sjlattimore88
Well-known member
so i have a lot of mosquitos and i feel like there bothering the rabbits what can i do to combat them without chemicals
mosquitos and rabbits
- Thread starter sjlattimore88
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,517
- Reaction score
- 23
You can get a bug zapper. To get mosquitoes, it has to be at least a 1 1/2 acre model (80 Watts). A lot of people think that bug zappers don't get mosquitoes, but that is most likely because they didn't get a powerful enough zapper. They just don't seem to be attracted to the lower power ones.
In Delaware, we had mosquitoes something awful one year. It got so bad, we never went outside except to run to the car to go to work, and then run back to the house when we got home. I still got bites, anyway. We got two 1 1/2 acre bug zappers, and put one in the front yard and one in the back, and put them on outdoor timers. Within one week, we could walk to the car. Within two weeks, we could spend time in the yard, with hardly a mosquito to be found. The birds enjoyed the piles of roasted mosquitoes below the zappers, too.
We have a zapper here, too. It isn't quite as effective on Asian mosquitoes, so we see more mosquitoes than we did using the zappers in Delaware. Still, it isn't that many, and it's certainly much more manageable than it was before we got the zapper. You shouldn't have Asian mosquitoes in NY.
Oops. I spoke too soon. They just recently reached NY. Sorry.
In Delaware, we had mosquitoes something awful one year. It got so bad, we never went outside except to run to the car to go to work, and then run back to the house when we got home. I still got bites, anyway. We got two 1 1/2 acre bug zappers, and put one in the front yard and one in the back, and put them on outdoor timers. Within one week, we could walk to the car. Within two weeks, we could spend time in the yard, with hardly a mosquito to be found. The birds enjoyed the piles of roasted mosquitoes below the zappers, too.
We have a zapper here, too. It isn't quite as effective on Asian mosquitoes, so we see more mosquitoes than we did using the zappers in Delaware. Still, it isn't that many, and it's certainly much more manageable than it was before we got the zapper. You shouldn't have Asian mosquitoes in NY.
Oops. I spoke too soon. They just recently reached NY. Sorry.
Mosquitos aren't attracted to the light from bug zappers so you end up killing them on accident as they fly about which isn't very effective. Mosquito specific zappers or traps use a cannister of gas to attract the mosquitos and I think I saw them start in the 1/4th acre size range. That would cover a building. They are moderately expensive though compared to a regular bug zapper.
Any strong scent will throw off mosquitos and help repel them because they are trying to sense the carbon dioxide your body is putting off. Even just a fan will help lessen the build up of co2 as well as disturb the air so they are less likely to come in the area. I've thrown herbal bug repellent mixes on the doorways of buildings to turn away mosquitos and buffalo gnats. It's not perfect but it lowers their numbers for a few weeks here and I have had animals killed by the buffalo gnats and mosquitos because they get so thick. Good plain essential oils can be mixed with rubbing alcohol and sprayed in the area. Mints and lemongrass are known as some of the best bug repellents.
Any strong scent will throw off mosquitos and help repel them because they are trying to sense the carbon dioxide your body is putting off. Even just a fan will help lessen the build up of co2 as well as disturb the air so they are less likely to come in the area. I've thrown herbal bug repellent mixes on the doorways of buildings to turn away mosquitos and buffalo gnats. It's not perfect but it lowers their numbers for a few weeks here and I have had animals killed by the buffalo gnats and mosquitos because they get so thick. Good plain essential oils can be mixed with rubbing alcohol and sprayed in the area. Mints and lemongrass are known as some of the best bug repellents.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,517
- Reaction score
- 23
All I know, Akane, is the results we've had. In Delaware, we looked at the piles of fried bugs below the zappers a couple of times. The vast majority of them were mosquitoes. I can't do that here, really, because there's grass below the zapper. I do know that, just like in Delaware, by the time two weeks were up, we could go outside again. Except right at dusk, but I don't have to be outside at dusk.
there are natural essential oil repellents you can use.
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthings ... 50503a.htm
I rub peppermint oil on there hutch and it help a bit. Even helps with the smell. DONT put the oil on the rabbit, just the hutch. The oil smell with linger around and help.
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthings ... 50503a.htm
I rub peppermint oil on there hutch and it help a bit. Even helps with the smell. DONT put the oil on the rabbit, just the hutch. The oil smell with linger around and help.
Devon's Mom Lauren
Well-known member
Bats
Catnip is an excellent fly and mosquito repellant. It's very invasive in this part of the country, but so useful to have around that I don't mind that. I just grab a handful whenever needed and since it is available the whole season it gives us a nice, organic repellent for humans and critters.
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
MaggieJ":3ab38gu0 said:
Hmmmm....can you make clothes out of it? lol That is what we need around here to combat the mutant, kamikaze mosquitos!
Interesting idea, Shannon. "Put on your catnip shirt before you go out, dear!" :lol:
I just grab a handful and mush it up until it's juicy and the rub it on my clothes, skin, hair. Marilla :benice: thinks this is just fine. I gather bunches, bruise them well and lay them on top of the cages in the summer rabbitry when needed. It really does give the buns some relief.
I just grab a handful and mush it up until it's juicy and the rub it on my clothes, skin, hair. Marilla :benice: thinks this is just fine. I gather bunches, bruise them well and lay them on top of the cages in the summer rabbitry when needed. It really does give the buns some relief.
Frosted Rabbits
Well-known member
Maggie-- send me catnip!!!
It is so much nicer to smell of mint, lemongrass, cinnamon, or catnip than bug spray. At the old house the mosquitos were so thick if you dared go out without something you'd be lumps from shoulder to wrist and I feel sorry for anyone who wore shorts. I wondered why we didn't find dead animals all over the place from lack of blood or reactions to mosquito bites. You could wipe them off your arm in a solid layer and they weren't the little ones either. The smaller variety of mosquito that I've run in to does not leave giant itchy lumps and really could be ignored while we were hiking. The nasty little buggers we usually run in to leave dime sized swellings behind on everyone I know and itch like crazy. You also twitch the instant you get bit from the pain. Prior to herbal bug sprays I got to smell like chemicals 24/7 and everything around me did as well because if nothing else the chicken coop needed opened in the morning, closed in the evening, and the dogs would have to go out somewhere in the middle so short of 3 showers or more a day it was impossible not to smell of bug spray along with all clothes, the chair, the blankets, the pillow..... I finally stopped living in a world that smelled of chemicals and switched to a world of cinnamon mint.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,517
- Reaction score
- 23
Yep, I put on some Swamp Gator (http://www.pfharris.com/pages/swampgator.html) when I need to do work in the yard, since I will still be visited by one or two mosquitoes if I go to the back corner of the yard.akane":32mhmi3p said:
Smells like lemongrass.
It does make my skin burn a little for about 30 minutes (especially my face), but it's a small price to pay. I've never been bitten while wearing it.I haven't been able to get my uncle on board with this one yet, but putting up bat houses is definitely a help in mosquito control.Devon's Mom Lauren":32mhmi3p said:
