few pumping motions to get the water flowing but worth the effort if you have no other way to get water.
dittybopper_05H@reddit
Baby wipes. Baby wipes are friggin' magic.
It's not as satisfying as taking an actual bath or shower, but you can effectively clean yourself using baby wipes. You should have some anyway for when you have limited water for cleaning yourself, and for other things: We use them at home and in the car even for cleaning stuff instead of ourselves.
You can clean yourself well enough with baby wipes that you wouldn't get super nasty. You put the bug repellent on you. When it's time to get clean, wipe down with baby wipes, then reapply the bug repellent.
NewWorkdayGuy@reddit
Hmm.
Water wise it may be good to invest in a few 55 gallon drums and fill them with water. You can buy those propane powered hot camp shower units to shower.
I’m Texas based as well so I totally understand where you are coming from.
certifiedintelligent@reddit
Post SHTF: what people have done for centuries: netting and smoke and living with it.
Pre-SHTF: propane mosquito traps work fantastically and cover a large area.
YankeeDog2525@reddit
Netting and campfire smoke.
MerelyMortalModeling@reddit
You can try repellent and mosquito netting but here is the hard truth.
The only thing that "works" if you are living outside is going where they aren't at.
Outside-Storage-1523@reddit
I camped a couple of times during summer and kinda decided maybe I should really practice winter camping…
4Yk9gop@reddit
Summer camping when it's humid sucks. It's not enjoyable. It's more akin to being homeless than enjoying the outdoors lol.
woodinleg@reddit
There's a DIY fogger for a lawn mower. Looks just like the fog the county uses here in Florida. https://youtu.be/Suq1niCiYJw?si=z8K-c-8fDg8aJWiS. You can use a mixture of Bifentrin and diesel or food grade mineral oil to make the fog juice, or buy the ready made fogger solution if you're so inclined.
Donexodus@reddit
I live in the Virgin Islands- the only thing that works is a powerful fan with some mesh on the exhaust.
Take some dirty clothes (black works best) and toss them in front of the fan intake. The net will literally catch hundreds per hour.
Spray them with rubbing alcohol before removing the net to dispose of them, as they can sometimes still be alive.
I’ve tried fancy $700 dollar setups etc- nothing works remotely as well as this (assuming you’ve controlled water sources).
Achnback@reddit
What really works is a multi attack approach. I thermal fog early morning (before the bees are out) or just after dusk when they return to their nest, every few days. You will notice an immediate reduction in mosquito population. I also had excellent results with a mosquito magnet machine. I stopped using it as the cost of propane has made it a bit more expensive than I wish to continue. On a side note, those thing WORK! Lastly, and I really don't like how this stuff smells on a dude. Avon skin so soft does a bang up job of keeping those little blood suckers away, just a bit fem smelling.
itlow@reddit
Thermal fog? Pls explain.
Achnback@reddit
Thermal fogging powered by those small propane canisters, link below is the one I use.
amazon.com/Burgess-Propane-Effective-Mosquito-Control/dp/B000HMA7OK/ref=sr_1_6?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rA8GzbmEt3uZYylIPfZiIamW81QHMIcqy7D61QFwvizIsNKamoUBKqWJsFi72MWmqxPPh5TEkLfIWcat7uQ4mh9GIv7C3DK_0B2715dCUUjtagAQZZgO49n7kPdW9dDyjHSYrPx5ZpbxGBZ7tXTpgvzTwo8bfA6I_6Gnm2A1TfXraWlv2-qTeLZXz8v63T5JgmR_B0BLyMQbq3vvuLCAEruB_lPDWtcRY12j551b2D3yCc4IAejbT3SL_VPPHe2o8z9m674A8l_cX9sfT5SElgbXdTOJiaSbhucbkMeC1vE.rMAhXLvc1Hi5WIcYVKuzTxUN5ALI0pm07cCR79pLcXs&dib_tag=se&keywords=thermal+fogger&qid=1778238530&sr=8-6
Maleficent_Mix_8739@reddit
There’s yeast based traps you can diy, propane powered dfoggers, DynaTrap units do indeed work…..now for the Texan contractor cheat code, buy lavender essential oil and put it in your body wash and laundry detergent.
