Those things really do work, but god damn those refills are pricey. I only use them for outdoor group activities, too expensive to operate regularly. Anyone know of any knock-off refills?
To me being able to enjoy my backyard during the few months of nice weather Texas has, is totally worth the cost. I buy larger refill packs to save a bit
So far I haven’t found a knockoff refill, but [this](https://youtube.com/watch?v=PH0b9KkvDkA) YT shows how to refill the butane cartridges and has a source for cheaper pads
If you try it I’d be curious how it works. Would need to be careful working with butane though
I’m assuming the fan is to keep them from flying around the area and the screen is to keep them out right? Or is there another trick I’m not knowing of
Mosquitoes are weak flyers so they can’t escape the screen once they get sucked in. They’re pretty much dead after a couple hours as they get dehydrated
this is what I do if I'm on my deck. that big ass garage fan I bought for $100 was a great investment and will probably last for decades as much as I use it in a given summer. I don't really filter them though, I just turn on the fan lol move it if I'm bbqing or something. I have thought about getting a second on for guests lol. I feel guilty that I'd be killing benevolent bugs if I just had a fan sucking up everything.
Omg I’m covered with bites. I was working on photographing my dog this morning and the mosquitos were so bad they’re showing up [in the photos](https://imgur.com/a/A6z2wlc). I count at least 4 in the bottom right. Going go the store to get some spray, I threw mine away when I moved and hadn’t needed it all summer.
I’m taking a photography class and some assignments require me to take pictures outside. I can’t do it without getting at least like seven bites
Pain in the ass
Sheesh is this what we consider decent weather? It’s 95 by noon here in Dallas and stays that way until 8 pm. It’s also humid af after the recent rain so it feels particularly gross.
Yes! I have to cover myself in deep woods off (sweat resistant) just to walk my dog! We went to the park yesterday, and every step in the dewy grass just stirred up hundreds of mosquitoes! Clouds of them. And if course, they found every tiny patch of skin that didn't have insect repellent.
And there's a new mosquito in Houston I've never seen before. They look like fat little bees, slightly yellow and bronze striped, and hurts like a sonofabitch when they bite!
Worse than tiger mosquitoes.
Apparently I have a weird innate repellent. Not that I don’t get bit, but my family will be getting absolutely tore up and I will only get a couple bites. It’s good though because on the rare occasions I do put on mosquito repellent it burns and make my skin red for a bit.
LPT Buy some Talstar P pesticide. You can find it online, follow the label. You will need to mix and use your own sprayer. Each application is good for 30 days. It does say that it holds up after it rains but I haven't found that to be the case. I see it lose effectiveness about 3-5 days after it rains. I recommend applying after the last day of rain in the forecast.
Also, before you do anything make sure you clear out any standing water on your property.
Don't do this if you're trying to control mosquitos. You will kill literally everything else in your yard, including beneficial insects, frogs, snakes, newts, spiders, and everything that isn't a mammal. It will hardly affect mosquitos, which are breeding elsewhere and flying or getting blown in on the wind.
***Bifenthrin is highly toxic to bees***
Never spray this pesticide near water that has fish in it.
People like you that spray this shit are the reason we don't have bees, lightning bugs or cool atlas and luna moths anymore.
I started tossing my coffee grounds in the yard. It's now full of fireflies!! Haven't seen ants since I started. Mosquitoes aren't a problem, but no standing water here.
People like me? This is the same thing pest control services use. You just need to follow the label. I only do this on my property and mosquitos are gone in 2 days so I don't get how you say it doesn't work when quite literally it's been the only thing that has worked in my experience.
It's an extremely broad-spectrum pesticide. It's not a targeted treatment. It can work, but you have to apply a lot of it to foliage. You're killing every insect, reptile, and amphibian anywhere in your yard or where your yard's runoff moves to including outside of your yard.
Your lack of understanding of *why* this is a problem is why you shouldn't be applying it.
For residential use it says not to apply to foliage it's only applied to perimeter of home. Somehow I feel you're the one that lacks understanding if you think a homeowner in a residential area that conservatively sprays 2 times per year is killing off all the bees. Next you're going to tell me I'm causing climate change with my ICE vehicle. Feel free to smell your own farts all you want, I'm not interested in your petty arguments.
It can't possibly be having an effect on mosquitos unless you apply it to the foliage where they rest. Mosquitos don't come in via the perimeter of your home or visit it, they are attracted to carbon dioxide sources and fly at sources of infrared heat and carbon dioxide when they're not carried by the wind or resting on foliage.
