Controlling mosquitoes.

[Boerseun]

Got myself a few geckos in my house, and two fat ones have taken permanent residence in my bedroom. I regularly fall asleep with the reading light on, and this of course attracts all kinds of bugs. The geckos are having a raving time, and are growing fatter every day. I saw one take down a moth with a body almost as big as the gecko's! These things are vicious, like tiny wall-crocodiles! But since I've got them, the mozzies in my house have noticably tapered off in numbers...

Geckos are awesome! If these two in my bedroom continue growing as they have, and get more ambitious with their prey, as they have, pretty soon they're gonna be taking down the neighbour's chickens!

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Boerseun

Got myself a few geckos in my house, and two fat ones have taken permanent residence in my bedroom...These things are vicious, like tiny wall-crocodiles! But since I've got them, the mozzies in my house have noticably tapered off in numbers...

I think geckos are awesome too! Mozzies love me and I'd happily get some geckos but I don't think they'd be safe from my cats.

I've found lavendar to be quite effective at keeping the mozzies away. I liberally apply lavendar cream to exposed skin and I don't get bitten. Citronella candles are great too.

[Michaelangelica]

I heard a great story about geckos will tell it to you soon

Now another solution is on the horizon. Scientists at the University of Melbourne have discovered a bacterium that may reduce the fertility of the dreaded Malaria carrying mosquito. Interestingly, they found the bacterium in the most unlikely of places - in the stomach of insects.

Professor Ary Hoffmann and Dr Andrew Weeks from the department of Genetics at the University of Melbourne used the Californian fruit fly (Drosophilia) as a model in their experiments to study a bacterium that commonly infects insects but has evolved from being parasitic to becoming a fertility aid.

"In the Wolbachia bacteria, we have found that they had rapidly changed from being parasitic and therefore detrimental to their insect host, to engaging in a mutualistic relationship where both bacteria and insect benefit because the insect gains enhanced fertility," said Andrew.

"We believe this bacterium could be an option for pest control in order to kill the common human disease carriers, mosquitoes.

"Wolbachia is spread from an infected male to an uninfected female," Andrew explained. "We found that within 20 years, the infected females had gone from having reduced fertility with a 15-20 per cent reduction in egg production, to a 10 per cent increase in egg production under laboratory conditions. Our results suggest a small reduction, but similar changes are occurring in nature.

Velocity

[Michaelangelica]

NEW MOSQUITO REPELLANTS CAUSE A BUZZ
US researchers have identified several potential new insect repellants that are up to three times more potent than DEET, the active ingredient in most tick and insect repellents.
Animal mojo all in the tail (ABC News in Science)

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

NEW MOSQUITO REPELLANTS CAUSE A BUZZ
US researchers have identified several potential new insect repellants that are up to three times more potent than DEET, the active ingredient in most tick and insect repellents.
Animal mojo all in the tail (ABC News in Science)

Errr...wrong link mate?
That link is about rat's tails and how they aid in reproduction.

[Moontanman]

I haven't read the entire thread but I live in an area with a very bad mosquito problem. We have slashed the problem by many factors by eliminating standing water in small containers. I catch water in rain barrels and keep azzola carolinias growing on top of the water. this plant smothers mosquito's as effectively as oil. any permanent water should have fishes native to your area living in them, any significant bodies of non permanent water should be sprayed as they form after hard rains and hurricanes with a bacteria that kills the larvae. In some cases where the larvae are not susceptible to the bacteria an insecticide that is fast acting and short lived is necessary. I can remember walking out of my house and being covered to the point that I looked like I have grown fur but now days i seldom see many mosquitoes.

[Michaelangelica]

[Commons-Law] ICMR to patent mosquito trap
[ Mailinglist ] by commonslaw @ 09.06.2008 07:13 CEST
Via: "Prashant Iyengar"

The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : ICMR to patent mosquito trap Back



Tamil Nadu

ICMR to patent mosquito trap

S. Vijay Kumar

The new technology is expected to contain chikungunya and dengue

MADURAI: In what could be a significant breakthrough in containing the
incidence of chikungunya and dengue, the Centre for Research in
Medical Entomology (CRME), a premier laboratory of the Indian Council
of Medical Research here, has developed a new technology to trap
infected mosquitoes.

The 'OVI Trap' or simply the 'egg trapping device' is an indigenous
technology conceived and developed by a team of scientists led by
senior entomologist, B.K. Tyagi. After studying the breeding sites,
behaviour and vigour of chikungunya and dengue-transmitting
mosquitoes, the scientists designed the mechanical trap to seize
gravid (pregnant) mosquitoes.

"After successfully testing the device in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, we
have forwarded it to the ICMR for obtaining patent. After successful
patenting, the trap will be put to commercial use and made available
to the common man," Dr. Tyagi told The Hindu on Sunday.

The 'OVI Trap' would attract pregnant mosquitoes to lay eggs and
confine them to the enclosure. Each trap could contain a maximum 300
mosquitoes. "The trapped mosquitoes, if not cleared for scientific
investigation, will automatically die in confinement. Though such
traps are available, this is an improvised version that takes into
account the ecological system and targets particularly the 'Aedes
Albopictus' mosquitoes that spread dengue." The outbreak of these
infections has a direct correlation to the density of female
mosquitoes.

"By curbing the pregnant mosquitoes, we can minimise the mosquito
population. Each mosquito lays about 200 eggs…nearly 50 per cent of
the newborn are female mosquitoes again. It is like preventing the
next generation mosquitoes."

[Commons-Law] relay :: [Commons-Law] ICMR to patent mosquito trap

So do we live in hope that some sub-prime banker gets malearia or dengue or is that TOO mean?

Foreclosed Homes Becoming Breeding Ground for Mosquitoes, West Nile Virus
By MedHeadlines • Jun 8th, 2008 • Category: Events, Infectious Disease, Prevention

In the Greater Los Angeles area, where backyard swimming pools are common, the county’s Vector Control District is getting an alarming number of calls about the abundance of mosquitoes breeding in swimming pools abandoned to foreclosure. They’ve also seen a spike in cases of West Nile virus this year, although this is earlier than usual for the virus’s typical summertime appearance.

MedHeadlines - Foreclosed Homes Becoming Breeding Ground for Mosquitoes, West Nile Virus

[Michaelangelica]

This is interesting
The catnip that cats like is an ugly mint like plant with white flowers that smells like hospital corridors

If you sow it the cats won't know it",

Lions like it too
(You needed to know that didn't you)

Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEET

ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2001) — CHICAGO, August 27 — Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents.


The finding was reported today at the 222nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, by the same Iowa State University research group that two years ago discovered that catnip also repels cockroaches.

Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEET

[Overdog]

Insect repellent clothing is becoming more popular also. I'd never heard of it, until my wife told me some of her students were buying insect repellent cloths for their kids. Where we live some mosquitos carry the west nile virus.

With Insect Repellent Clothing, the Permethrin-based Insect Repellent is INSIDE the Clothing, NOT on your skin.

[Michaelangelica]

Breaking news
A HUMAN 'OFF'

It's not yet on the market but British scientists have identified and are patenting a mosquito repellent that's as effective as DEET and all natural.

This miracle repellent was extracted from the eau du human, or sweat, of people who mosquitoes didn't find attractive.

The genius behind the human-derived repellent is James Logan, who began working on the project four years ago at a British research facility where studies had shown that cows giving off certain odours were unattractive to flies.

Logan applied the same logic to people and mosquitoes. Unlike earlier theories that some people exude odours that attract mosquitoes, the experiments at Rothamsted Research showed that some people give off mosquito-repellent odours, leaving other folk to be bitten.

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