Mosquito foggers

[BubbaJr]

The mosquitoes have gotten so bad around here that we can't go out after supper without coming back in covered in bites. I was wondering if any of you have or use a mosquito fogger. I am looking for one that will cover about 25 acres or if that's too expensive I could get by with one that will cover about 6 acres. I don't have any experience with these other than rushing to shut the windows when the fogging truck went by when we lived in town. Any recommendations for a cost-effective unit would be appreciated. The ones I've found doing a search on the Internet range from about $1-9K for an engine-powered unit. Of course I would want to mount this on the back of my tractor and drive around dispensing death to the little buggers. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[itsmecindi]

Dang! I was hoping your thead was going to say something like..."I found the greatest fogger for next to nothing and it works like a charm..." No such luck, eh?

Although I have to admit ours don't seem to be quite so bad this year. I can only assume it's because the pigs are in the pastures surrounding the house and they make short work of any standing water by rolling in it. An elderley man I'm interviewing told me that back sixty or seventy years ago, mosquito control amounted to 'hoeing' the yard. It was the job of the kids of the household to hoe away standing water before the eggs had a chance to hatch. He also said that burning bullrushes got rid of them.

 

[Slamfire]

I hear that they are attracted to carbon dioxide, and a propane powered carbon dioxide generator set well back from your house will give you a lot of relief.

 

[OkeeDon]

Re: Propane-powered mosquito traps

As part of my prior business I was a propane dispenser. Everything I've heard about the propane-powered mosquito traps says they work. The first was the Mosquito Magnet. There are imitators, now. I'm not in the business now, so my contacts are not as up to date, but a year ago, what I was hearing was that the imitators were not as good. However, I note that one of my most trusted former distributors is now handling another brand; they have a reputation for handling only good products; I want to talk to the rep about these because they're cheaper.

Which brings up the other side of the problem...yes, they will give you relief, both from mosquitos and your wallet. The original brand ran from $900 to $1200 and was rated for either 1/2 or 1 acre. They use a 20# cylinder of propane in approximately 3 weeks and a $12 replacement oxygnenator tablet every 4 weeks. So, if you do the maintenance yourself, they will cost about $30 per month to operate. The trap needs to be cleaned out frequently, as much as every day during heavy mosquito season (that's because they do work!) They can't be turned on every once in a while. They need to run for several weeks before the mosquito season, and run continuously until the season is past. Some propane dealers offer monthly contracts to replace the propane and tablet; they probably run ~$50/month.

They need to be placed downwind of the protected area to be most effective, and you may need more than one to be sure you have effective coverage if your wind shifts frequently (while putting them upwind might seem to be the intuitive way to place them, so the carbon dixide odors are carried to the mosquitos, mosquitos are not good flyers and may not be able to battle the breeze to get to the unit...thus placing them downwind is most effective).

 

[Rch]

Mosquito traps
American Mosquito Contol Assoc.

Here is a link to an authorative site re mosuito control. The first one discusses the new traps that run $200 to 1200. They have 3 components. 1) propane to produce CO2 which attracts the critters ( exhaled breath). 2) an attractant such as "Oxen Rumin" which is proprietary and has a little voodoo to it. 3) An electric fan to capture the mosquito and blow it into a trap, generally a fine mesh bag.
If you can plug it in they are generally cheaper because they don't need an expensive thermo-electric coupling to run the fan. They'll go ~3 weeks on a 5 gal propane tank.
It has been proposed a group of neigbors get together and buy in bulk since all would benefit if the houses are fairly close together. West Nile disease has pumped-up interest in these.
Foggers that dispense a mosquitocide is a different tactic. In the recent Farm Show a fellow adds a short extension pipe between a lawn mower engine and the muffler and dribbles the insecticide in at that point, fogging as he drives around.

 

[OkeeDon]

And, here is a potential solution that has me enthralled to determine if it's real or a scam. Mosquito Barrier is apparently a strong, concentrated garlic solution that when properly sprayed (everywhere, even the underside of leaves, which I can't imagine how to do) repels mosquitos. Besides skepticism, the other barrier (pun intended) that I find is the cost - it's been a while since I did some calculations, but to spray an area of an acre or so, if I remember, was something like $90/month.

Still, it's intriguing, and I'd live to know if it's real.

 

[Taylortractornut]

The one the town uses is their old Walmart special muraay that has a drip tank with a pitcock valve brazed on the muffler. Im leary of it when i worked at the airport for Evfans crop dusting Malathion was a nono to breathe. Ive made foggers though fdor my negibors tractor. He has a Jubilee Ford and it has the pipe that runs to the rear f the tractor. I mounted a small tannk under the hood he puts the malathion in and openst the valve after it gets warm he makes about a big cloud. AQnother thing that works it to put a flex hose on the end of the pipe and run it to a pipe that i welded in his bushog deck that goes though the skin. It makes quick work of spreading the fog. About once a week he unleashed the death cloud.

 

[BubbaJr]

Thank you all for your replys. I looked at the propane traps, but I read that they will lure more mosquitoes into the area than you originally had. And up until they get into the trap, you have a bigger problem than you had originally. That is why I wanted to go with a fogger. One thing I found in my research is that you want to get a very fine mist for the most bang for the buck, and that will only happen if you have the right equipment. I would still like to hear from anyone that has experience with a fogger, if anyone like that is on this forum.
Thanks again,

PS. My wife just informed me that she got into some poison sumac. The fun never ends, does it?

 

[herbenus]

I have a small electric fogger. It works good but you are limited by the extension cord. But I figure a 100 foot fogging around house is decent. I only really use it if we are planning an outside activity or bbq. But mosquitoes are getting bad so I'm thinking about breaking it out. You are supposed to use it mainly at dawn or dusk. Reason is that fog will stay near ground longer. It seems to help for about 1 day and then you have to do it again. The nozzle has gotten clogged a few times, which is frustrating. My fogger is really only a solution for the backyard bbq. I wouldn't recommend it for the size area you want to do. I don't have brand or model with me at work. But it was bought from Home Depot.

Also, ABC Pest and Lawn has been advertising a mosquito system around here. I haven't looked into it myself yet. Here's a link to their site:

http://www.abcpest.com/htmlsite/mosquito.html

 

[heehaw]

does anyone know what the insecticide used to fog for mosquitos does to other critters, like honey bees, butterflies, lady bugs??? years ago, many years ago, i was on the beach around wheelus air force base in lybia...the fogger trucks went thru the base housing area, as the fog drifted to those of us on the beach..i thought we where going to get eat alive..the little buggers where staying just ahead of the fog..i don't know if the fog finally caught them over the water or if they survived??
heehaw