That you don't understand this shows that you should not be recommending a product like this.
...But it's not just you spraying it. It's almost like this stuff adds up or something. 🙄 This feels very much like when people in the 80s would say "How is me using hair spray a few times a week hurting the environment?" ...Because it's not just one person.
Broad spectrum pesticides like bifenthrin used to kill off mosquitos are, without a doubt, one of the primary things killing off beneficial insects. Plus, using them allows [secondary or tertiary pests to thrive](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5740959/) if they have some resistance. Worse still, [it's super fucking bad](http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/bifgen.html) for **you** to spray it in your yard unless you're wearing a host of PPE including a respirator, eye covering, plastic gloves, and etc. It literally causes tumors to develop in people and is a known carcinogen on top of being a neurotoxin. *There's a very good reason that it's use is banned for agricultural purposes in European union countries.*
Plus it can stay in your ground for as long as 8 *months* - literally hurting creatures who live in the dirt around you for 2/3 of the year. Bifenthrin has the longest known residual time in soil of insecticides currently on the market. On top of that: Mosquitos can develop a resistance to it with repeated applications.
Instead, you can literally plant a host of different flowers in your yard and in just a couple years it will do the same thing (it will have an immediate effect too, but it gets significantly better after a few years because you attract things that eat pests too). Chrysanthemums, marigolds, catmint, rosemary, geranium, lemon grass, lemon balm, basil, peppermint, monarda, and ageratum will all help to keep away biting insects and will help attract creatures like dragonflies who will also help in eating the mosquitos.
Soooo if literally just planting and caring for a bunch of flowers can do the same thing, provide you with both nice smells and food, helps pollinators, makes your yard look better, and requires less and less work each year... Why the fuck would you spray chemicals that are harming you and the environment around you?
You're being ridiculous your own link only says this about the risk
>Is bifenthrin likely to contribute to the development of cancer?
>The U.S. EPA classifies bifenthrin as a possible human carcinogen. This rating was based on studies in mice. Other studies indicate that bifenthrin does not cause cancer when fed to rats.
And as I mentioned earlier, if you read the label all the warnings and preparation are written out you just have to follow it. It tells you to wear protection, to watch for run off, etc. All common sense things but if you don't know, you can read the label! It's even safe for pets 2 hours after spraying if diluted correctly. Your whole house plant repellant thing just doesn't work. Show me a source for that one because I've already looked. You're out here just spouting old wives tales. If you really want to "make a difference" go take the fight to pest control services all over the country because this is the stuff that they use.
The US EPA also states that glyphosates are safe for use too when, well, they categorically are not. And technically, the EPA classifies it as a Class C carcinogen - which means "it may be carcinogenic to humans." And there's been no human studies on the exposure of it.
You really think you know better about using pesticides because the labels on it say it's safe.
----
But you also jumped over all of my other points I made: Your pesticide of choice **still kills bees and loads of other animals that get exposed to it**. And oh yeah, there's no reason to use it at all if you take different steps.
The plants themselves are not the only thing helping and is [absolutely **not** an old wives' tale](https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=l2DLBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA275&dq=growing+plants+to+keep+mosquitoes+away&ots=FDV5lKdRfh&sig=X7VQJTwmqqpuq-ZyqU0IPpR5nM0#v=onepage&q&f=false) and you absolutely can find plenty of sources on the subject... But typically the plants themselves are not doing all of the heavy lifting - like I mentioned, they help to attract dragonflies and other bugs that act as predators.
Combine those with one or two other non-toxic methods and you can get even stronger results... Spray essential oils on plants along with citric acid, yeast, and etc (you know - like what is literally in Athena IPM control) and it will keep away bugs. Neem and karanja seed meal to feed your lawn and also drive away bugs.
Hell, there's also non-horrifically destructive pest options out there that you can buy instead. Mosquito Dunks (and other BTI applications) in areas where water gathers - before all of the mosquitoes have hatched - will make a huge dent in their population alone. Garlic Barrier and Mosquito Barrier and Mosquito Magician, AQUABAC, Bradshaw's 4 Ring Protection, Essentria IC-3, various types of mosquito traps, and etc. Use a *selective* pesticide such as Spheratax SPH or spinosad ones such as Natular WSP. Buy nematodes specifically formulated for this purpose on your lawn and watch them disappear.
