All natural low-tech mosquito killing machine

[murray]

File this away for next summer!

----------------------------------------------
How to build a Mosquito trap.

Materials Needed:

2L plastic soda bottle
50gms brown sugar
1gm yeast
Thermometer
Measure cup
Knife
Black paper

http://forums.permaculture.org.au/images/mosquito1.jpg

1. Cut the top of the bottle as shown

2. Put 200ml hot water in the bottle, stir with 50gram brown sugar. Put the sugar water in cold water to cool it down til 40C (temperature).

They use a bigger container with cold water - put the small cup that they use to make sugar water in that container and that stick is a thermometer because they want the sugar water to cool down to 40C (temperature).

3. After cooling down, put the sugar water in the bottle then add the yeast. No need to mix the yeast with the sugar water. When yeast ferments, it creates carbon dioxide.

http://forums.permaculture.org.au/images/mosquito2.jpg

4. When you cut the bottle, dont throw the top part away because that’d be needed for step 4 - you see they put the top upside down to fit into the bottle.

Carbon dioxide will be released from where we drink the bottle so make sure to seal the edge.

5. Put black paper around the bottle since mosquitos like dark places and carbon dioxide. This mosquito trap will then start working.
Mosquitos fly around the corner, so the best place to place the trap is at some dark corner.

TIPS: Put the trap in some dark and humid place for 2 weeks, you’ll see the effect. You’ll have to replace the sugar water + yeast solution every 2 weeks.

Here’s a link to the original Flickr photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/naruwan/151675034/in/photostream/).

[Michaelangelica]

Great idea thanks.

Have you heard of progesterone attracting mosquitoes?

[Douglas J.E. Barnes]

I had the same idea as this but using dry ice. This method is much better!

[Michaelangelica]

Murry,
This is such an important idea
When you talk to people about mosquito attractants they shake their heads and say they have enough mosquitoes thank you.
They don't understand the concept of attracting, then killing mosquitoes. Mostly they want repellents. Attractants are the way to go. The apple rather than the stick if you like.

I noticed my local hardware shop promoting alight attracting mosquito trap.
unfortunately this kills ALL insect good and bad.

The UN is now encouraging African nations to spray mosquito nets, the inside walls of houses with DDT (made by?(some multinational) in India) every 6-12 months.
(This stuff has a half-life of 18 years and even what is breaks down into is dangerous.)
This DDT will eventually end up in our backyards.

Have you thought of using other attractants for the trap
Do a google sea ch or alert and you will find many

Malaria is THE biggest health problem on the planet and we need some inventive organic solution before Big $ destroy the environment
--
Michael

[Tezza]

You dont have A mozzie Problem You hve A Frog Shortage

Tezza

[Michaelangelica]

Source: University Of Mississippi
Scientists Confirm Folk Remedy Repels Mosquitoes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 091932.htm (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/07/060703091932.htm)

And with warnings about West Nile virus and other insect-borne
diseases out, keeping the pests away has taken on new urgency.

"My grandfather would cut branches with the leaves still on them and
crush the leaves, then he and his brothers would stick the branches
between the harness and the horse to keep deerflies, horseflies and
mosquitoes away," said Charles T. Bryson, an ARS botanist in
Stoneville, Miss. "I was a small child, maybe 7 or 8 years old, when
he told me about the plant the first time. For almost 40 years, I've
grabbed a handful of leaves, crushed them and rubbed them on my skin
with the same results."

Bryson told his supervisor about the folklore repellent, and in 2004
the USDA-ARS at the UM natural products research center began
investigating the beautyberry plant as a potential natural insect
repellent.

Charles Cantrell, an ARS chemist in Oxford, and Jerry Klun, an ARS
entomologist in Beltsville, Md., confirmed that the natural remedy
wards off biting insects, such as ticks, ants and mosquitoes: "I've
rubbed the leaves on my arms, and it works," Cantrell said.

-- Has any body grown "American beautyberry, (Callicarpa americana) please?
What area/zone does it grow in please?

[Michaelangelica]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4738698.stm

Frog 'key to mosquito repellents'
Mosquito
The malaria parasite is spread by mosquitoes
A bottle-green Australian frog may hold the key to future mosquito repellents, a study says.

A University of Adelaide team found the secretions of the dumpy tree frog are effective at warding off mosquitoes.

