Friday, May 29, 2015

Mosquitoes in May


The drenching rains have kept most of the bugs at bay, and only in the past week have they begun to emerge in earnest. With the rains, the most detestable of all insects has arrived… the Mosquito. This year we have had the perfect conditions for them to mature and complete their life cycle since mosquito eggs are laid in water and they must have it for the larvae and pupa to reach adulthood. The larvae are those squiggly thread-like black things jerking about in still water where they will become a pupa, which will then mature, float to the surface, and emerge a fully developed mosquito. Their lifespan is anywhere from several weeks to several months… they don’t live forever, it just seems so.

All mosquitoes are bloodsucking and as such, their bite will carry with it whatever the prior host had coursing through their blood. Their mouth parts (proboscis) are perhaps the most complex in nature and contain an electro process to find a vein and chemical to allow for straw-like blood flow… this chemical is the cause of the swollen, itchy, and often painful bite. If bitten, cut an onion in half and rub it on the bite for immediate relief.

Gardeners are basically pacifists so it is necessary to occasionally accept advice from 'The Art of War'… victory may be achieved only when one knows the enemy. There are ways to combat a hoard of mosquitoes prior to wantonly killing every beneficial insect with widespread and random spraying so please consider a natural deterrent. Dump all standing rain water… mosquitoes can survive in polluted water, brackish water and in puddles upon leaves; a creative mosquito will lay eggs in water left in a saucer under a plant.

They are attracted to humans from 150 feet away and prefer perfumed victims wearing dark clothing… possibly because they are not clearly visible on it. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, burning sage or rosemary over coals will repel them as will rubbing your skin with baby oil, imitation vanilla extract, or cider vinegar. (1 part Vinegar, 3 parts water in a spray bottle works well… spray as if it were a fine perfume.)

Looking at the bright side (no pun intended) of the deluges in May… our frog population, which had been in decline, seems to be in resurgence. The frogs, dragonflies, and Purple Martins are natural predators of the mosquito and will aid in eliminating them. Using natural deterrents to assault mosquitoes will assure our beneficial insects are not accidentally eliminated. 


Below: One of my favorite t-shirts. Read the caption....  it certainly rings true lately.



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