Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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According to the CPH mosquito spraying map, various portions of bike trails around the city will be sprayed on July 1st and 2nd.
CPH has agreed to try and spray the bike paths early in the morning, but there still might be some residual insecticide in the air by the time morning rush hour comes along. The chemically sensitive might want to plan accordingly.
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Mosquitoes, like cows, are part of the central Ohio ecosystem.
Porky
C-Bus' East Side
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Well that sucks all kinda of ...
Those pesticides kill good bugs too, like the honey bees I need to pollinate my garden. I've only seen a few this year and keep seeing less and less every year:-(
Honeybee's are having a hard enough time as it is, with Colony Collapse and the like. Honey Bees Disappearing
Not to mention the butterfly's, I've only seen a couple so far this year and usually our back yard is like an after noon @ the Franklin Park Butterfly show, but not this year.
The best thing you can do to reduce mosquitos in your area is check your back yard for standing water.
This indicrimiate use of pesticides is not good for our good bug population or us.
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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You can say that three times!
And I agree --- I have finally started seeing some butterflies around my house, and I have tons and tons of bees (cone flowers, bee balm and butterfly bush are like bee crack), and I want to keep it that way. Too many folks in my 'hood use the hard chemicals on their yard and it makes me crazy.... add all the other pesticides and it makes me crazy. I understand the concerns of spreading disease, but there has GOT to be a better way.
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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Porky wrote >>
The best thing you can do to reduce mosquitos in your area is check your back yard for standing water.
Indeed-- if you installed a rain barrel, check to make sure that it's got appropriate screening to keep mosquitos from getting at the water (and remember that they can fly right down the downspout). All purpose-made rain barrels should come with screening; a lot of the home-brew plans don't mention the need.
moo-it-yourselfers shop at Low's
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Mister MooCow wrote >>
Porky wrote >>
The best thing you can do to reduce mosquitos in your area is check your back yard for standing water.Indeed-- if you installed a rain barrel, check to make sure that it's got appropriate screening to keep mosquitos from getting at the water (and remember that they can fly right down the downspout). All purpose-made rain barrels should come with screening; a lot of the home-brew plans don't mention the need.
moo-it-yourselfers shop at Low's
Pantyhose solves the problem handily - kneehighs for $.89 at Walgreens.
Porky
C-Bus' East Side
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Twixlen wrote >>
cone flowers, bee balm and butterfly bush are like bee crack
Yep got all those and then some, we still get them, but the numbers are down this year.
I can remember as a kid the field behind my mom's house was just filled with Butterfly's, and I just don't see them like that anymore.
On a side note, I've began a lady bug count. The Dispacth ran an article a couple of weeks ago talking about Ohio's Beetle Battle and it included a chart with picture and descriptions of native and non-native lady bugs. I've been using that as my guide as to which ones say and which ones get squished. I've spotted a couple of our good guys. So far only natives, so I have't had to do any squishing yet.
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Porky wrote >>
Twixlen wrote >>
cone flowers, bee balm and butterfly bush are like bee crackYep got all those and then some, we still get them, but the numbers are down this year.
I can remember as a kid the field behind my mom's house was just filled with Butterfly's, and I just don't see them like that anymore.
On a side note, I've began a lady bug count. The Dispacth ran an article a couple of weeks ago talking about Ohio's Beetle Battle and it included a chart with picture and descriptions of native and non-native lady bugs. I've been using that as my guide as to which ones say and which ones get squished. I've spotted a couple of our good guys. So far only natives, so I have't had to do any squishing yet.
I happily squished an orange one this morning. Those little effers STING!
I need the chart.... I know Orange = Bad... need more that that tho.
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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Cookie wrote >>
Porky wrote >>
The best thing you can do to reduce mosquitos in your area is check your back yard for standing water.There isn't any standing water around my place, but I have been eaten alive by mosquitos this year.
You'd be amazed at what a small amount of water it takes to breed mosquitoes. Pop cans, saucers under plants, the semi-concave bottom of an inverted 5 gallon bucket, clogged gutters, ancient catchbasins under manholes in the street, birdbaths, water dishes for pets, tiny fishless garden ponds, hollows in trees-- all can harbor enough water to breed mosquitos.
If you're having a mosquito problem, call 311 and report it. The health department will dispatch a team of folks to come out and look for sources of the problem.
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moo!
Porky
C-Bus' East Side
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Yep doesn't take much water @ all for them to breed.
And while you may not have any standing water in your yard maybe your neighbor or the house down the street can.
I noticed some buckets in a house that was empty and went over to investigate. Someone left a couple of 5 gallon buckets in a back yard and rainwater had accumulated in there about 2 incheds deep and they were swarming with mosquito larvae. I promplty took the buckets and dumped them in my pond and the fish seemed to like them.
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Cookie wrote >>
Oh, shoot. I've got water out for the cats I'm feeding, but I change it every day. Could that be causing a problem?
According to this site - http://www.mosquitoes.org/LifeCycle.html - it takes more than 24 hours for a mosquito to become a blood sucker... I have outdoor water for birds and dogs, and change it daily, and watch it carefully for signs of skeeters, and so far, so good.
For those folks with bird baths, a water wiggler is a great way to keep the mosquitos at bay.
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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joev wrote >>
Changing your water once a day is fine - the cats have to drink something, and though some mosquitoes can go from egg to disgusting larva to flying bloodsucker in a day, it's not like you're making a swamp or anything.
The life cycle of mosquitos in our area is actually a little over a week from egg to flying, so if you empty once a week, that will interrupt the cycle.
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It's not a big truck; it's a series of moos.
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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Twixlen wrote >>
For those folks with bird baths, a water wiggler is a great way to keep the mosquitos at bay.
Love the water wigglers! Wild Birds Unlimited stocks them locally.
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moo!
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