And for fun, get one of those handheld bug zappers that look like a small tennis racket…they’re fun and really work well on swarms.
And again ….LAVENDER on and in everything.
Attackfern@reddit
Purple Martin condo maybe?
Holiday-Constant-661@reddit
Ther is some lazer tech that is being worked on that can target th bugs and zap them from afar but until that comes out, when I camped in woods it was with mosquito netting and it worked wonders for when you were sleeping
MostEspecially@reddit
Not sure if someone has mentioned this but I saw a cool solar powered mosquito/bug zapper on an ad. Looks pretty ingenious.
Droidy934@reddit
Worth watching...mosquito repellant
Excellent-Source-348@reddit
Recently found out about garlic sentry (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Just-Scentsational-1-Gal-Garlic-Scentry-Animal-and-Insect-Repellent-GAR-128/205361610)
It's supposed to repel mosquitos. You spray on your plants and yard.
I haven't tried it though, just found out about it yesterday, still doing research.
edhas1@reddit
Permethrin on everything that is not skin. Don't use items until dry. Everything else (skin) gets DEET every few hours. If you are going to be in an area for an extended time, Bifen will keep a sprayed area in pretty good shape for up to a month.
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
I JUST found out from a DM that permethrin is downright lethal to cats D: I had absolutely no idea
edhas1@reddit
Yup, when wet, don't get it on the cats and don't let the cats on anything wet with permethrin. When it is dry it should not be an issue. Oddly I have cats and deer (and ticks). I can't use permethrin for a deer rub, so have to dose them with ivermectin.
Walts_Ahole@reddit
Haven't been bit in a few years since I started using these buckets with bt dunks - well until last night, busy with work / traveling I went just over 30 days between replacing the dunks. I try to replace them every 21 days.
Mil now swears by this for their 2 acres, I'm on one acre with 8 buckets going. I bought a gross of the dunks after the first year, got a few neighbors using them now too. We're on well water - chlorinated water won't work so collect rainwater or get from someone with a well.
https://sidewalknature.com/2022/05/08/mosquito-bucket-of-doom/
Fun_Initiative_2336@reddit
Bucket with mosquito dunks in it outside
Add some rocks and sticks and things so other stuff doesn’t drown in it
But the mosquitos breed in standing water so you just.. provide standing water that happens to kill the larva
It’s how we cut down on it - that and chucking some dunks in the neighbors bird bath (he was cool with it)
ResolutionMaterial81@reddit
The older model Dynatrap...the freestanding one with the moat. I fill the moat with untreated water & most importantly, attach an Octenol pack on the riser every 3 months with a zip tie (drill a hole on each side of the Octenol pack). I leave the old packs attached.
I live in Louisiana...& it went from being deluged every time we went outdoors (rainy season was horrific) to very rarely seeing even one. At the time, that property was maybe 2 acres or so...have 3 units.
Kittenwho21@reddit
Ngl, love your use of the fire ants here! Fully support this message and hope I can try it sometime!
Savag3k1ller@reddit
1) If you have sitting water on your property, try mosquito dunks. Kills the larvae and stops them from breeding.
2) Mosquito bug zappers (usually purple light). Even if you have no power, there are rechargeable ones, ones with solar panel on top (but it's best just to charge them). Get a few of them off amazon. The best time to put them out is at dusk (6:30pm-7:30pm). They will kill moths too but I don't care. It was really bad, the whole thing was covered with dead bugs. I would wipe them with a brush daily, recharge it inside, then put the zapper out again every other night. Dozens and dozens killed. Will keep doing it. If you have it really bad, probably get a couple zappers and put them around the property.
ChoosyChuck@reddit
+1 for mosquito dunks. They do make a noticeable difference.
jwperry63@reddit
Sulfur tablets in your water. You sweat it out, mosquitos will avoid you
Kittenwho21@reddit
I take it you’re asking for what works outside of chemicals? Bc deet, as bad as it is for you/the environment, has never failed me. I just bought a new (to me) bug spray that is all natural and doesn’t use pollutant aerosols (according to the package) I’m still waiting to test the claims, but I’m hoping it works bc I would like to move away from deet..