Researchers found mice given the secretions remained bite-free for four times longer than those not, the Biology Letters journal reported.

But experts said such repellents would only have a limited effect in fighting malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes.


Many aspects of frog chemical ecology remain unexplored
University of Adelaide researchers

Researchers chose to investigate frogs because previous research had uncovered that their secretions can act as powerful painkillers and hallucinogens.

The team also found two other Australian species - the desert tree frog and Mjoberg's toadlet - released mosquito repellent odour from their skin, although their secretions were not tested on mice.

In the study, mice given the secretions from the dumpy tree frog remained bite-free for around 50 minutes compared to 12 minutes for an untreated group.

[Michaelangelica]

This sounds too good to be true.
I know male mosquitoes are supposed to suck sap from trees - so would you be only killing males?
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_ ... 161660B252 (http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=qw1158671161660B252)
Mosquitoes' sugar lust could curb malaria

September 19 2006 at 08:21PM

Jerusalem - Mosquitoes' thirst for sugar could help kill the pests and eradicate the malaria they spread, scientists in Israel said on Tuesday.

Yosef Schlein and Gunter Muller of Jerusalem's Hebrew University said they wiped out virtually the entire mosquito population of a southern Israeli oasis by spraying a sugar solution mixed with "Spinosad" insecticide on acacia trees.

"The mosquitoes are about 30 times more attracted to the acacia than other plant life," Schlein said, explaining why that particular tree was chosen.

Acacias are also common in Africa, where malaria has been on the rise due to environmental changes, drug resistance and mosquito resistance to conventional insecticides, according to the researchers' study published in scientific journals.

Other blossoms in areas where acacia trees are not common could also be sprayed with a sugar solution and Spinosad, described in the study as safer than microbial and chemical insecticides currently used against mosquitoes.

The planting of mosquito-attracting "floral centres" could provide a "relatively easy and cheap method that in suitable regions can supplement the limited arsenal against mosquitoes", the researchers wrote.

[Michaelangelica]

The Biology award went to a group that showed a species of mosquito is equally attracted to people's stinky feet as to Limburger cheese.

They hit on using the cheese, famed for smelling of old musty shoes, after their earlier work found that the mosquitoes preferred to bite people's feet.

The work is not frivolous, however.

The researchers hope that the cheese will be useful for luring mosquitoes into traps. Once captured, they can be studied with the aim of stopping malaria, which mosquitoes spread.

Medical entomologist Bart Knols of Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands, who accepted the award, said, "Beat malaria, and eat Limburger!"
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... els_2.html (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061006-ignobels_2.html)
(Australians from CSIRO won the maths prize)

[scibuff]

Check it out

http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/a ... 2/DDT.html (http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/summ02/DDT.html)

The lies and hysteria spread to defend the DDT ban are typical of the irrationalist, anti-science wave which has virtually destroyed rational forms of discourse in our society. If you want to save science—and human lives—the fight to bring back DDT, now being championed by that very electable candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr., had better be at the top of your agenda.

Sixty million people have died needlessly of malaria, since the imposition of the 1972 ban on DDT, and hundreds of millions more have suffered from this debilitating disease. The majority of those affected are children. Of the 300 to 500 million new cases of malaria each year, 200 to 300 million are children, and malaria now kills one child every 30 seconds. Ninety percent of the reported cases of malaria are in Africa, and 40 percent of the world’s population, inhabitants of tropical countries, are threatened by the increasing incidence of malaria.

The DDT ban does not only affect tropical nations. In the wake of the DDT ban, the United States stopped its mosquito control programs, cutting the budgets for mosquito control and monitoring. Exactly as scientists had warned 25 years ago, we are now facing increases of mosquito-borne killer diseases—West Nile fever and dengue, to name the most prominent.

[Michaelangelica]

Check it out

http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/a ... 2/DDT.html (http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/summ02/DDT.html)

The lies and hysteria spread to defend the DDT ban are typical of the irrationalist, anti-science wave which has virtually destroyed rational forms of discourse in our society. If you want to save science—and human lives—the fight to bring back DDT, now being championed by that very electable candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr., had better be at the top of your agenda.

