Thank you Fetters. Really good post. Quite timely for us as DH has suggested putting in a garden pond. My first question was, "What about the mosquitoes?" I was intrigued by the mention of Lemon Eucalyptus. E maculata sounded somewhat familiar so I assumed we call it something else down here. I googled it and this is what I found. E maculata is known as Spotted Gum or Honey Gum (good for bees). E citriodora is known as Lemon-Scented Gum. And there is a hybrid E maculata citriodora. Recently these particular gums have been reclassified from Eucalyptus to Corymbia (useful to know in case the nurseries change the labels). I debated whether to mention the next bit. In some areas they are getting a reputation as an invasive weed. It's hard to know when such a reputation is truly warranted. (I have some birch trees, which are most definately not indigenous to my area, and I do get seedlings coming up, but after all these years my birches haven't taken over the nearby bushland. Or is that because they have no chance against the Patterson's Curse, which was once an introduced garden flower.) I suppose all I can say is do some research if you're thinking of planting one. Perhaps conditions in the areas of the US where they are grown are such that they are happy enough to grow okay but not so happy that they get out of control. And the good news is if you change your mind after you've planted one, it apparently makes really good timber. Hello OzOrganic. Sorry to hear about your landlord issue. Don't get me started on that subject. Hope you find a solution soon.

Contolling mosquitoes is a multi-stepped ordeal, to tell the truth. And what works for some might not do the trick for others. I'll start the list of suggestions of things that I KNOW work for me, and hopefully others will chime in with some good advice. ~ Go through your own yard carefully, eliminating all sources of standing water, no matter how small. Even the water that collects in plant saucers can be a breeding ground. Keep bird baths cleaned and changed at least every two or three days; use mosquito dunks in ponds or other water features. ~ There are many effective topical repellents on the market. Be careful of products with a lot of DEET as the active ingredient, as they can be quite toxic for some people (especially youngsters). Repellents can be sprayed on your clothes and hats, as well as your body. Just be sure to read the label to see any warnings. I like the products made with natural plant oils such as eucalyptus, citronella, atc. ~Cover the skin. ~Avoid going outside when mosquitoes are at their worst. ~ Employ a good fan or two in sitting areas. ~I've heard some folks say that incense really helps. ~I find that plain granular Adolph's meat tenderizer, made into a paste and applied to the bite right after it occurs really, really helps stop the itching and swelling of an insect bite. Works for fire ants, too. Do NOT use one of those bug zapper things. If they actually attract mosquitoes, that's not what you want. Don't spray your entire yard with pesticides in order to kill a few mosquitoes. Indiscriminate spraying can make the problem worse, and can also target insects, animals, and birds you don't wish to harm. (And people, too.) And remember, you cannot 'rid' your yard of mosquitoes. Your best hope will be to keep their population down to a minimum by eliminating their breeding areas. Then, it won't be such a challenge keep ourselves unattractive to these little pests.

I am wondering if any of you live in a community where Malathion is sprayed. I do, and I hate it. THe city and the county both insist that it is effective, but there are several times when I've been out running and that truck comes by spraying and I have nowhere to hide. Though I have stopped and covered my face, my mouth and throat completely dry out, and I know this stuff is harmful. They don't spray late enough for people to be out of the way, claiming that the mosquitoes are most active at dusk. Children, families, runners and tourists are active at dusk, also. I have sought to find research on this which would validate stopping the spraying program. I am willing to go before City Council if I can find anything; however, most of what I have discovered online tends to insist that malathion isn't a threat to people. Do any of you have sources of information out there which may (a) indicate that malathion is not safe for humans and (b) indicate that the spraying program is not effective any way. Thanks for indulging me with this long message, but when I saw a "mosquitoe discussion," I had to weigh in. Mike in Myrtle Beach, SC

Hi I recently moved from Northern CA to Southern CA and the mosquitoes in the San Diego area are relentless (to our shock and surprise). They are the aedes aegypti mosquito which are commonly known as "ankle biters" but they will bite anywhere they can. The first month in San Diego I received no less than 40 mosquito bites nearly all on my ankles. They are small...but if you touch / scratch them they get larger and then the itching begins. I've learned not "do not touch under all circumstances" and they they go away in about 72 hours. The weather is getting cooler here but they are still out and about. Now to the Dynatrap device. I read good reviews from a lot of people but with mixed advice. People who live on farms or places with wide open space, rivers, ponds, places water could stand anywhere near a house...had the most problems. We did have a small fountain pond which we quickly removed. That helped. I hung the device about 30 feet away from where our outdoor sitting area is. The device should be 20-50 feet away from where the majority of your activity is based. You have to leave the machine running constantly, 24/7....and you have to be vigilant about that. Also the machine is greatly helped by a small packet of horridly smelling mosquito bait (small soaked pad with what smells like the worst animal urine on the planet). Don't worry you can only smell it when you open the package and after that....you can't smell it outdoors. But the mosquitos can find it and they most certainly do. The instruction say that you have to leave this device going non stop 24/7 never turning it off for a minimum of 30 days to see relief. After 30 days you continue to leave it on BUT the mosquitos are now trained to go THERE instead of YOU. They think the device is a living breathing animal. I will say, after 30 days...we do have a great deal of relief and I was outside for two nights and ZERO mosquito bites. It has gotten cooler now that it's November in San Diego but not that cool (maybe mid 50's?) But no bites. The 10 bites a week is now down to more like maybe 1 a week if that. The cost on this is that you have to replace the bulb light every 60-90 days and you also have to replace the stinky bait as well as that loses attractiveness over time. The bottom of the container catches all sorts of bugs too, oddly moths are VERY attracted to this device and we have a TON of moths around here. So that's been helpful too. At this point I would give two thumbs up to using a Dynatrap machine. It's not even noticeable outside, just the glowing purple blue light at night, that's it. I will continue using this device as long as I live in this somewhat infested urban neighborhood.