But when I’m trying to conceal free, long, clothes even tho it gets hot. I should get a net hat, haven’t yet, I think not having clear vision would bother me, hence staying with the sprays, but yeah… I guess my comment is only helpful if you’re willing to use/collect sprays (or make them if the natural one works as advertised)
anuthertw@reddit
Also in TX and they can be horrendous. I put up a mosquito net over my garage and it actually lets me sit out there without dousing myself in Deet. I have a hammock with a mosquito net pop up thing over it too that I love.
If you have to be outside and you dont want to use chemical sprays on your skin or use mosquito netted clothing, then you can also use a big fan. They dont fly well so sometimes if I have to be outside I set up a box fan or several to try to keep them off me.
AntelopeElectronic12@reddit
Mosquito coils are the best. I light up 3-6 of them, I like to break them into small nugs and have like a dozen going at the same time, only when I only need to be working or whatever for an hour or two. Otherwise, you need the whole coil to last 8 hours or whatever. They are dirt cheap, but the mistake people make is not using enough of them. Don't be stingy, put them out there, they work like a champ.
Unicorn187@reddit
Permethein on clothing, hats, shoes.
Picaridin or IR3535 on skin. Less risky than DEET. Probably a little less effective though.
The gold standard for a person is permethrin on clothing, DEET on exposed skin (and a little more under the clothes for overlap). Plus pants tucked into boots ornsicks if wearing shoes. Wide hat and mosquito netting.
There are some mesh, hooded shirts and pants.
Lots of hunting wipes. The type meant to reduce or eliminate body odor and work better than regular wipes after a few days of no showers... not cover up but reduce the odors.
They are to help reduce the odors an animal might smell, so eliminate/reduce not cover up with fragrance. So they shouldn't have anything to attract bugs. This will remove the grime and residual spray from your skin.
Permethrin treated netting.
Rechargeable or battery powered fans to blow them away from you, they are pretty weak and dont fly well in any kind of wind.
When outside mosquito coils and or citronella candles help. Put them around the area to form a perimeter. Makensure its real citronella candles, not just the scented ones that have a tiny amount.
If it's safe and legal, a fire pit seems to work to keep them away.
The coils, candles, and fire are only safe to use when monitored, so not as good while sleeping.
Embarrassed-Past7094@reddit
When our daughter was in elementary school she was ‘allergic’ to mosquitoes. Her eyes would swell shut, it was bad. Anyway, we found a patch we could put on her back so she couldn’t take it off. Helped save our summers!
I remember finding it at a pharmacy.
Recently I’ve seen the ‘new’ version is a rubber bracelet. sorry I can’t remember the name.
ElderScarletBlossom@reddit
A clip-on fake dragonfly on a sturdy wire. You clip it to your hat (or ponytail, or dog's collar, etc) and it "darts" around, scaring away mosquitoes and biting flies.
Swmp1024@reddit
Sawyer (permethrin ) soaked clothes. Lived in Honduras for a few weeks and was amazing. Nice lightweight linen soaked clothes are perfect for humid tropics.
If you aren't hunting or worried about scent... DEET.
If you want to have minimal scent... thermocells are great unless it's windy.
BallsOutKrunked@reddit
Seconding permethrin. All of my outdoor work clothes get sprayed in the spring. Drastically cuts down on bites.
SheistyPenguin@reddit
As others mentioned, netting and chemical warfare. Everyone should have a set of pymethrin-treated clothing (you treat the outside of it, not the side facing your skin).
One thing that helps a little: the style of tent that has an enclosed canopy in front of the entrance, which you can use as a staging area. We would keep a fly swatter there, and kill any bugs before entering the main tent.
Motorcyclegrrl@reddit
Thermacell. Works with butane. No electric required.
DeFiClark@reddit
Huge difference within a couple of days. Even better, using them before you need to.
Mosquito nets
Citronella torches
Objective-Figure-343@reddit
If they're really bad you could go for extreme overkill. mosquito grenade
ponycorn_pet@reddit (OP)
This looks awesome as fuck, YES
Objective-Figure-343@reddit
It's an extreme solution but very effective. Depends on how you feel about pesticides though.