Funny, I have found the lies and misinformation on the pro-DDT-side of the fence; with scientists just putting around doing their reseach on DDT and the environment.
This is typical of the paranoic Conspiricy Theory approach and miss-information:-

Thus the merits and benefits of using DDT override those arguments by activists and environmentalists with a hidden agenda for selfish propaganda. Scientifically, DDT has been proved not to be carcinogenic ,mutagenic or teratogenic to man and that it does not have a deleterious effect on fish, birds, wildlife or estuarine organisms. This is courtesy of US Environmental Protection Agency report.
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/09oct06/edit ... comm1.html (http://www.timesnews.co.ke/09oct06/editorials/comm1.html)

You might like to read the actual report here:-
http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0147.htm
Here is just a very small part of it

DDT has been shown to act as a liver tumor promoter in rats initiated with 2-acetylaminofluorene, 2-acetamidophenanthrene or trans-4-acetylaminostilbene (Peraino et al., 1975; Scribner and Mottet, 1981; Hilpert et al., 1983).

DDT has produced both negative and positive responses in tests for genotoxicity. Positive responses have been noted in V79 mutation assays, for chromosome aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes, and for sister chromatid exchanges in V79 and CHO cells (Bradley et al., 1981; Rabello et al., 1975; Preston et al., 1981; Ray-Chaudhuri et al., 1982). In one study, DDT was reported to interact directly with DNA; this result was not confirmed in the absence of a metabolizing system (Kubinski et al., 1981; Griffin and Hill, 1978).

DDT is structurally related to the following chemicals which produce liver tumors in mice: DDE, DDD, dicofol and chlorobenzilate.

The slander of Rachel Carson continues (Some of it detailed in "Since Silent Spring")

As this thread suggests there are many ways of attacking mosquitos.
DDT has not been shown to be the best or even the cheapest.

You might like to join in the scientific debate here
http://forums.hypography.com/medical-sc ... be+used%3F (http://forums.hypography.com/medical-science/7705-ddt-should-used.html?highlight=DDT+Sould+it+be+used%3F)
or in this forum at
http://forums.permaculture.org.au/viewt ... hlight=ddt (http://forums.permaculture.org.au/viewtopic.php?t=3107&highlight=ddt)

[murray]

Dr Gordon Edwards is affiliated with an organization called the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH), which uses a veneer of science to obscure its anti-regulatory, pro-business position.

ACSH. according to the Congressional Quarterly's Public Interest Profiles, receivs more than 75 percent of its yearly funding from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

To sum up, nobody respectable has come out in support of DDT.

[Douglas J.E. Barnes]

Bingo, Murray. I always have and always will suffer from anti-public relations "hysteria."

Hill & Knowlton and Burson Marsteller go away - there are no dupes on this site, and we know your game.

[Michaelangelica]

arly funding from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
To sum up, nobody respectable has come out in support of DDT.
Good one Murray thanks for the support.
Although I am not sure of the US Corporate links with the two major DDT producers India and China. Perhaps they are worried about the 'blow back' effect on all the other chlorinated hydrocarbons. Dieldrin , Chlordane, Toxaphene etc that make even DDT look good.

I am not sure. . . but have I been called "respectable"?. . . I hope not! . . . It would be a first!

I was going to print out a copy of your mosquito trap post and give it to the local hardware/horse shop that sells bulk yeast. It might help them sell more yeast. Hope this is OK with you.?

[Richard on Maui]

michaelangelica, if you just went ahead and did it anyway, that would earn my respect!
seriously though, great idea...

[Michaelangelica]

An on-topic Quiz
This is from a gardening quiz at
http://www.dailymail.com/story/Life/+/2 ... this+quiz/ (http://www.dailymail.com/story/Life/+/2006100923/How+green+is+your+thumb%3F+Take+this+quiz/)
2. Which practice will help most to keep mosquitoes from laying eggs on your property?

a) Install a bug light.

b) Don't own a water feature.

c) Clean rain gutters twice in spring, once in summer and once in fall.

d) Spread an insecticide on the lawn.
ANSWER
2. Rain gutters are the most commonly overlooked moist sites on properties. Keep them clean for fewer mosquitoes.


