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 Post subject: Mike Modano & Mosquitos
PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:04 am 
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Location: Prosper,TEXAS
Mike Modono is about to install a $7000 mosquito system in his home. I thought the pyrethrins harm the benefical insects too. He does not want to go that route if that's true. I thought I read that in an old article by Howard in DMN but can't find it in the archives. Is that true or not?


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 10:17 am 
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Location: Garland, Texas
sreeves

HG does not recommend products with pyrethrins which are synthetic forms of pyrethrum the natural derivitive. The overuse or indiscriminate use of any insecticide, natural or otherwise, can harm the beneficials.

I am not familiar with these mosquito systems. I really don't have a recommendation one way or the other.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2003 7:20 am 
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Yes, of course pyrethrin will harm beneficial insects, and aquatic organisms as well. More importantly, the system most assuredly contains piperonyl butoxide as a synergist (there usually is way more PBO than pyrethrin in the mixtures). I don't believe the effect that PBO has on the livers of any mammals in the area is a good thing. Another goofy thing about the mosquito mister companies is that they have a variety of recipes and appear willing to change the formula. One of the first changes I would expect is to see them add permethrin, which is a fairly bad thing to be misting in the open environment and can be deadly to cats. One of the problems is that most homeowners don't know what the effects of the various ingredients are or even what the ingredients are. If they did, they probably wouldn't use them at all. Bluntly put, the commercial mister systems should not be used.

Now, the typical fine print in the mosquito mister companies' promo is that the system repels the mosquitoes. So, why don't they use garlic tea in the misters, which is a proven repellent? I think the answer is two fold. First, they don't think they could sell it (maybe it has an aroma, maybe it's hard to convince the public that it works, the companies that make the systems haven't tried to adapt it to garlic, or maybe the people that run the companies are too ignorant to consider garlic). Second, and unfortunately, some dopes patented garlic as a mosquito repellent. How they overcame the vast body of prior art and usage is beyond me, but maybe nobody mentioned it. Anyway, the prospect of a patent may scare off the commercial applicators, but it alone should not deter home users. As to the mechanics of using garlic in an automatic mister, that might be a different story and a research job. I would say that anyone who insists on using a mister repellent setup should use garlic; I'd bet that is as or more effective than the toxic formulas in that usage.

As for the reference to pyrethrin being synthetic derivatives, I believe Mr. Clean meant "pyrethroids." As usually used, the term "pyrethrin" is the naturally derived substance. By the way, permethrin is a (synthetic) pyrethroid.

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 Post subject: Mosquito Repellant
PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 1:08 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 21, 2003 5:33 pm
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Location: Dallas,TX
Why not use a citronella product? Skeeter D'Feeter is something I have used quite a lot and you can get a concentrate at any of the Dallas area Lowe's stores and lots of other stores that sell organic products. It will kill larvae and adult mosquitoes, it does have a drawback of repelling beneficial bees & wasps, but it is far, far less toxic than pyrethins and much better smelling than garlic. I bet with a little work they could figure out how to use it in those mister systems. Garlic is great and I spray it on my plants when necesary but let's face it, folks, it's better in food and in you than on your skin. Citronella has a lemony smell....much preferred by everyone in my yard!


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 1:26 pm 
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Posts: 1278
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
sreeves wrote:
Mike Modono is about to install a $7000 mosquito system in his home. I thought the pyrethrins harm the benefical insects too. He does not want to go that route if that's true. I thought I read that in an old article by Howard in DMN but can't find it in the archives. Is that true or not?

Enzyme11 and Mr. Clean are right. You can help him save a lot of money and the beneficials by recommending the Mosquito Magnet.
http://www.mosquitomagnet.com/

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