Mosquito Control in the Garage

[bradleykd]

It's getting to be that time a year again...

The little pests called mosquitoes will soon be making us itch for weeks and transmitting their nasty diseases. The Asian Tiger Mosquito is multiplying in my area and they are even worse than the run-of-the-mill mosquito because they will bite multiple times and must have a better numbing juice because you can't feel the bastards until its too late!

So what do you guys do to control mosquitoes in your shop or garage?

I hate the greasy feeling of bug spray. I hate the smell of citronella. I hate the fumes and soot from a tiki torch. (I may be a mosquito )

Do the little plug in ultrasonic things work?

 

[peter2772000]

Curious, do you intend to keep the garage doors closed? You running a/c?

Those propane-powered gizmos are supposed to work very well

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/skeetervac-sv-3100c-mosquito-exterminator-0593706p.html#srp



I dunno how great/safe of an idea this is if you keep the doors shut. But if open, this should work great for you.

PS: DON'T LAUGH, Canadian Tire is an icon up here in the Great White North. Chuckling at CT could be misinterpreted as an act of war by Canada. You really don't want us to unleash our military might LOL

 

[metalmagpie]

Remove local accumulations of water when they breed (old tires and such). If you have a pond, put in koi, which eat the mosquito larvae. Once you have damped their population as best you can, just shut your garage door for a few days at a time. If you don't have any water in there, they starve and die.

Beyond that, you can try a Thermacell. We spend about 25-33% of our time on road trips in a van, and sometimes we camp where mosquitoes are fierce and some get inside. I fire up the Thermacell for half an hour or so, leaving them an escape route, and it drives them out so we can sleep in peace.

Or, you can take your shirt off and lie down outside in the evening and take a nap for a couple hours. You will get lots of bites but after those first ones fade, you will essentially be immune to mosquito venom the rest of the year. That's doing it the hard way.

If you have a serious mosquito problem, buy an inexpensive headnet. One of those and a longsleeve Columbia shirt and I'm good to go birdwatching in the Everglades. Or, if you like sweating, buy a Bug Shirt. Those are 100% effective but you feel like you're wearing PVC raingear.

metalmagpie

 

[coljar]

Mosquitos are terrible here with the doors up so last fall I solved the problem. I called and had central ac installed in my garage. It will solve the sweating part, too.

 

[BruceMc]

In four decades of living and working in the worst mosquito country in NA, this is the most effective thing I've found (that doesn't involve poisoning yourself at the same time) -

http://www.country-vet.com/prod_details.aspx?prod_id=141&cat_id=8

 

[mygarageone]

I actually built screen doors that I can put in place when I lift the garage doors up, it’s very effective. I just go in and out of service for when I want to go out or in.

I don’t think I have $50 in materials total for two doors, in my opinion it’s not a bad way to go.

 

[Bad Eye Bill]

Curious, do you intend to keep the garage doors closed? You running a/c?

Those propane-powered gizmos are supposed to work very well

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/skeetervac-sv-3100c-mosquito-exterminator-0593706p.html#srp



I dunno how great/safe of an idea this is if you keep the doors shut. But if open, this should work great for you.

PS: DON'T LAUGH, Canadian Tire is an icon up here in the Great White North. Chuckling at CT could be misinterpreted as an act of war by Canada. You really don't want us to unleash our military might LOL

I absolutely hate Canadian Tire. Refuse to darken their door.

 

[BruceMc]

Curious, do you intend to keep the garage doors closed? You running a/c?

Those propane-powered gizmos are supposed to work very well

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/skeetervac-sv-3100c-mosquito-exterminator-0593706p.html#srp

I dunno how great/safe of an idea this is if you keep the doors shut. But if open, this should work great for you.

I've got a couple of the Skeetervacs. They do okay, but are really intended for yard use. Not because they're dangerous (basically it's just a propane pilot light to generate CO2 and moisture) but the way the attractant works. Your own breath and body heat will out-compete it in an enclosed space.

There are a lot of videos out there, all variations on the same theme, of using a simple box fan to capture flying insects. It works. I had to try it myself and here's my quick proof of concept.

 

[Augus7us]

In four decades of living and working in the worst mosquito country in NA, this is the most effective thing I've found (that doesn't involve poisoning yourself at the same time) -

http://www.country-vet.com/prod_details.aspx?prod_id=141&cat_id=8

So do you just hang one of these on the wall of the shop and refill it when it runs out? That sounds like my kind of mosquito repellent.

Do you know how many square foot that unit will cover?

-Clint

 

[CJDave]

I hang a electric bug whacker in the opening of the overhead door. The bugs detour to the whacker on their journey to bite me in the garage. No bites and I take the whacker down when I'm done in the garage. The whacker I have is an industrial grade unit with 2 fluorescent bulbs, 1 black light and 1 blue-black light. Seems to be better than the cheaper units. Dave R.