(I wonder if bug lights would work if you had some yeast and suger bubbling in front of one? Still, they do kill a lot of non-target insects)

[murray]

I am not sure. . . but have I been called "respectable"?. . . I hope not! . . . It would be a first!

by respectable, i meant "not a paid shill" for industry.

i found this ingenious mosquito trap the other day: http://skeeterbag.com/

nothing needed except for the bag and he has trapped up to 25,000 mosquitoes in a single night!!!

awesome!

[Michaelangelica]

Keep those anti-mosquito remedies comming in
look at this!
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Displa ... 075827.xml (http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=India&month=October2006&file=World_News2006101075827.xml)

Over 1.3m suspected chikungunya cases
Web posted at: 10/10/2006 7:58:27
Source ::: IANS

new delhi � As dengue fever grips the country, another viral disease chikungunya is causing concern as over 1.3 million suspected cases have been reported across nine states.

Though Delhi has 28 suspected cases and seven confirmed cases, the worst hit is Karnataka with over 756,028 suspected cases and 294 confirmed cases of the disease.

Maharashtra has 262,595 suspected and 679 confirmed cases.

"The first cases were reported in December last year when we conducted surveys in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu," said N K Ganguly, director general of Indian Council of Medical Research.

"The total number of confirmed cases in the country stands at 1,533," he said. "There has been such a wide-scale spread of the virus after 32 years."

Ganguly said surveillance sites have been set up and "we are taking anti-larvae measures to stop the virus from spreading."

Meanwhile, dengue fever continued to spread across India yesterday as the toll reached 50 and the number of patients suffering from the mosquito-borne disease rose to 3,613, though authorities said there was no need to panic.

�The situation is expected to improve in the next few days,� said Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general N K Ganguly.

Caused by the bite of the female aedes aegypti mosquito which breeds in stagnant water, dengue is marked by high fever, skin rashes and joint pain. Sometimes, a sharp drop in blood platelet counts due to the disease can prove fatal.

(India is the major world producer of DDT along with China)

[Michaelangelica]

In addition to designing a pond to limit the mosquito habitat, stocking programs can include biological controls that utilize insect larvae in their diet.
Such species include "mosquito fish." These animals feed on insect larvae, and can be useful in reducing the number of larvae that develop into adults.

Residents of Baldwin County have a readily available source of mosquito fish (Gambusia) at the Baldwin County High School Aquaculture Facility in Bay Minette.
People who live within Baldwin County should call the school and arrange a time during school hours to stop by and pick up a few fish.

You will not need many as these native fish readily reproduce in ponds and will begin eating mosquito larvae immediately.
They survive our winters and will be ready next spring to begin controlling the pests as soon as they appear.
http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/b ... 3#continue (http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/baldwin.ssf?/base/news/1160558160239860.xml&coll=3#continue)

[Michaelangelica]

Anyone know anything about this?

Our Mosquito Control Rings contain Bt ‘Israelensis,’ a naturally occurring bacterium that kills mosquito larvae
http://gdma.be/updates/?p=562

Related to B. thungarensis used for killing catapillers? or the same thing?

[Douglas J.E. Barnes]

Bt is Bacillus thuringiensis, so Bt Israelensis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis_israelensis) (see link) would be a strain of it.

[Michaelangelica]

Bt is Bacillus thuringiensis, so Bt Israelensis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis_israelensis) (see link) would be a strain of it.
Do you think, Bacillus thuringiensis readily available in local nurseries as "Dipel"; would work just as well as a mosquito killer????

[Douglas J.E. Barnes]

I wish I had a decent answer. I only know what the mighty internet tells me, and it tells me that "Mosquito Dunks" and "Mosquito Bits" are the product names for the Bt Israelensis.

Dipel for caterpillers might work on 'squitters. I honestly, don't know. If is survives in water, it might.

If you try it out and it works, please let us know.

[christopher]

I had dengue fever in 1997, and I thought I was going to die.. and I couldn't have cared less. My joints all hurt, I was swimming in my own sweat, my eyes hurt, and the pnly thing worse than aasitting in bed all day was trying to sleep.

Mossie born ilnesses are problems in the humid tropics, especially where population densities are high. DDT is not the answer. I have never had malaria, because the vectors, other people, all live 2 miles from our farm. The dengue I cauight working in another village where I spent tiome in the village guest house.

Most of the communities I have worked in have malaria problems.

