Further mosquito control measures
With a Biogents mosquito trap you have a very effective and persistent mosquito control tool in your garden. The catch rates of the trap, when operated continously and positioned correctly, can be high enough that a reduction in biting pressure will be noticable after a few days.
The biting pressure remains low, because the captured mosquitoes cannot proliferate. The interception of mosquitoes interrupts the reproduction cycle, so that there will be 50-200 mosquitoes less per captured female. In comparable gardens without Biogents traps the mosquito population will continue to increase until the end of the mosquito season when colder weather stops their proliferation cycle.
In cases where the mosquito nuisance is generated by species like house mosquitoes, Asian tiger, or yellow fever mosquitoes that are well adapted to urban areas, you can increase the effectiveness of the Biogents traps with a few environmentally friendly mosquito control measures. Primarily, this involves reducing or eliminating mosquito breeding sites around the home. Even if mosquitoes are very good in finding hidden water sources, the following mosquito control measures can have an effect:
- Cover your rain barrels and other water containers with a tight fitting lid or net to keep mosquitoes out. Be sure the containers are tightly covered, since mosquitoes will find even the smallest opening to access water and lay eggs.
- Alternatively you can treat the water containers regularly with a biological control agent made of specific bacteria, called B.t.i. (Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis) that contains a specific protein that kills mosquito larvae when they feed on the bacteria. B.t.i. is harmless to vertebrates that drink the water, and it is safe to use for watering garden plants. The protein is biodegradable and is available in garden centers.
- To avoid the accumulation of water, you should empty containers like saucers under flower pots, watering cans, and buckets. A warm summer enables the development of a mosquito population within one week in such water containers!
- Pod saucers and similar containers with accumulating water can be filled with fine gravel to make them unsuited for oviposition.
- Check gutters, pipes, and rain drains for blockages, and clean them if necessary.
Do not underestimate diseases which are transmitted by mosquitoes if you are traveling to tropical regions. Protect yourself against mosquitoes. Here you can find informations of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) with current data of disease spreading and tips for traveling >