Tootfinder

US$8.99 for two Mosquito Dunks is too high. We need more companies producing Bti for consumer use. #mosquitoes

Recharged my gravid Aedes traps (GATs) with water that was infested with mosquitoes. This will likely increase their catch rate substantially because mosquitoes love to lay eggs in water that already has mosquitoes. But don't worry, I plopped in a bit of a Mosquito Dunk into each one so nothing will be maturing to adulthood. PLUS these traps are designed with screening on the top part, so even if adults emerged they couldn't get out. They are made by Biogents (Regensburg, Germany). #mosquitos #aedes #biogents

Some good news: I think I've succeeded in shutting down Pest Proof, a company selling a scam mosquito trap filled with yeast, sugar, baking soda, and citric acid. Its e-commerce site started displaying, "Site Inactive", today, at least. Over the past several weeks I've sent complaints to all 50 states, the EPA, the FTC, and to regulatory authorities in Canada and the UK where it was also being marketed. Someone listened, it seems. Traps like this kill innocent insects, not mosquitoes. #mosquitoes #insects

To amuse myself I'm evaluating baits for mosquito-killing buckets: oak leaves, straw, log, and beetroot skins. Leaves and straw are standards but I'm curious whether I can attract tree-hole species (e.g., Aedes triseriatus) with the partially submerged wood. And beets are packed with geosmin (a sesquiterpenoid), a known oviposition attractant. Stay tuned. #mosquitoes #science #biology #entomology

Good mosquito advice in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Originally from the Washington Post. [gift link] #mosquitoes #philadelphia #repllent https://share.inquirer.com/i6o8en

I added a PDF to my page about mosquito-killing buckets in case anyone wants to print something off to give to neighbors. Link to the file is near the bottom. #mosquitoes https://colinpurrington.com/2024/08/bti-honeypot-traps/

Made another mosquito-killing box fan to set up near chairs on my front porch. As mosquitoes approach they get flattened against the netting, which I spray with permethrin, a contact insecticide. #mosquitoes #permethrin #fan

Here are the two mosquito-killing box fans on my porch. I'm still trying to figure out how to orient them to maximize the number of the mosquitoes trapped. I think the best setup is likely to have them both blow away from me. And I'll probably move them closer to my legs because Asian tiger mosquitoes love smelly socks and feet. #mosquitoes

My new neighbor just told me that she saw my article in our local paper about mosquito buckets and is making them for her yard. #mosquitoes #swarthmore

Here's another scam I'm trying to get removed from the market: the BiteShield Mosquito Trap. It's filled with yeast and sugar and is supposed to draw in and trap mosquitoes. Currently for sale in the USA, the UK, and Canada. Owner information is hidden behind a Wyoming LLC but I'm pretty sure it's the same scammer who runs Tougher Than Tom, a company based in Austin, Texas. #mosquitoes

The University of Wisconsin Department of Entomology has a nice primer on why so many people think bats (and purple martins) control mosquitoes. #bats #mosquitoes https://mosquitosite.russell.wisc.edu/preventing-mosquito-bites/bats-and-birds/

In personal news, so far this year I've been bitten by only 1 mosquito. I'm sure August will change that but it's been nice so far. #mosquitoes

I updated my page on mosquito-control tips to include Thermacells (I own 2), plus added a section on the Mosquito Magnet and Biogents Mosquitaire (neither of which I've tested but I have some thoughts). #mosquitoes https://colinpurrington.com/fighting-mosquitoes/

Over on reddit there's a great discussion on the difference between mosquito larvae and tadpoles. Good to know the difference before dumping contents of a container on the ground to kill them. #mosquitoes #diptera #frogs #karma https://www.reddit.com/r/MosquitoHating/comments/1tseic7/accidentally_started_a_mosquito_farm/

Mosquito egg rafts in my mini pond. I added another Mosquito Dunk because you can also see some larvae. #mosquitoes #pond #diptera #culex

I'm trying out a new mosquito-control contraption made by Ortho. It features a landing pad laced with powderized, lethal fungus spores (Beauveria bassiana) that can be transferred via tarsi to standing water elsewhere in the yard or in your neighbors' yards. The water in the container also has an insecticide (pyriproxyfen) to kill any larvae that might develop from eggs left by females. It's the home version of the expensive In2Care trap that can only be purchased by licensed pest-control folks. #mosquitoes #ortho #in2care

