Over the weekend I got to answer mosquito questions at the annual Native Plant Sale sponsored by the Rose Valley Environmental Advisory Council. I brought props: two types of gravid autocidal traps (Biogents, Catchmaster) for luring and killing pregnant mosquitoes, a mint plant (for reminding folks that plants do not repel mosquitoes), Mosquito Dunks (for killing larvae in bird baths, e.g.), Mosquito Bits (to kill larvae even faster), permethrin clothing spray, DEET repellent, picaridin repellent, oil of lemon eucalyptus (para-menthane-3,8-diol) repellent, and, finally, boxes of Spartan Mosquito tubes as examples of scams to avoid. I also displayed several pages of mosquito tips from my blog, each with scannable QR codes.
If you want more information, here are my mosquito posts:
Please feel free to share any of the above on Facebook. It would be great to get more people aware of the need to eliminate stagnant water. And please get the word out to your neighbors that fumigating yards with chemicals will kill more than just mosquitoes.
And just in case anyone is wondering, I am not getting any kickbacks from the manufacturers I recommend. And, yes, I am wearing a Purrington’s Cat Lounge t-shirt.
Health officials love to remind people to wear pants and use CDC-approved repellents, but they tend to shy away from telling the public what doesn’t work. As a result, millions of people embrace ineffective techniques and gimmicks that waste money and expose family members to mosquito-borne diseases. So I thought I’d make a list of the top myths and scams just in case skeptical people want details.
1. Mosquito-repelling plants
Despite claims made by influential, wholesome gardening folks on Facebook, there are no plants that repel mosquitoes. The plant marketed as the “mosquito plant” is no exception.
2. Bug Zappers
These devices make a satisfying crackle but if you dump all the carcasses on a table and sort them, you’ll find that only a very small fraction of the victims are mosquitoes. In one study, 0.22% were mosquitoes. Mostly you’ve just electrocuted thousands of small, defenseless moths and night-active beetles. More details.
These don’t appear to work. I’ve tried two different models and splurged on the optional lure but only succeeded in killing large numbers of moths, beetles, and other innocent insects (and thus depriving local birds of food). If you’re still on the fence read some of the 1-star reviews on Amazon.
5. Citronella candles
Citronella candles, coils, and torches only seem to work if you surround yourself with a lot of them, ideally in a protected area so that wind doesn’t dissipate the smoke. The fire and smell combine to activate a strong placebo effect in people who are susceptible to gimmicks.
6. Ultrasonic devices and apps
None of these have been found to work (details). The FTC has taken some companies to court. There is, however, a device called The Mosquito that is effective at repelling teenagers.
7. Listerine
Just another internet rumor started by somebody with too much free time.
8. Bounce dryer sheets
Per one study fungus gnats (which don’t bite) were mildly repelled by dryer sheets. I’d wager these sheets might actually be attractive to mosquitoes because some species home-in on perfumes.
9. Wrist bands with natural oils
At best, wrist bands will reduce the number of mosquito bites on your wrist simply because they can’t bite through the plastic. But they will not emit enough volatile compounds to shield the rest of you. NB: currently there are no wristbands that contain DEET or other CDC-approved repellent. Details.
10. Stickers laced with natural oils
Stickers only prevent mosquitoes from biting the flesh directly underneath the sticker. You’d need an awful lot of stickers for full protection. Note, same conclusion for the stickers that claim to infuse your bloodstream with B1.
I spend a lot of time outside, sometimes face-down in the weeds trying to get a photograph of something small. So I have some opinions about tick prevention and thought I’d share.
Ixodes scapularis
Spray or soak shoes, socks, pants, shirts, hairband, hat, etc., with permethrin (buy online or at outdoor stores), then let dry before you using. Chemical only slowly washes out so you only need to reapply every 5th laundering or so (or after 5 months if you don’t wash your clothes). Spray your backpack with permethrin, too, because you likely set that on the ground during breaks. Do not spray permethrin on your skin. You can also buy clothing that comes pretreated with permethrin.
Spray your clothes and skin with DEET, picaridin, para-menthane-3,8-diol, IR3535, or 2-undecanone. DEET really is the best. Note that “pure” oil of lemon eucalyptus (extracted from Corymbia citriodora) is not currently recommended by the CDC; the oil has small, variable levels of para-menthane-3,8-diol but apparently not enough. All of these repellents do not last like permethrin so reapply every few hours. Do not spray DEET on anything plastic (it will melt).
Be suspicious of “natural” or “organic” concoctions that claim to effectively deter ticks. If one of these recipes actually works the CDC would recommend it. I’ll update this page when that happens. Similarly, avoid apps, crystals, and dietary supplements. If you need help convincing a friend to just use DEET (it’s super safe), mention that DDT is a different chemical that just happens to start with the same letter. DEET is also gluten and GMO free.
Wear light-colored clothing so you can better see ticks. Like this person. Note that this strategy fails with tick larvae because they just too small to see unless you are wearing something pure white and have really good vision.
Tuck your pants into your socks. Like Kanye West. You can even buy tick socks that are treated with permethrin and have a tight weave that prevents larvae from burrowing through the fabric.
Wear tall, light-colored, glossy boots that ticks can’t easily climb. I suspect that larvae and nymphs can still climb glossy surfaces, though. I own a pair of Muck Boots and they have a neoprene surface that I suspect ticks can easily scale. I’m considering switching to something like a Gumleaf boot.
Keep checking for ticks as you hike. If you are hiking with others, scan them for ticks, too.
Keep a roll of duct tape handy so that you can easily remove ticks. Travel-sized lint rollers are good, too, and easily attach with a carabiner to a backpack.
Put your field clothes into quarantine when you come home. Ideally, launder them immediately. Ticks can wander off of clothing and backpacks and show up later.
Get naked and check for ticks. Everywhere. This is a really good reason to get a girlfriend or boyfriend even if you’re not really into them. Don’t tell them that.
If you have limited neck mobility, invest in a nice automotive inspection mirror so you can see all the various parts of your body you never look at. You can even buy lighted ones. You can also use a selfie stick and a smart phone, but that’s risky if you accidentally forget to delete the photographs and video.
You probably don’t want to know this but ticks are fond of lodging in ears. Get yourself an otoscope if you feel something in there. You can even buy phone attachments to get pics.
If you find a tick that is attached, take a photograph (like this) then remove the tick. Carefully. I have a Tick Key (see one in action) but there are lots of types. Then take photographs of the bite location and of the tick. If you live in Pennsylvania, send the tick out for free testing. If you live elsewhere, put the tick in vodka or in the freezer in case you need to get it tested later.
Take a long hot bath with a lot of soap. Ticks are hardy but you might dislodge an unattached nymph that somehow got past your first-line defenses.
Monitor the attachment spot closely. If a red spot appears, take daily photographs with ruler in frame so that doctor can assess progress of redness. Here are pics of Lyme rashes. You can even mark the progress with a Sharpie. There are plenty of other diseases transmitted by ticks, though, so don’t rely on rashes.