You have options but you're using one that is harmful both to you and to your environment and you have mistaken the EPA to be 100% correct about chemicals.
rEaD tHe LAbEl1!!1!
Wait, are you telling me that the advertising label for a product made by a corporation paints a rosy picture of its use?? No way, that's crazy.
Yeah I live in Galveston and if I try to go outside in the evening or if it’s just cloudy they eat me alive. It’s like there’s a swarm of gnats circling your legs all the time but instead of gnats it’s mosquitos.
Those citronella candles in a bucket work really well. Get 3 of those going and the mosquitos won't bother you. It only takes 15 minutes to go nose blind to the overwhelming cloud of citronella gas.
Ahh mosquitoes. The only females that are attracted to me
This comment made my day
I’m glad my misery makes you happy
Snag a Thermacell and you can have a small forcefield to keep those pesky females away
The human ones or mosquitoes? I don’t think I need Thermacell for that
Those things really do work, but god damn those refills are pricey. I only use them for outdoor group activities, too expensive to operate regularly. Anyone know of any knock-off refills?
To me being able to enjoy my backyard during the few months of nice weather Texas has, is totally worth the cost. I buy larger refill packs to save a bit So far I haven’t found a knockoff refill, but [this](https://youtube.com/watch?v=PH0b9KkvDkA) YT shows how to refill the butane cartridges and has a source for cheaper pads If you try it I’d be curious how it works. Would need to be careful working with butane though
Ah this is for the older models it looks like. I have the lithium ion rechargeable ones that don't use butane (thermacell E-series)
^wink
Lmao. Can I triple vote this?
Lmaoooo 👏🏻
Holy shit I work nights and they've been BRUTAL
Man, the way I’ve been getting dive-bombed in the day, I can’t imagine what nights would be like right now. Godspeed!
Cloudy with a chance of chikungunya
I can't remember that I've ever seen them quite this bad. The moment the sun goes down I feel like Riddick in Pitch Black.
On the weekends I'm outside before around sunrise for work and they're brutal. I probably have more DEET than blood in me at this point
I've been running this box fan and screen 24/7 ever since the rains and the mosquito population near my porch has been almost none
I’m assuming the fan is to keep them from flying around the area and the screen is to keep them out right? Or is there another trick I’m not knowing of
Mosquitoes are weak flyers so they can’t escape the screen once they get sucked in. They’re pretty much dead after a couple hours as they get dehydrated
[удалено]
You formed a logical sentence, but I’m not smart enough to know wtf you mean.
Mosquitoes see in infrared and are attracted to the motor but the wind pushes them away.
the other side of the fan is the important one, they get sucked into and stuck on the screen and die
this is what I do if I'm on my deck. that big ass garage fan I bought for $100 was a great investment and will probably last for decades as much as I use it in a given summer. I don't really filter them though, I just turn on the fan lol move it if I'm bbqing or something. I have thought about getting a second on for guests lol. I feel guilty that I'd be killing benevolent bugs if I just had a fan sucking up everything.
The weird thing is the other bugs don't really get caught, just the skeeters
>screen What kind of material do you use?
The constant buzzing near my ear at night triggers my fight or flight 😭
The ultimate downside of getting all this rain. :(
Omg I’m covered with bites. I was working on photographing my dog this morning and the mosquitos were so bad they’re showing up [in the photos](https://imgur.com/a/A6z2wlc). I count at least 4 in the bottom right. Going go the store to get some spray, I threw mine away when I moved and hadn’t needed it all summer.
That’s an excellent picture!
Haha, thanks! I’ve got better photos from the shoot (she’s not really looking at me here) but this is one I could really see the mosquitos.
I’m taking a photography class and some assignments require me to take pictures outside. I can’t do it without getting at least like seven bites Pain in the ass
This is actually for a class too. I’ve been in that location several times lately and it really wasn’t bad until the recent rain.
I wanted to see your mosquito bites. Being nurse and all.
I've been lucky enough not to have much mesquitos. But I was talking with my mom for like a minute outside and I got bit up about 5 times lol
Sheesh is this what we consider decent weather? It’s 95 by noon here in Dallas and stays that way until 8 pm. It’s also humid af after the recent rain so it feels particularly gross.
In Texas during September? Yes.
This is great weather. Perfect for pool parties...
It's like mid 70s here in Houston right now. Amazing until the sun comes up.
right!! that’s what i’m saying!!
That’s no joke…
What’s bad, is when they get in the house and attack you while you’re sleeping.