Michaelangelica and Murray, I think the limburger cheese, combined with the fan trap is obviously the best way to go..... we need to get funding to run trials here at MMRF....












































:lol:

[Jez]

You need to work on designing one which MUST use expresso coffee as part of the bait Chris. :lol:

[Michaelangelica]

Looks like a bit of commercial Blog.
Anyone got time to see if there is anything useful here?
http://www.trapshooting.directvdvr.org/ ... -trap.html (http://www.trapshooting.directvdvr.org/topless-crab-traps/homemade-mosquito-trap.html)

[Douglas J.E. Barnes]

Those style blogs must be made by a computer program. There is no way a person would many something so ugly and useless. Those things are the scorge of the internet. I always have to sift through dozens of those to find what I am looking for.

[christopher]

Maybe, Jez, but if I did use espresso as the bait, we run the risk of having the danged skeeters like the stuff, and they wouldn't EVER sleep!

[Jez]

:lol:

They might be so wired they forget to breed too...having shortened their lives dramatically.

Always looking for a minimally sly way for you to get an expresso via a grant. :wink:

[christopher]

Jez,

Good idea, and very worth conducting research on. I think we will need a high pressure steam sterilizer for the coffee grounds, with large capacity, like an espresso machine that makes 12 shots at a time... and to do this, we will need lots of coffee, so I need to start looking for corporate sponsorship for this project... a good, organic fairtrade company....

"One of the main issues of human health in developing countries in the lowland humid tropics are such vector born diseases as malaria and dengue fever. A potential ability to disrupt breeding cycles through alkaloid delivery with an eye to affect behaviours of the target vectors during the short breeding cycle of the anopheles mosquito, in the case of the illness malaria, and the aedes eagypti mosquito in the case of the illness dengue fever should be researched immediately.

Ability to target specific vestors will be tested, and reduced dosages will be applied to prey species, so the spiders can conduct feeding more hours of the day.

UNDP figures on malaria and Dengue show that blah blah, woof, woof....

The study will require several kilograms per month of well roasted carbon and nitrogen rich material, finely ground, heavily laced with the alkaloid caffeine, used, in conjunction with various other contraptions, to lure the mossies to a feeding area, where they will be trapped using sugar water and bottles, electric fans and other devices, and electrical current.....

The caffeine rich partially depleted coffee grounds will be tested for their ability to act to disrupt the normal life processes of the mosquito through a combination of lack of sleep and potential neurological damage, and as an attractant for various undetermined methods of mechanical and electrical destruction....

This study will be a continuos study, monitored by our neighbors, who will come over two or three times a week to have a cup of coffee and while away the morning talking about mosquitos... additional duties of the neighbors include assisting in creating the sterilixzed medium. The anticipated duration of this project is 7 years.

For this we request a monthly budget with a healthy per diem for the 4 organizers, the 8 staff members, a %5 contingency fund, funding for 57 gallons of diesel, additional funding to cover the accountant and the cook, along with 20 kilograms of organic fairtrade dark roast, um, alkaloid rich material. Apart from the afore mentioned monthly expenses, we anticipate such one time significant capital expenditure on infrastructure in the form of a high pressure steam sterilizer to sterilize the alkaloid rich material (with milk frother) at USD1299 (please see

http://www.wholelattelove.com/Gaggia/titanium.cfm ) , additional funding for a larger solar array and new battery bank to power the large, gleaming, gorgoues espres.... um, high pressure steam sterilizer....

Funding should also cover a severence package at the termination of the project, which will keep Christopher in coffee and DVDs for another year or so....

Research conducted at the facility will be shared freely and peer reviewed in such prestigous on line venues such as:
http://forums.permaculture.org.au/ and http://www.aussieslivingsimply.com.au/news.php.........

[Jez]

LOL...perfect!

[SueinWA]

Getting away from coffee, and back to Murray's original post here.....

The design of the soda bottle mosquite trap is actually quite brilliant, and caters to what mosquitoes find desirable.

Mosquitoes are attracted to:
Carbon dioxide (they can smell it 50 meters away)
Moist heat of the level produced by man and animals
Movement

So Murray's Mosquito Trap (MMT) actually has some science behind it. The sugar and yeast produce carbon dioxide, in a water base. This could be very effective especially in mosquito breeding areas.

Thank you, Murray!

Sue

[christopher]

A highly topical, um, topic. I just got diagnosed with malaria. First time I have ever had it with 21 years living in the tropics. I thought I was immune....