 

[unslow1]

Just fire up an old Model T or one of the blower cars. That always seems to keep them away. Actually we have a lot of bug problems. Mosquitoes in the garage hasn't really been one of them. My brother-in-law use to light those buckets of citronella.

 

[HOTFR8]

Keep the air moving. They do not like a breeze. A fan I find works well.

 

[TractorJeff]

On the Porch we use Ceiling Fans to disrupt their ability to find you. In the Shop my doors are oriented to allow a breeze to blow through, else the box fan comes into service, splitting wood in the shade I use a box fan and long sleeve shirt.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

All ultrasonic pest repellents are a scam. Ask any real exterminator.

If you get a bug zapper, DO NOT hang it in your garage. The UV light will attract the little bastiges to you. Put it somewhere outside the garage around 25' away...

Tommy

 

[ARFLY]

Trugreen does my lawn care and treats for mosquitos. We no longer see mosquitos on our property.

 

[BruceMc]

So do you just hang one of these on the wall of the shop and refill it when it runs out? That sounds like my kind of mosquito repellent.

Do you know how many square foot that unit will cover?

-Clint

One is more than enough for my 1000+ sq ft garage. In fact, I usually only turn it on when I'm out there and need it. They're designed for spaces like livestock shelters or food processing plants. My preference is to hang them outside next to the doors. Obviously avoid areas that are windy. I also like to hang one in the dog pen.

 

[BonniePinter]

We are having the mosquito problem in our yards. Killing these tiny beasts is not the easy task. It is very important to locate their breeding place. We learned that the most effective way to eliminate them is to set up a mosquito misting system that sprays a mist of insecticide at preset times to protect you and your family. It was extremely effective.

 

[bullnerd]

How about this stuff?

http://www.fruitflybarpro.com/

Anyone try these? I tried to order off Amazon for fruit flys, but they wont ship to NJ?

Miskito's are on the list.

 

[noelalford]

A friend used the single pack at the beginning of the year and has not seen a single mosquito this year. My understanding is you have to double up this late in the season which is why I am posting the more expensive package. He's a solid dude and around Houston so I know he'd see mosquitos if it didn't work. The description is vague but the questions and answers are helpful, basically the females feed and die.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DXGP21F/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[6768rogues]

Close the doors and turn on the AC......

 

[powerwagon63]

Barn swallows take care of them for me.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I've been trying to convince Mrs. LS6 let me get a Purple Martin house for years. The skeeters are bad enough this year I might just talk her into it.

Tommy

 

[bowhuntr311]

I always run a fan in my shop and in the evenings I light a citronella candle and place it at the base of the fan blowing towards my overhead doors. I think it was $7 and it advertises 30hours of burn time.

I also found switching to all LED 5000k color lights has made HUGE difference in the bugs in my shop and attached garage. I dont know if the lack of heat or the color is the difference but its awesome not having moths/flys/mosquitos constantly buzzing the lights.

 

[nes999]

The wife is immune. I dont think ive ever seen her bit. On the other hand I swear I get bit by every dang one.

My trick is the mosquito man. He comes ones a month and takes care of it. If I see any between sprays he comes out for free. I am looking into doing it myself but it woukd take a while to "payoff" the machine.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

 

[ambenz]

I have had good success with a few mosquito coils.
I do not mind the incense like smell.

 

[Blk88GT]

https://en.stihl.ca/STIHL-Products/...k-blowers-and-sprayer/21619-87575/SR-450.aspx

+

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0046DN72K/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Best things I've ever bought for the yard!

 

[ZipSnafu]

On the bad days I invite the wife down to the garage.... They bite her instead of me

 

[PWC Repair]

I have had good success with a few mosquito coils.
I do not mind the incense like smell.

Those work great! I started using them last year. I stand it behind the fan so it blows out my general direction. Even outside in the open it will keep them away anywhere in the general direction of the blowing fan.

 

[bdbecker]

...Or, you can take your shirt off and lie down outside in the evening and take a nap for a couple hours. You will get lots of bites but after those first ones fade, you will essentially be immune to mosquito venom the rest of the year. That's doing it the hard way. ...

I know this route may seem kind of scary, but there is merit to this. I grew up in mosquito heaven (across the road from a 4k+ acre marsh area) so if you ever wanted to do something outside during the summer, you were going to be mauled by mosquitoes not matter what provisions you made (spray, tiki torches, candles, etc). As I got older, the bites affected me less and less until it got to a point where they no longer affected me at all. To this day, I'm still not bothered by bites. I know when I get bit and I still slap them, but the itch only lasts for a moment - no red spots, no need to scratch.

I know it doesn't help prevent malaria or west nile, but the the sooner you can accept your fate (that those bloodsuckers will find a way no matter what you do) the happier you'll be.