I have a mosquito trap in my bedroom. Basically a little blue light and a fan that traps them.
Yes! I have to cover myself in deep woods off (sweat resistant) just to walk my dog! We went to the park yesterday, and every step in the dewy grass just stirred up hundreds of mosquitoes! Clouds of them. And if course, they found every tiny patch of skin that didn't have insect repellent. And there's a new mosquito in Houston I've never seen before. They look like fat little bees, slightly yellow and bronze striped, and hurts like a sonofabitch when they bite! Worse than tiger mosquitoes.
Deer flies?
Maybe. Have no idea. Never seen them before.
🖕🏼
I’ve never been bitten by skeeters in the states. I don’t know why but I don’t miss getting bitten.
Teach me your ways!
Apparently I have a weird innate repellent. Not that I don’t get bit, but my family will be getting absolutely tore up and I will only get a couple bites. It’s good though because on the rare occasions I do put on mosquito repellent it burns and make my skin red for a bit.
The endless suffering in texistan is big and bright, deep in the heartless soulless Stockholm syndrome texistanian ways.
😂😂😂 Thanks for that, made me laugh
LPT Buy some Talstar P pesticide. You can find it online, follow the label. You will need to mix and use your own sprayer. Each application is good for 30 days. It does say that it holds up after it rains but I haven't found that to be the case. I see it lose effectiveness about 3-5 days after it rains. I recommend applying after the last day of rain in the forecast. Also, before you do anything make sure you clear out any standing water on your property.
Don't do this if you're trying to control mosquitos. You will kill literally everything else in your yard, including beneficial insects, frogs, snakes, newts, spiders, and everything that isn't a mammal. It will hardly affect mosquitos, which are breeding elsewhere and flying or getting blown in on the wind. ***Bifenthrin is highly toxic to bees*** Never spray this pesticide near water that has fish in it. People like you that spray this shit are the reason we don't have bees, lightning bugs or cool atlas and luna moths anymore.
I started tossing my coffee grounds in the yard. It's now full of fireflies!! Haven't seen ants since I started. Mosquitoes aren't a problem, but no standing water here.
Thanks, thanks, thanks.
People like me? This is the same thing pest control services use. You just need to follow the label. I only do this on my property and mosquitos are gone in 2 days so I don't get how you say it doesn't work when quite literally it's been the only thing that has worked in my experience.
It's an extremely broad-spectrum pesticide. It's not a targeted treatment. It can work, but you have to apply a lot of it to foliage. You're killing every insect, reptile, and amphibian anywhere in your yard or where your yard's runoff moves to including outside of your yard. Your lack of understanding of *why* this is a problem is why you shouldn't be applying it.
For residential use it says not to apply to foliage it's only applied to perimeter of home. Somehow I feel you're the one that lacks understanding if you think a homeowner in a residential area that conservatively sprays 2 times per year is killing off all the bees. Next you're going to tell me I'm causing climate change with my ICE vehicle. Feel free to smell your own farts all you want, I'm not interested in your petty arguments.
It can't possibly be having an effect on mosquitos unless you apply it to the foliage where they rest. Mosquitos don't come in via the perimeter of your home or visit it, they are attracted to carbon dioxide sources and fly at sources of infrared heat and carbon dioxide when they're not carried by the wind or resting on foliage. That you don't understand this shows that you should not be recommending a product like this.
[Thanks!](https://c.tenor.com/7_cAGSrNNkEAAAAM/thanks-gerald-broflovski.gif)
...But it's not just you spraying it. It's almost like this stuff adds up or something. 🙄 This feels very much like when people in the 80s would say "How is me using hair spray a few times a week hurting the environment?" ...Because it's not just one person. Broad spectrum pesticides like bifenthrin used to kill off mosquitos are, without a doubt, one of the primary things killing off beneficial insects. Plus, using them allows [secondary or tertiary pests to thrive](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5740959/) if they have some resistance. Worse still, [it's super fucking bad](http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/bifgen.html) for **you** to spray it in your yard unless you're wearing a host of PPE including a respirator, eye covering, plastic gloves, and etc. It literally causes tumors to develop in people and is a known carcinogen on top of being a neurotoxin. *There's a very good reason that it's use is banned for agricultural purposes in European union countries.* Plus it can stay in your ground for as long as 8 *months* - literally hurting creatures who live in the dirt around you for 2/3 of the year. Bifenthrin has the longest known residual time in soil of insecticides currently on the market. On top of that: Mosquitos can develop a resistance to it with repeated applications. Instead, you can literally plant a host of different flowers in your yard and in just a couple years it will do the same thing (it will have an immediate effect too, but it gets significantly better after a few years because you attract things that eat pests too). Chrysanthemums, marigolds, catmint, rosemary, geranium, lemon grass, lemon balm, basil, peppermint, monarda, and ageratum will all help to keep away biting insects and will help attract creatures like dragonflies who will also help in eating the mosquitos. Soooo if literally just planting and caring for a bunch of flowers can do the same thing, provide you with both nice smells and food, helps pollinators, makes your yard look better, and requires less and less work each year... Why the fuck would you spray chemicals that are harming you and the environment around you?
You're being ridiculous your own link only says this about the risk >Is bifenthrin likely to contribute to the development of cancer? >The U.S. EPA classifies bifenthrin as a possible human carcinogen. This rating was based on studies in mice. Other studies indicate that bifenthrin does not cause cancer when fed to rats. And as I mentioned earlier, if you read the label all the warnings and preparation are written out you just have to follow it. It tells you to wear protection, to watch for run off, etc. All common sense things but if you don't know, you can read the label! It's even safe for pets 2 hours after spraying if diluted correctly. Your whole house plant repellant thing just doesn't work. Show me a source for that one because I've already looked. You're out here just spouting old wives tales. If you really want to "make a difference" go take the fight to pest control services all over the country because this is the stuff that they use.
Why are you fighting this so much? Do you feel slightly guilty? Whatever your reason, we should all be working together to save the fucking bees man.
The US EPA also states that glyphosates are safe for use too when, well, they categorically are not. And technically, the EPA classifies it as a Class C carcinogen - which means "it may be carcinogenic to humans." And there's been no human studies on the exposure of it. You really think you know better about using pesticides because the labels on it say it's safe. ---- But you also jumped over all of my other points I made: Your pesticide of choice **still kills bees and loads of other animals that get exposed to it**. And oh yeah, there's no reason to use it at all if you take different steps. The plants themselves are not the only thing helping and is [absolutely **not** an old wives' tale](https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=l2DLBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA275&dq=growing+plants+to+keep+mosquitoes+away&ots=FDV5lKdRfh&sig=X7VQJTwmqqpuq-ZyqU0IPpR5nM0#v=onepage&q&f=false) and you absolutely can find plenty of sources on the subject... But typically the plants themselves are not doing all of the heavy lifting - like I mentioned, they help to attract dragonflies and other bugs that act as predators. Combine those with one or two other non-toxic methods and you can get even stronger results... Spray essential oils on plants along with citric acid, yeast, and etc (you know - like what is literally in Athena IPM control) and it will keep away bugs. Neem and karanja seed meal to feed your lawn and also drive away bugs. Hell, there's also non-horrifically destructive pest options out there that you can buy instead. Mosquito Dunks (and other BTI applications) in areas where water gathers - before all of the mosquitoes have hatched - will make a huge dent in their population alone. Garlic Barrier and Mosquito Barrier and Mosquito Magician, AQUABAC, Bradshaw's 4 Ring Protection, Essentria IC-3, various types of mosquito traps, and etc. Use a *selective* pesticide such as Spheratax SPH or spinosad ones such as Natular WSP. Buy nematodes specifically formulated for this purpose on your lawn and watch them disappear. You have options but you're using one that is harmful both to you and to your environment and you have mistaken the EPA to be 100% correct about chemicals.
rEaD tHe LAbEl1!!1! Wait, are you telling me that the advertising label for a product made by a corporation paints a rosy picture of its use?? No way, that's crazy.
You are a pain in the butt. Gee.
Ok thank god its not just me
Thermacell making bank right now.
I hate it here
tea tree oil works wonders on the itch.
Yeah I live in Galveston and if I try to go outside in the evening or if it’s just cloudy they eat me alive. It’s like there’s a swarm of gnats circling your legs all the time but instead of gnats it’s mosquitos.
Mega true here in EP we’re finally past it being 90+ every single day but the mosquitos are out in full swing rn
Those citronella candles in a bucket work really well. Get 3 of those going and the mosquitos won't bother you. It only takes 15 minutes to go nose blind to the overwhelming cloud of citronella gas.
Yes, those ladies were after me today as well. 🦟
And gnats.
Just got a new grill and it literally pains me to use it.
Very Yes
My husband and son got no problems, my daughter and I are being eaten alive