[SueinWA]

I'm sorry to hear that!

Is it really true that once you get it, you've always got it? :cry:

Sue

[Jez]

Geez, that's awful news Chris.

Best of luck coping with it...bugger of a thing to happen.

[Michaelangelica]

lol
Good one christopher
This site
http://mosquitocontrol.lifetips.com/
has lots of practical tips and info on mosquitoes eg

How Mosquito Traps Disrupt Feeding Females
The process of a mosquito questing for her blood meal involves a complex, interconnected cascade of behaviors, each probably having its own cues (be they visual, thermal, or olfactory).
The complexity of these questing behaviors may account for the bewildering variations in mosquito trap efficiency noted for certain species of mosquitoes at different times, seasons and places.
In other words, variations are so great that no one trap will work universally. The best way to find a mosquito trap that will work for you is to assess your specific needs and test various options available on the market until you find one that works for you.
and
has answers to these questions

Mosquito Control Frequently Asked Questions

How long have mosquitoes been around?

Why do female mosquitoes seek blood?

What are the life stages of a mosquito?

What do mosquitoes look like in non-adult stages?

How has West Nile virus affected the need for mosquito information?

Mosquitoes as disease vectors?

What do mosquitoes live?

How to female mosquitoes find their food?

How fast has West Nile virus spread?

What about equine West Nile virus?

What are some ways to control mosquito populations?

How can I keep mosquitoes out of the house?

Where do mosquitoes shelter when they rest?

How does nature control mosquitoes?

What insecticides are there for killing mosquito larvae?

Where can you find standing water where mosquitoes breed?

Can you use “germ warfare” to control mosquitoes?

Can you use acoustics to control mosquitoes?

What kind of approach is best to control mosquitoes?

How can tending shrubbery and lawns help control mosquitoes?

What safety issues are associated with bug zappers?

Do bug zappers target specific kinds of bugs?

Why do bug zappers catch so few mosquitoes?

Can bug zappers draw insects without killing them?

Why should I care about not killing non-pest insects?

What kinds of light best attract mosquitoes?

Can bug zappers create disease hazards?

How do skeeter vacs work?

How can skeeter vacs enhance their performance?

How long will a skeeter vac run?

Why have skeeter vacs gotten such positive reviews?

How fast can a skeeter vac collapse a local mosquito population?

How selective is a skeeter vac?

How can I maximize the performance of my skeeter vac?

How well do skeeter vacs work?

What is octenol and how does it work?

How should I place my skeeter vac?

What is oil of citronella?

Do ultrasonic mosquito repellers work?

Do citronella candles work?

How well do sprays and foggers keep mosquitoes down?

What is DEET and how effective a mosquito repellent is it?

How do I use mosquito repellent safely?

How should I apply mosquito repellent to children?

How good is a mosquito's sense of smell?

Are citronella flowers as effective at repelling mosquitoes as citronella oil?

What other natural mosquito repellents are there?

How are electronic mosquito killers different from bug zappers?

How does a mosquito killer work?

What supplies do I need to run a mosquito killer?

Where should I situate a mosquito killer?

Is an electronic mosquito killer a reasonable alternative to pesticides?

What should I consider when shopping for a mosquito killer?

How can placement of mosquito killer affect its effectiveness?

What advantages does an electronic mosquito killer have over a bug zapper?

What enhancements do electronic mosquito killer have to improve performance?

Can an electronic mosquito killer solve all your mosquito problems?

How is mosquito trap technology changing?

How do mosquito traps work?

How do CO2 mosquito traps work?

Do CO2 mosquito traps need maintenance?

What cues does a female mosquito use to find her blood meal?

What factors influence the performance of a mosquito trap?

Where can I find out more about mosquito control programs?

What unexpected problems can mosquito traps cause?

How effective is DEET as a mosquito repellent?

How does application influence the effectiveness of DEET?

Does garlic, vitamin b, or other natural foods make a person repellant to mosquitoes?

What is “mosquito barrier”, and does it work?

When are mosquitoes most active?

Does vitamin B work to prevent mosquito bites?

Does cedar act as a mosquito repellent?

How can sunscreen degrade the use of insect repellent?

Can clothing help prevent mosquito bites?

How should I use insect repellent with sunscreen?

