Mosquito problem in mediterrenean coast

17 years ago

Î have plenty of mosquitos in my garden, a real calamity, they don't leave us even in winter.

There's an old water tank in the yard where a little bit of rain water stagnates permanently and I think this is the reason.

Cannot empty the water tank from this little water, technically impossible, cause it's old and decay, yet thick, cannot cover it nor open a hole in it to drain it.

Do you think there's any other way out of this problem?

(Those mosquitos do not suffer from any of the products available in local market, spirals that produce smoke when burnt, tablets burnt on an electric device, or lotions to apply on the skin. I only have the option to close the house and spray, then for a day it's OK, but next morning all starts over again. For the garden, no way to stay out any time of the day or the night.)

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Comments (6)

ronalawn82
17 years ago
Can you make it into a fish tank? Water Garden? Fountain? Any of those uses might help to reduce or eliminate the mosquito nuisance. I am quite sure that the tools and materials which were used to make the tank can be used to destroy it.
Kimmsr
17 years ago
Floating Garlic Oil on the surface of stagnant water has been used for many years to control mosquitoes and today there is a strain of the Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria that can also be used. BTI is available as mosquitoe dunks by mail from many garden supply companies, here.
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The best way to control mosquitoes isn't with plants (sorry). You do it simply by making your yard as inhospitable a place for mosquitoes as possible. Think of your yard like a war front where the mosquitoes are enemy invaders. As Supreme Yard Commander you have many tools at your disposal to defend your territory from these blood-sucking monsters hell-bent on making sure you can't enjoy your yard... 1) Chemical weapons (mosquito traps). 2) Biological weapons (predators). 3) Destructive force (smack!). In my own experience on this war front I've found the following strategies to be most effective at very little cost (and they're also very environmentally friendly =): A) The enemy of your enemy is your friend. Invite bats, amphibians, and reptiles over for an extended stay in your yard by giving them plenty of places to live and hide from their own predators... * Make a log pile (or two, or three!) * Instead of throwing out old fencing or wood scraps, lean some of it against the new fencing or against a tree. * Put up a bat house. * Keep your local bird population fat & happy so they don't resort to eating your precious lizards: Plant Wax Myrtle in your yard (Myrtle berries are like crack to birds. Note: This is also a good way to keep birds off of your fruit trees and berry shrubs =). I personally believe this is why all the fruit and berries at the Jacksonville Zoo are all but untouched by the birds all year long: They have Wax Myrtle *everywhere* and I always see a bird or two feasting on the berries. B) Get rid of standing water. Anything that can hold rain and sprinkler water must be removed or remediated (put them somewherre they won't get wet). C) Don't use any chemicals on your lawn or garden that are known to cause problems for amphibians. This one is hard--you'll have to check up on each and every chemical you're using to make sure that it isn't known to cause things like gender changes in frogs (and fish). Some weed killers are really bad for this. Remember: Anything that can mess up the ecosystem in your nearby waterways is likely to create mosquito problems. Mosquito larvae are just peachy growing up in polluted waterways. Their predators on the other hand... not so much. -Riskable "There's a difference between making a change and making a difference."
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
Mosquito dunks might just be the way to go. They should be tossed into the tank according to the volume of water and will kill all of the niads (immature mosquitoes). At this time of year, these dunks are available at any garden center, any home supply store, etc.

Though, I do think ronalawn's idea is a great one! Recreate this nuisance or destroy it.
indigenous
Original Author
17 years ago
No, there's no way to deal with the tank. I'm renting the house and the previous tenant was an englishman who invented some kind of solar energy water heater.
Now remain from that three destroyed water tanks huge and heavy, the two of them are broken and empty but the third keeps this little water in it.
I even thought to shoot it near the basis, but I only have some funny air-gun that's no good.
Then again I might discover some electric drilling maschine and some cable long enough to bring electricity from 100 meters away where is the kitchen and perhaps...
But wouldn't be dangerous to drill while inside there's water?
Thanks for the mosquito dunks, found some cheap in the net, had no idea about them, hope they will not be toxic for the birds, though... Plenty of the wild ones visit my garden cause I feed them.
I also have dogs, in case that any of the liquid might escape somehow from the tank, this couldn't be dangerous for them?
I'm just a middle-aged woman alone and was patient till now with the mosquitos, all of a sudden I had to revolt, I'm fed up and enough is enough with them.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
The mosquito dunks are not toxic to birds or other animals, or plants. It only affects the larvae of certain insect species, mosquitoes being one of them.

I sure hope that they help with your problem, mosquitoes can be such a pest.
ronalawn82
17 years ago
If you are renting the residence, check with the Local Authorities. Somebody at City Hall, Malaria Control, Health Dept. etc. will decide who is responsible for getting rid of this Public Nuisance or Health hazard; I am betting that it will be the Landowner. I understand your predicament a little better now.

Mosquito problem in mediterrenean coast

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Mosquito problem in mediterrenean coast

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ronalawn82

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