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Dealing with mosquitoes

A simple way to deal with mosquitoes in the water tray is to use a can of non-stick spray for pots and pans. Simply spray a coat of PAM on the water surface. This creates a film of oil on the water surface. A mosquito, trying to breathe, cannot penetrate the oily layer and take in oxygen. Can't breathe, can't live. The spray is harmless to plants in their pots. Mosquitoes will no longer be a problem in your water trays. Quick, fun, and easy!!!
 
Ooooh.... I like! hey, is it possible for Utricularia to eat mosquito larvae or are they too big?
 
Yes, utrics can eat the larvae. It has to be the biggest aquatic utric you can find, but they can feed on them.
 
Really Steve? Wow thats a big plus for me. I have trouble with skeeters in the summer.
 
PAM!!!!!! Its not for just cookin', ANYMORE!!!!!!
 
U. floridana or inflata have really big (mosquito szed bladders) or androvanda works but I don't recomend tyring it in your tray.
 
Neat trick,I'll have to try it.The skeeters get knee high in this part of the country.LOL
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Jerry
 
How about sandersonii, livida, bisquamata, and whatever Tim Malcolm gave us last year (epiphytes)?
 
  • #10
Bug...you've been reading "Hints from Heloise" again! Or maybe "Gardening with Martha Stewart"?
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That's a cool trick. Too bad I can't do it for Ollie's swimming pool. Skeeters get in that.
 
  • #11
Glad all my trays are inside. That does not stop the fungus gnats though. My capensis love them.
 
  • #12
Any standard insect spray kills fungus gnats. But we all know the problem with mosquitoes in the water tray. With West Nile virus and all that sort of thing, this is a quick, fun, easy way to get rid of those pesky skeeters! And, you get to watch them die! OH, BOY!!!! Hate those little blood suckers anyway.
 
  • #13
Got skeeters? Read this!!!!
 
  • #14
West Nile is a BIG deal around where we live, I had been toying with the idea of using olive or canola oil to slick the surface, but pam sounds oh-so-much easier- and your timing couldn't be better, in a week or two the outdoor phase begins in earnest (and no, I do not live in "Earnest", so no cracking wise)
 
  • #15
That is why this thread needs to be read, Carl. This is an effective and cheap way to keep from dumping water trays to beat the mosquitoes. If it is costing a fortune in water from all that dumping, that is in no way cost effective to those without much cash. This idea was brought forth by somone in the BACPS in San Francisco. It works, and is way cheaper than buying more and more water. I suggest that all those that read it, and use the tray method, try it and post your successes with it. Beats the crap out of catching West Nile!
BTW, Carl, I visited Earnest, Canada. I never saw you once!!!
 
  • #16
My grandparents use baby oil for the fountains outside.. I don't even know why the fountains are there, they don't even work anymore. They just sit there and collect water.
 
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