Tootfinder

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/

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 you're making mosquito-killing buckets, a great way to monitor for larvae is to add a white yogurt lid. And if you see them, add another chunk of Mosquito Dunk ASAP or dump everything out and start over. They also permit you to easily see egg rafts and thus get confirmation that mosquitoes are indeed visiting. (The photo here has many rafts but the two in the lid are easy to find.) Larvae and egg rafts are really hard to see in murky water inside dark buckets. #mosquitoes #diptera

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

"Mosquitoes reach Iceland for the first time as the Arctic heats up"
#Arctic #Mosquitoes #Climate #ClimateChange

Mosquitoes reach Iceland for the first time as the Arctic heats up
In what is possibly another sign of climate change, mosquitoes have landed in Iceland for the first time. For many years, the island was the only Arctic country that could claim to be mosquito-free. But that all changed in 2025, when three Culiseta annulata specimens were discovered in a garden in Kjós, just north of the capital Reykjavík.

And don't forget to weaponize your pond. Mosquitoes in my yard have left approximately 1000 egg rafts in mine this spring. And because each raft has 100s of eggs the number of larvae that end up dying is considerable. #mosquitoes #pond #ponds

For anyone in the United States making mosquito-killing buckets, Trader Joe's will give black florist's buckets away for free if you ask nicely. Talk to the person in charge of cut flowers. (Just add water, dried tree leaves, and 1/4 of a Mosquito Dunk.) #mosquito #mosquitoes

In my futile quest to get more people to make mosquito traps for their yards, I made a visual. Please share with friends and sneak into any presentation you're giving even if it's completely unrelated to mosquitoes. Mosquito Dunks contain Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis ("Bti"), a bacteria that is safe for everything except mosquito larvae, work for approximately 30 days, and are available at most garden centers and hardware stores in North America. Bti-containing powders and liquids are sold worldwide under different trade names. NB: the white lid helps you see mosquito larvae (if present it's time to add another dose of Bti). #mosquitoes #mosquito #ipm

Early spring is a great time to set out mosquito-killing buckets around your yard. They work, are cheap, and don't kill other wildlife. #mosquitoes https://colinpurrington.com/2024/08/bti-honeypot-traps/

Just a reminder that gardening centers will happily sell you plants such as Pelargonium citrosum that are supposedly able to repel mosquitoes. But don't be suckered. No plant has that ability even if thousands of Pinterest pages insist it's true. #mosquitoes #gardening #gardens #plants

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

The neighbors had their yard fogged yesterday. Every 2 to 3 weeks it will happen again. Drives me absolutely insane. #pesticides #mosquitoes #insects #nature

Getting ready for mosquito season by clearing my gutters. I can't stress enough how important it is to stay on top of this. #mosquito #mosquitoes #leaves #gutters

Helpful tips for dealing with mosquitoes this summer. Not only is the article full of excellent suggestions from experts, it's noteworthy that spraying yards with pyrethroids is never mentioned. That's likely because experts view it as a waste of money. Originally published in the Washington Post but repeated in the Philadelphia Inquirer. [gift link] #mosquitoes #delco #philadelphia #pennsylvania #pesticides #deet #thermacell #bti https://share.inquirer.com/AMxElB

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

Yesterday I decided to check my mini-pond for mosquito egg rafts and found 8. Two were easy to find (arrows) but the remainder were situated in little nooks obscured by plants. All Culex, I think. Each egg has a glossy apical cap filled with aggregation pheromones that induce other mosquitoes to oviposit. Pond is dosed regularly with Bti so I'm not worried about the eggs I've missed. #mosquitoes #culex #insects #diptera #pond #macrophotography

In yard-work mode today but getting distracted by insects that are just begging to be photographed. E.g., gorgeous rafts of mosquito eggs floating around in the mini pond. #insects #mosquitoes #photography #ponds

This is horrifying. I think only Connecticut has banned automated pesticide fogging systems. #pesticides #mosquitoes #butterflies #bees #pyrethroids #insects

White-dotted mosquito (Culex restuans) that I reared from an egg raft. The scales that form the white dots on the scutum can fall off over time but in a newly-eclosed adult like this an ID is pretty easy. They feed almost exclusively on birds, but sometimes on mammals and thus are one route for transmission of West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis. I think that because of their fondness for birds they are largely up in the tree canopy and thus whole-yard (i.e., ground-level) fogging with pyrethroids is totally ineffective. #virus #wnv #disease #mosquitoes #culex #birds #nature #inaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/359353002

Found two dozen mosquito egg rafts in the mini-pond today. All Culex, I think, and all oviposited overnight. I really need to set up a camera trap to record them in the act. #pond #diptera #mosquitoes #culex #culicidae #water #biology

For anyone in the United States who has tried the Spartan Mosquito Eradicator or the Spartan Mosquito Pro Tech, you can now leave a review about the company on Trustpilot. Or you can just visit the link to read mine. #psa #scam #mosquito #mosquitoes #hattiesburg #mississippi https://www.trustpilot.com/review/spartanmosquito.com