Mosquitos

I finally found a way to get back at the little bastards when we lived in SE Texas. We had a tropical aquarium set up inside, and I read in a fish book that much of their diet in the wild comes from insects that land in the water. So, when doing the yardwork, when I squished one of the little bastards I saved the bug instead of brushing it off. We all had great fun feeding them to the angelfish in the aquarium, one at a time.

BT: Baccilus thuringiensis. Kills mosquito larvae and (almost) nothing else. The almost... it kills a few other types of bug larvae, but those are also nasty types...

But! You gotta do this before the little critters hatch, so if you're being bit now, it's too late.

Jim-- I must get an aquarium. I wonder if I could just disable them enough where they see the fish coming before they're swallowed?

SealPoet -- I'll definately look into that for next year. I tried to avoid poisons so that I wouldn't kill any other bugs, but I've ended up using it. It seems that this year's mosquitos are resistant to everything. Thanks for the info!

They're really awful, aren't they, LibertyD? I keep spray cans of OFF by both doors and douse myself everytime I step outdoors. They don't seem to bother my son & husband, but I swear sometimes I think they are buzzing around the doors, watching for me, and salivating. God, I hate those things.

lol...Eva, maybe you and I are just so sweet that no amount of repellant will work?

Yeah, that's it.

Read an article not too long ago...seems there is a scientific reason why mosquitos always zero in on one person in a group (I forget the exact explanation.) Estrogen seems to be a powerful magnet, and pale skin is also favored. Flowery-scented perfumes, soaps & deodorants attract them, too. So naturally, women are targeted far more often than men. Don't know what to do about it, though. Just keep spraying the OFF, I guess.

Estrogen? That's interesting...haven't heard about that one.

How's your back feeling, by the way?

lalalalalalalalalalalalala......

Doesn't hurt so much, but the meds are making me drowsy & incapable of concentration, so no serious writing for awhile. Also, I am not to lift anything over 10 lbs. for 2 wks. Thanks for asking!

Eva, I don't know you well but I'm glad you don't hurt so much. Drift away -- it's summer and you need time to heal. And -- after three broken legs and three abdominal surgeries -- I have learned that you should FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S ADVICE -- so don't lift nine-and-a-half-pounds in a week and a half! Confine yourself! You'll feel better sooner.

to the topic -- I haven't been bitten by a mosquito since I moved to the Northwest 15 years ago. Other people complain about them, and I'm just as female/perfumed/deodorized as anyone else, so I can't explain it. All I can do is tell you what I used to do in the Midwest -- when the smegger bites (thanks, deb) pinch the skin on both sides. It traps the "snout" and she (all the biters are shes) can't pull out. She will swell and burst. You will still have a mosquito bite, but it's exquisite revenge! (two Qs in one sentence! a record!)

So they're all female? I wonder if they get some benefit from sucking all the estrogen out of us?

Part of me thinks that it would be extremely satisfying to watch the little wenches explode, but the other part of me might need to borrow some of Eva's drugs to get any real enjoyment out of it. I guess it couldn't be any worse than smashing them all over my arm, huh?
hehehe I'll have to give it a try.

I called the health department today and asked them if they would spray -- I tried one more round of the stuff I bought at the hardware store a few nights ago, and then last night they were back and stronger than ever.