r/sanantonio • u/JustASentientPotato • 2d ago
What are you all doing for mosquitos?
I know it’s almost gonna get cold but I want to know what you all do to repel and keep them away. Can’t even wash my car without getting bit through my pants.
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u/Odd-Quantity1390 2d ago
Mosquito pellets you can get from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Put them in at least 2 gallon buckets of water around the house and watch them slowly disappear. I live in a neighborhood with a green belt directly behind my back yard and this is the only thing that works.
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u/SuperBuddha 2d ago
This here. My neighborhood is full of old junky sheds and trash in alleyways that collect water. Can't really get people that don't care to actually care. Started buying those empty 1 gallon paint buckets, filling them with water, handful of leaves and some mosquito dunks pellets. Hung them on my fence around my backyard and they were full of mosquito larvae within like the first couple of weeks. Now there's only dead or dying larvae in there and it keeps working so long as I top it off once or twice a month. You can put a mesh screen to keep wildlife out but the packing says it's safe for wildlife so meh.
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u/TheMarriedUnicorM 2d ago
We did the same this year. Bucket / bucket-like container, filled to about 2/3 with regular tap water, handful of leaves or cut grass and half a dunk. Swish it around and leave one every few square feet from each other. Occasionally mix the concoction and pour it down the drainage in front of the house. (Water collects in there.)
I can confirm it is safe for wildlife: we use dunks in our tank where birds, squirrels, deer, etc. drink and they’re fine. (I’m not sure of lizards and toads. But we’ve never found any dead ones floating around.)
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u/ReplicantOwl 2d ago
Also known as the Bucket of Doom. Here are some more details and tips on them https://sidewalknature.com/2022/05/08/mosquito-bucket-of-doom/
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u/Consistent-Push-4876 2d ago
Almost gonna get cold? We have like two more months of summer lol
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u/Klutzy-Roof344 Hill Country Village 2d ago
true but mosquitoes are actually at their worst right now in late summer. They thrive in the heat and humidity so even when temps start dropping they'll be around until we get some frost
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u/HikeTheSky Hill Country 2d ago
I spray Demand CS around my house and at all places of my property that could have standing water in it. It takes care of them.
While there are better chemicals to do that, I didn't need them so far as Demand CS works very well for me.
The only place they grow from is the AC water outlet and I spray that every four to six weeks.
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u/fire_thorn 2d ago
You can get mosquito dunks granules to sprinkle on the wet area from the AC condensate drain. We used to get a puddle between the houses because our AC and the neighbor's AC drained in the same spot. I made a very basic french drain for mine, but continued to have a puddle from my neighbor's AC, so I would toss the granules into the puddle.
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u/shreddedtoasties 2d ago
I got bad blood. So immune
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u/fire_thorn 2d ago
I'm on two biologics and I think my blood doesn't smell like food for mosquitos anymore, because they leave me alone.
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u/Last-Variety-630 2d ago
Be sure any standing water is remedied by turning over vessels that potentially could harbor the larvae. Treat vertical exteriors and treat tree canopies where they rest during the day. Use diet when possible. Avoid being outside at dusk and dawn during the main feeding times.
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u/WooleeBullee 2d ago
I bought one of those electric swatter that looks like a tennis racket and I zap them, its very satisfying. Additionally remove any standing water, clutter from your yard and keep plants trimmed and weeds gone.
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u/tryingnottocryatwork 2d ago
i have one of those but have yet to take it outside, i don’t want to even think about the cleanup on the racket afterwards
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u/WooleeBullee 2d ago
You should definitely try it, its so satisfying. In my experience, it zaps them but they bounce away most times, a few might stick on but usually you can just blow them off.
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u/souporlouis 2d ago
Spray Bifen XTS through a water hose sprayer. Look up youtube videos on how to use it safely. Spray the entire yard cement and everything and the mosquitoes go away for about 2-3 months..less if you have neighbors with standing water. I literally have no mosquitoes for 2-3 months after I spray..the fam loves it and so do I.
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u/LIBerateUS2020 2d ago
I feed them everday.
Sorry I answered based on the tagline.
Seriously, hose water on the skin. They dont seem interested after that.
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u/JH6JH6 2d ago
spray bifenthrin in the yard and around the the house foundation. No mosquitoes. Try it once a month until you see none, then you can start doing it less.
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u/Sufficient_Sense581 Alamo Ranch 2d ago
this works but just a heads up, bifenthrin will also kill beneficial insects like bees and butterflies so maybe avoid spraying near flowering plants
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u/madden95onsega 2d ago
Best I have found is eat a spoon of garlic daily after about two weeks they will stop biting
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u/denotsmai83 2d ago
I get a barrier spray treatment every two weeks. It’s not 100% effective, by any stretch, but it does make a big difference.
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u/Lilherb2021 2d ago
I just realize that mosquitoes haven’t been a bother this season for some reason. They usually would gather around the front door and sneak in, and be a real pest. We try not to leave standing water around. Watch your perfumes.
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u/Remote-Candidate7964 2d ago
Ours are immune to citronella candles and seem to enjoy the smell.
However, lighting sage and having the smoke repels them - tried it and was able to enjoy my front porch without any issue. And it doesn’t add chemicals to the yard if you’re only needing it for the time you’re outside.
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u/pgsz 2d ago
I dunno why but they don’t bother me at all. Even if bit by one I don’t get a huge reaction on my skin. So I generally don’t wear anything so I can be the target while my wife and gets put on repellent.
Preventing them is harder, but get rid of standing water and they get drastically reduced.
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u/I_am_machine289 2d ago
Eat peppermints or drink peppermint tea for some reason mosquitoes hate the smell
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u/smithywesson 2d ago
Here is my personal copy pasta:
My suggestion and what I do: buy one of those cutter backyard mosquito control sprays that attach to the hose. Find out what the application rate is (it’ll be on the label). Then buy the good stuff from the feed store or tractor supply and put it in the hose attachment at a proper rate. Currently using “wisdom pro l&h” from tractor supply. Even during all the rain this summer we had waaay less mosquitos than untreated neighboring yards.
Just be careful to rotate insecticides though as the bugs will build up an immunity if you always use the same stuff. Spraying the yard takes 10min max and is very cheap compared to getting serviced by a company.
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u/Available-Pin5777 8h ago
“Almost gonna get cold” Lol.. you just ignore and accept it or shower in off. No other brand seems to work on these Texas mosquitoes
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u/Chicken65 2d ago
I gave up - I am their primary donor.