How do I keep mosquitoes off my porch?
July 9, 2015 6:36 AM Subscribe
We have a nice back porch but I am constantly bitten by mosquitoes when I sit on it, especially in the evening. We're in a city but there's a tree growing up through the porch and I think that makes the whole porch buggier. I do not want to be bitten by mosquitoes anymore.
I've got a citronella candle but it really doesn't seem to help (maybe the range is just too small -- I sit right next to it but I stretch out my legs and my feet get all bitten up). I usually sit outside for ten to fifteen minutes at a time but sometimes I'm there for a couple of hours. I don't want to cover myself in bug spray every time I go outside. What's the easiest, not-too-expensivest way to make my porch, or at least my skin, mosquito-free? The porch isn't huge and it's at second-floor level.
I've got a citronella candle but it really doesn't seem to help (maybe the range is just too small -- I sit right next to it but I stretch out my legs and my feet get all bitten up). I usually sit outside for ten to fifteen minutes at a time but sometimes I'm there for a couple of hours. I don't want to cover myself in bug spray every time I go outside. What's the easiest, not-too-expensivest way to make my porch, or at least my skin, mosquito-free? The porch isn't huge and it's at second-floor level.
Southerner here: Fan, fan, fan. Hopefully you have an electricity source nearby or on the porch. Overhead ceiling fans aren't that great unless it's on a low ceiling. Those high-powered little ones you mount up in a corner are where it's at--you just point it right at where you're sitting and mosquitoes get blown away. Or just buy one of those huge rolling fans if you have $300 bucks and don't care about aesthetics.
posted by resurrexit at 6:38 AM on July 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by resurrexit at 6:38 AM on July 9, 2015 [6 favorites]
Yep, fan. Mosquitos are poor fliers and get blown away easily by fans.
posted by erst at 6:44 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by erst at 6:44 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
This clip-on mosquito repellent fan works pretty well, and doesn't require putting any bug spray on yourself.
posted by neushoorn at 6:49 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by neushoorn at 6:49 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Check the area and remove all opportunities for standing water. That's where the mozzies come from.
posted by pompomtom at 6:56 AM on July 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by pompomtom at 6:56 AM on July 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
A fan helps tremendously. Mosquitos tend to be most active at twilight so as enjoyable as watching the sunset is it's also the worst time for bugs. Seconding check for standing water (don't forget clogged gutters) but since some types of mosquitos can fly for miles to feed that will only accomplish so much.
I don't really get how the tree can be growing through the balcony but is there any way to screen yourself in? Screen material is cheap and you can just stick it on with a staple gun if the structure you're in is the right shape? You'd still get the fresh air, etc...
Worth noting that those high frequency noise things apparently don't really work. The buzzing bug zappers are also apparently not very effective at killing biting insects and may in fact kill beneficial bugs.
posted by Wretch729 at 7:18 AM on July 9, 2015
I don't really get how the tree can be growing through the balcony but is there any way to screen yourself in? Screen material is cheap and you can just stick it on with a staple gun if the structure you're in is the right shape? You'd still get the fresh air, etc...
Worth noting that those high frequency noise things apparently don't really work. The buzzing bug zappers are also apparently not very effective at killing biting insects and may in fact kill beneficial bugs.
posted by Wretch729 at 7:18 AM on July 9, 2015
Have you tried the Off unscented bug spray? It comes in a white bottle with an orange cap. I am also a mosquito magnet and this stuff seems to work just as well as the nastier sprays, but it smells and feels WAAAAY better, to the point that I wouldn't mind putting it on for short jaunts.
Maybe also put a bat house in your yard? Help out some bats and they will eat all your bugs!
posted by nakedmolerats at 8:06 AM on July 9, 2015
Maybe also put a bat house in your yard? Help out some bats and they will eat all your bugs!
posted by nakedmolerats at 8:06 AM on July 9, 2015
"Maybe also put a bat house in your yard? Help out some bats and they will eat all your bugs!"
I so wish this were true, but according to this and this, bats do eat mosquitoes, but don't eat enough to make much difference in how often you are bitten.
posted by H21 at 8:20 AM on July 9, 2015
I so wish this were true, but according to this and this, bats do eat mosquitoes, but don't eat enough to make much difference in how often you are bitten.
posted by H21 at 8:20 AM on July 9, 2015
Mosquito coils are very effective. There are apparently some risks from the smoke but that's mostly to do with burning them in enclosed spaces. For outdoor use, they would appear to be a good choice.
posted by h00py at 8:51 AM on July 9, 2015
posted by h00py at 8:51 AM on July 9, 2015
I didn't think ThermaCells would really work until I bought one. I can take it anywhere and not be bothered by mosquitoes - garden, blackberry picking or just on our patio. They work and last. I usually buy the bulk pack of refills at the beginning of summer. I bought a second one as a backup and have never taken it out of the box.
posted by bellastarr at 9:15 AM on July 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by bellastarr at 9:15 AM on July 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
As far as fans go, it's an intersecting cross breeze that you want. Fans blowing only one direction don't seem as effective, but blowing at each other creates a nice anti bug vortex.
That being said, I hate being blown at by fans all over the place. If you can tolerate it, burning a big hunk of sage along with the citronella helps quite a bit. If you're more tolerant of aromatic smoke than forced air, it's worth a try.
posted by zinful at 9:50 AM on July 9, 2015
That being said, I hate being blown at by fans all over the place. If you can tolerate it, burning a big hunk of sage along with the citronella helps quite a bit. If you're more tolerant of aromatic smoke than forced air, it's worth a try.
posted by zinful at 9:50 AM on July 9, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks so much for the suggestions! I will invest in a fan and look into the ThermaCell.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:10 AM on July 9, 2015
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:10 AM on July 9, 2015
Seconding the efficiency of ThermaCells. They're designed to make it easy to leave them on/out and blow though refills and carts so you need to be kind of disciplined about turning them off and sealing them back up when you're done, but I am shocked at how effective they are.
The most effective thing we've done to make our back porch/yard usable has been to sign up for a recurring Mosquito Squad visit where they deploy a few sprays that last for several weeks. We're pretty ambivalent about it given the possible impact on bees but it is literally the difference between a yard my wife cannot spend any time in and extended outdoor dinners. If you decide to try them I think I can refer you and that gets you a small discount; let me know.
posted by phearlez at 10:13 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
The most effective thing we've done to make our back porch/yard usable has been to sign up for a recurring Mosquito Squad visit where they deploy a few sprays that last for several weeks. We're pretty ambivalent about it given the possible impact on bees but it is literally the difference between a yard my wife cannot spend any time in and extended outdoor dinners. If you decide to try them I think I can refer you and that gets you a small discount; let me know.
posted by phearlez at 10:13 AM on July 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I just saw this interesting post:
My experience was different - between two neighboors, I had 12 to 16 chickens running around my yard. They ate the weeds out of the underbrush but left the grass alone, and took the mosquito population from a gazillion to zero in one season. It was great! It's been a few years since I lived there so I can't say how it looks now, though.
posted by mibo at 1:46 AM on August 4 [+] [!]
posted by H21 at 3:07 AM on August 4, 2015
My experience was different - between two neighboors, I had 12 to 16 chickens running around my yard. They ate the weeds out of the underbrush but left the grass alone, and took the mosquito population from a gazillion to zero in one season. It was great! It's been a few years since I lived there so I can't say how it looks now, though.
posted by mibo at 1:46 AM on August 4 [+] [!]
posted by H21 at 3:07 AM on August 4, 2015
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posted by 6ATR at 6:38 AM on July 9, 2015 [7 favorites]