If anyone happens to walk by the reflecting pool in D.C., could you please examine the water for mosquito larvae? #WashingtonDC #mosquitoes

Video of a mosquito entering a DIY trap containing stagnant water and a Mosquito Dunk. Gravid females enter through an opening on the top (a black pot with bottom removed to make a funnel) but can't escape because they are attracted to light coming through the clear plastic sides (acrylic mixing bowl with bottom removed). Base is a black floral pot that I got for free at Trader Joe's. There's a sticky card hanging inside via a magnet and a paper clip but I don't think it's even needed. Better than standard mosquito buckets which only kill larvae. I'll post design tips on my blog but if you can't wait: I used a Dremel tool to hack off the plastic parts, then a glue gun to attach everything together. #diy #mosquitoes #insects #trailcam

I never like seeing bug zappers and Spartan Mosquito Pro Techs for sale, but at least they are on the bottom shelf where scams belong. #mosquitoes

If you're a fan of using Mosquito Dunks in buckets to control mosquitoes, please join me in leaving a comment for the patronizing jerks at Saginaw County Mosquito Control Commission, a taxpayer-funded entity. These organizations operate all over the U.S.A. and justify their large budgets (for planes, fogger trucks, etc.) by promoting the use of insecticides even when there is no public-health emergency. #MosquitoDunks #saginaw #saginawbay #michigan #mosquitoes #bti https://www.instagram.com/p/DL5Jm3xODBz/

Just a reminder that Mosquito Dunks are sold in 20-packs for approximately $26. More economical than the 6-packs, which are usually in the $8-15 range. And definitely avoid the 2-packs. These things can last for years on the shelf as long as they are kept out of sunlight and high temperatures. #MosquitoDunks #bti #bacteria #mosquitoes

There's a cute fox in this video but that's just clickbait. What I want to point out are all the mosquitoes flitting about. Probably there to oviposit (the surface is clogged with egg rafts) but perhaps some are just having a drink. And still others may be looking for love. Anyway, all as a way to encourage everyone with a mini-pond to use Mosquito Dunks (safe for foxes!). #fox #pond #mosquitoes #trailcam https://youtu.be/Gwl2sA-LcKw

Dark ricefield mosquito (Psorophora columbiae) near the Mississippi River in Vacherie, Louisiana. Or at least I think that's what it is. The species can become so numerous after a flood that cows can die from exsanguination. #mosquito #diptera #nature #flies #louisiana #vacherie #blood

I tested the Spartan Mosquito Pro Tech, the Aion Mosquito Barrier, and the Tougher Than Tom Mosquito TNT in my Pennsylvania yard. tl/dr: they don't kill mosquitoes but plenty of Americans are still buying them. #mosquitoes #grifting #pesticides #nature #biology #insects #diptera #carbondioxide #co2 https://colinpurrington.com/2020/08/yeast-based-mosquito-control-devices/?nocache=1

I'm a big fan of cocktails and insect repellents so I will probably be ordering a bottle of Skeeter's. It contains the sesquiterpenoid, nootkatone, an EPA-registered mosquito repellent first isolated from Alaskan yellow cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis). #NewHampshire #mosquitoes #whiskey #alcohol https://tamworthdistilling.com/skeeters/

One of my favorite mosquito facts is that there's a spider in Africa, the vampire jumping spider (Evarcha culicivora), that specializes on mosquitoes plump from a recent blood meal. It was described in 2003. #inaturalist #mosquitoes #spiders #blood #salticidae #insects #africa https://youtu.be/dA6sCQlHPEs?t=78

If you make a mosquito bucket, please cover the top with screening so that toddlers don't fall in. Per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 40 toddlers drown each year in the United States. Happens all over the world. Happens even when buckets are half full. #mosquitoes #buckets #health #safety #parenting #kids

It's the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). Celebrate by decorating a mosquito-killing bucket and gifting it to a friend. I guarantee you they will be surprised. If you don't live in the United States just seek out the Mosquito Dunks equivalent. #MosquitoDunks #bti #bacteria #mosquitoes #nature #biology #diptera

Me taking photographs of mosquito eggs in the mini-pond. #mosquitoes #camera #macro #trailcam #pond #insects