In regards to Louisiana_botanist and anyone else interested in the effectiveness of Mosquito Barrier... I purchased two bottles of this to help combat the army of mosquitos that we had just in our backyard. The first application I added a little more of the product than needed but we had severe mosquitos. The product claims to also repel fleas and ticks which is a plus since we have two dogs. I applied the stuff with a sprayer following instructions and sprayed entire yard and some of the tree near our patio. Once you apply it, your yard will smell like garlic for an hour or two so be sure to spray it in a way so you don't step on the grass that was just sprayed (I sprayed it walking backwards) so I didn't track the smell in the house. The next night we went to see how well it did, surprisingly enough it worked well. Instead of getting bit 8 times while constantly moving around for 2-3 minutes, I didn't get bit at all for 5 minutes while even standing still but I did see at least one mosqutio while out. It lasts for a good while so long as there isn't a heavy rain or you water the lawn more than once a week. General application would typically last 2-3 weeks for me due to needing to water at least twice a week and/or rain. The "barrier" tends to be breached by a few mosquitos as each day passes until they increase in numbers where you notice them again and need to spray a second application. Since I used to live in New Orleans I know how bad mosquitos can be there but I would say you will definately see a difference after using this. The cause of my mosquito problem was due to a neighbor with a water fountain in the backyard that had lots of standing water. Now that they have let it just dry out, I have 1/10 the mosquitos I had before and haven't needed to spray anything in over a month.

There are more than 80 mosquito species found in Florida year round. I was surprised to read this and find out that mosquitos are active both day and night depending on the species. Some can fly as much as 25 miles! Check any object that can hold water. Even seashells can be a breeding ground for the larvae. Today I found wigglers in plant saucers and a bird bath. Those guys were not there yesterday! This link is quite interesting especially the chart that shows how long different products are effective. From the same link: What About Devices That Emit Sound To Repel Mosquitoes? There is no evidence that wearing devices that emit sound will repel mosquitoes. Will Garlic, Bananas, Or Vitamin-B Repel Mosquitoes? There is no scientific evidence that eating garlic, vitamins, onions, or any other food will make a person repellent to mosquitoes. Here is a link that might be useful: Mosquito Repellents

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."

Here is a site about natural mosquito controls. It's opened to an article about whether 'mosquito plants' work. Since mosquitoes are attracted by exhaled carbon dioxide anything that masks that scent is an effective repellent. The problem with mosquito repelling plants is that to be truly effective the leaves need to be crushed to release the repellent oils they contain. When mosquito populations are high I spray a product containing lemon grass oil around the back door, and under patio furniture and bushes where they might hide. It's said to kill on contact, but mostly serves as a reliable repellent for me. Hot Shot Natural is one such product. Welcome to Texas! ... :-)