Grendle1972@reddit
Ok. You can set up a propane lantern 15 or so get away from where you are. Mosquitoes are attracted to CO2, you exhale CO2. BUT, the lantern also produces CO which will kill mosquitoes. You can illuminate your area, abd kill mosquitos at the same time. Another option are Hurricaine lanterns filled with citronella oil, or tiki torches filled with citronella oil. You get light, mosquito repellent, all in one. And it's not that expensive. Need to use regular lamp oil on your lantern? Swap out the wick, and drive on. This has worked for me in the past
SimpleVegetable5715@reddit
The only thing that helps me is making sure I dump out all the standing water after it rains.
KimBrrr1975@reddit
bug shirt and bug pants. Basically a netted outfit. I use the Bug Shirt brand but it's probably heavy for Texas. there are many other options. The thing with mosquitoes is that you just want to keep them from biting. That won't stop them from buzzing and swarming. The best thing we've found, when we can get them in stock, is Tougher Than Tom's mosquito buckets. Those we use in our yard (put them away from you because they attract the bugs). But in the woods, bug clothes, and permethrin for shoes, socks, tent, etc.
Isildil@reddit
a very fine net that covers an area around your sleeping bag I image is where you're sleeping outside? Bigger if you want to protect your porch. For the mosquitoes that are caught inside I suggest an ultraviolet light trap that you turn on once it's dark outside but before you go to sleep. Make sure you are OUTSIDE the net while it's on so the lamp is the most attractive thing to the mosquitoes. Later, turn the lamp on so you can sleep (ultraviolet light will mess up with your sleep) and if you suspect some mosquitoes could still be inside, then some anti mosquito incense.
Ideally, each night you would lay out this net before mosquitoes are active, but if they are a bother even during the day, then just keep the net closed all day and open it as little as possible. You can buy these nets/canopies on amazon and they're quite affordable.
boggycakes@reddit
You need armies of bats, spiders, and dragonflies.
greedybanker3@reddit
long sleeves is all you can do. there is netted clothing you can get that works well. i used it when i worked in the everglades. other than that deet is the only thing that works chemically after a certain point. though there is a battery powered thing that takes cartridges you can wear on your belt that worked surprisingly well. forgot what its called. but i looked it up in 2012 and it was 150$ at the time.
Newsie-News@reddit
When I am camping, I have a canopy with netting that attaches to it, making a screen room. I will then run a thermacell inside for 30 minutes or so and shut it off.
This has worked for me, but it probably depends on how many mosquitoes were taking about.
My thermocell is the one that runs off a butane canister, no batteries.
susanrez@reddit
Bat house(s) on your property. It also provides fertilizer.
SnooMarzipans6812@reddit
Buggables wrist bands actually work pretty good. I have an extremely mosquito prone property. I put one on each limb and they mostly stay away.
Camila_flowers@reddit
clothing.
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Bounce dryer sheets. They help. Pack em in every pocket and hole.
Mosquito coils.
PrisonerV@reddit
Long term? Mosquito nets. Short term DEET or Picaridin.
SilverStory6503@reddit
Have you tried those diy bucket traps? Sounds like the perfect test grounds. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s3VQUQXhfaA
CarrieSkylarWhore@reddit
Thank you for such a realistic thread.Once it’s Us vs Nature we have to be real
Hefty-Squirrel-6800@reddit
Mosquito netting in bulk. I live in SE Texas, and mosquitoes have been terrible after hurricanes (to the extent that in one instance FEMA sent in C130s to spray - still didn't help). For me, mosquito spray and lots of it in my go bag, in my truck, in my house. The second line of defense is unfortunately thick clothing, but it only helps so much because it is so hot. Third, mosquito netting (especially if I am in the woods). Your tent and immediate living area will be under a mosquito netting tent. We carry mosquito netting in our boats in case we get stuck in the marsh. We create a mosquito netting tent and wait for help.
One thing you can do that is a little outside the box is get a propane mosquito fogger and fill the reservoir with a permethrin or remithreme-based chemical. These are quick-kill agents that are used in the mosquito trucks. Carpenter ant and termite killer has this chemical. So, you add it to the fogger and use it as is or combine it with a fogging agent. You spray the area and have peace until new mosquitoes arrive and reinfest it.
Deep_Cabinet_5078@reddit
DEET. Mosquito coils help.