Mosquitos   Are You Concerned About West Nile & Equine Virus? Then Rid Your Environment of Bloodthirsty, Disease Carrying Mosquitoes Today with Organic & Non-Toxic Mosquito Control Products! Biological Mosquito Control Bti (Bacillus thuringienis israelensis) is a bacterial toxin that infects and kills mosquito larvae. It is safe and environmentally sound because it is highly selective, killing mosquitoes and black flies. Bti contains no poisonous chemicals and is completely harmless to other living things! When Bti is eaten by the mosquito larvae, it damages the gut cells, eventually entering the body cavity. Once this happens, the larvae die. Compared to harmful synthetic insecticides, Bti kills larvae quickly and efficiently. A moderate to heavy dose has been shown to reduce the mosquito population by one half in 15 minutes and the rest within one hour. Bti can be broadcast by hand. Mosquito Breeding Habits Mosquitoes are tied to water where their young develop. The critical thing is that the water remains standing long enough for the larvae, called wigglers, to complete their development. Common pest mosquitoes lay their eggs on the water surface; some lay their eggs on the ground next to the water. This could include bird baths, old tires, rain barrels, streams, ponds, ditches, woodland pools, outdoor tubs, unused swimming pools, tree holes, flower pots, vases, roof gutters, sewage and industrial waste ponds, over irrigated or poorly leveled yards and pastures, or any other area or container where water collects and remains for periods of time. Mosquito eggs are very hardy and manage to live under almost all conditions, therefore, many species overwinter as eggs, others as larvae or adults. In warmer regions, breeding occurs year-around. The eggs hatch and become mosquito larvae which swim around eating and growing. In about a week they become full-grown mosquitoes and fly out of the water looking for someone to bite and then reproduce. Safe & Effective mosquito control without poisons The poisons DEET & Malathion seem to be getting all the press lately in regards to controlling mosquitoes and reducing the risk of acquiring West Nile Virus. These chemicals are poisons and toxic to you, your children, pets and to the environment in general. There are equally effective and totally non-poisoness methods available that are inexpensive and just as easy to use. Personal mosquito protection is available with Burt' s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent made from the oils of lemongrass, citronella and rosemary. We have found it to be as effective as the products containing DEET against bug pests of all kinds without the toxicity. It' s performed well for us under the extreme conditions presented while landscaping, camping, hiking or kayaking. It is easily available at health food stores or on the internet at www.burtsbees.com . Area protection can be achieved by using a larvicide. Larvicides kill mosquitoes (only mosquitoes) during the larvae stage of development. The non-chemical larvicides contain a naturally occurring bacterium such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) which damages the gut of the mosquito larvae when they eat it, causing the larvae to starve to death. Place the larvicide outside in standing water where mosquitoes breed, such as puddles, catch basins, storm drains, ponds and pool covers. We recommend that you also broadcast the larvicides in all areas that are muddy (wet, damp for longer than 12 hours) as these conditions breed the Asian Tiger mosquitoes that bite during the daytime. Apply now and repeat every 3 to 5 weeks during a rainy season such as this one. We sometimes reapply sooner after heavy rains that might wash away a previous application. If the summer is dry, application is only needed once every 2 months. For best control, initial application of larvicides usually begins in early to mid-May wherever mosquito larvae are found. Larvicides are readily available in the forms of liquid, granules or briquettes. Some local hardware stores carry a product called Mosquito Dunk or Mosquito Bits that contains Bti . This form is ideal for use in areas of long standing water around the home such as ponds and birdbaths. Liquid or Granular (bit size) forms are better for broadcasting over large areas. Liquids larvicides can be applied with any type of pump sprayer. Granular can be applied with an inexpensive seed/fertilizer broadcast spreader that are available at most any hardware store or garden center. These other forms can be purchased at www.biconet.com/biocontrol/bti.html . We have found all forms to be very effective. Toxicity to mosquito and blackfly larvae only makes larvicides safe to use around children, pets, fish and wildlife. We have never had any problems during or after application, but please follow the common sense directions on the labels. Eating plants or drinking water exposed to larvicides has not been shown to produce any ill effects in humans of any age. There have been no reports of serious acute or chronic effects of Larvicides from inhalation, but mild skin and eye irritation have been reported from direct contact with this agent. Web Links for additional details: http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/bti.html http://www.truenorthspecialty.com/english/Products/ABProducts/aquasBAC.htm Article provided by Home & Garden Design, Inc., an Atlanta area eco-friendly landscape company. Visit their website at www.home-garden-design.com

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