Ask HN: Does anything work against mosquitoes? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Does anything work against mosquitoes?

5 pointsstiray13 comments

Due to the mild winter, those little flying annoyances became a real pain (garden)

I was reading about different "traps", repellants etc. but everything is so clogged with ad posts that I cant get an answer that I could trust. A lot of methods look like snake oil...

Before I use my old EOS, infra-red led, laptop, laser and servo motors (:D) and start a high tech war against them (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Ex2ZIWWog), I would like to ask HN if anyone knows a working method to get rid of them (an electric racket is a fun method and it works but just needs too much work)

To share a tip, vacuum cleaner works great for inhouse before sleep, but again useless for outside.

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Hello from the nordics where flying annoyances seem to always be in season one way or another. Mosquitoes are attracted by CO2, so this type of system is working pretty well if you need to cover more space (link in Swedish): https://www.bauhaus.se/myggfangaremosquito-magnet-pioneer

It's basically a gas bottle that produces CO2 mixed with some chemical that attracts them, then "vacuums" them up once they get close. Covers up to 4000 square meters.

I’ll note that the products work but reviews and feedback generally are that the products break/need maint pretty easily and regularly.

Layers of clothes, face net, skin so soft oil, increased vitamin C, fans or other moving air, citronella candles, Bug zappers / collectors, used lint dryer sheets, enclose the area in netting, get a bat box to encourage roosting...

I am def interested in a smart laser. Add tue ability to target wasps and I may be interested enough to dive into that.

Remove standing water, keep your lawn mowed short, remove brush. This will reduce their breeding area. Any standing water not able to be eliminated should be treated with BTI.

Then you can wear long shirt/pants covered in a repellent, such as DEET. This works if you are moving around a lot. They even have mesh head nets.

If staying I come place, you can treat the area (lawn) with diluted garlic oil which can last 2 weeks. You can also use a heated permethrin device, which creates a 15' radius free of mosquitos. You can use traps that emit CO2 or electric bug zappers to also reduce the population in an area.

I reckon that mosquito coils work for indoor. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-19/mosquito-coils-do-the... Outside you should try to prevent water collecting where possible or using `meths' (methylated spirits) to cover the surface of the water. Helps to prevent them reproducing. BTW it's only the females that bite!

Get a mosquito net for your bed, and screens on doors and windows. Fans facing you (ex: watching TV) is good for preventing bites inside.

For outside, covering yourself with clothing is the most effective. The only two repellents shown effective in trials AFAIK are DEET and picaridin. Picaridin is much safer so use that.

Also it’s good to be aware of feeding time. In my area the species of mosquito feeds at dusk, so I’m never outside at that time.

> I would like to ask HN if anyone knows a working method to get rid of them

Not that but I can answer the question from the title:

> Ask HN: Does anything work against mosquitoes?

Don’t bother with their presence. As soon as you feel an itch, apply something like this [1] for six seconds, repeat, then forget about it. I’ve had mine for over twelve years and it still works every time.

[1] https://takethebiteaway.com

This answer might be ok for some regions, but is not a good answer globally. Zika, west nile, chickenguya (sp?), malaria, EEE, etc are real health concerns in many parts of the world.

Fair point.

Mosquitoes breed by laying eggs on water surfaces, so you want to minimize stagnant water surfaces. Drain out any still or non-flowing water in your garden. Clear out tall grass, and just generally ensure there's no place for water to collect.

You can try mosquito repelling plants like lavender or citronella. You should ask your local shop what grows best in your area.

Deet

Use a fan.

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