How does a female mosquito bite?

How should I treat mosquito bites?

How can I relieve mosquito bite itch?

Can I use anti inflammatory for mosquito bite itch?

Are there natural mosquito bite remedies?

Why do mosquitoes bite?

Do mosquitoes bite other animals besides humans?

How doe mosquito bites effect their victims?

Why do mosquitoes seem more active in humid environments?

How sensitive are mosquito senses?

How do mosquito magnets work?

How effective are mosquito magnets?

What fuel can mosquito magnets use?

How does temperature influence mosquito activity?

How many mosquitoes can a mosquito magnet trap in a single night?

Are there differences in performance among mosquito traps?

What factors influence mosquito trap effectiveness?

What can change mosquito magnet effectiveness?

If I still see mosquitoes after getting a mosquito magnet, does that mean it isn't working?

[Michaelangelica]

Glowing mosquitoes created
Last updated: Thursday, October 13, 2005
Using a gene-altering technique, British scientists have created male mosquitoes with glowing gonads, which may help combat the spread of malaria.

The genetically modified male mosquitoes produce a green fluorescent protein in their gonads, making it easy to identify them at the larval stage, Bloomberg news reported. These laboratory-bred mosquitoes can then be sterilised and released into the wild, which would help reduce the mosquito population. Female mosquitoes, which mate only once before they die, are as likely to mate with infertile males as fertile males.
http://www.health24.com/news/Malaria/1-925,33499.asp
and

http://www.health24.com/news/Travel/1-953,38241.asp

Frog skin repels mozzies


Last updated: Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Certain tropical frogs may want flies to get close enough to eat, but not too close.
According to new research, the skin of these amphibians contains a powerful and natural mosquito repellent.

But that's only part of the story.

The repellent, a toxin dubbed pumiliotoxin 251d, is one of thousands of alkaloid chemicals on the skins of tropical frogs in central and South America, explained researcher John W. Daly, a scientist emeritus at the US National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), in Bethesda.
May fight autoimmune disease
"I'm interested in this compound because of suggestions that it might have value in finding a treatment for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes," Daly explained.

More to be explored
There are still more properties of the toxins to be explored, he said. "Certain of these alkaloids are antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral," Spande said. "Many of these frog skin alkaloids are being investigated in neurochemistry in blocking certain receptors."

[christopher]

Well, I am on medication, and feel much better. After 21 years, I thought I was immune ( :lol: ). I even said so a month ago, probably dooming me to my brief bout with complete misery.

[Michaelangelica]

More info on mosquitoes
I haven't read it but it looks interesting
http://www.safesolutionsinc.com/23_-_Mosquitoes.pdf

[TropicalRose]

We have a serious abundance of mosquitoes and frogs so I will be trying some of the ideas on here. One probably simplistic solution I have is to leave containers out in the rain and when they become rife with wrigglers I tip it out. I would rather they laid their eggs in these containers which I check nearly ever day rather than at the neighbours where things might not be checked so often. Funny enough, we still have an abundance of mozzies but we have heaps of frogs on our screen doors and windows and geckoes (love em) inside on the job.

[Michaelangelica]

There are about 20+ varieties of mosquito only the feamales of a 2-3 eat us.
The rest provide food for fish, frogs, etc and are part of the food chain, local ecology etc.,

Want to go into the Importing Business?
I found this in a Taiwan Trade Pages magazine I still get for some obscure reason
A mosquito trap by Lancer Biotech Co., Ltd.
http://www.dengue.ttnet.net
http://www.dengue.ttnet.net/search-bin/ ... 10230133sm (http://www.dengue.ttnet.net/search-bin/search.jsp?cartno=210.1.205.10230133sm)
http://www.dengue.ttnet.net/ttnet/gotop ... 339373.htm (http://www.dengue.ttnet.net/ttnet/gotoprd///0/941303135373339373.htm)

http://origin-images.ttnet.net/pi/eto/10/15/73/97/10157397-1.jpg
1. Highly effective in controlling mosquitoes
2. Eco-friendly
3. New invention that incorporates state-of-the-art
biochemistry technology
4. We care about your life and health. It's everyone's
responsibility to combat dengue fever.
5. 3-meter effective range
6. Consumes no electricity; safe to operate; operates 24
hours a day
7. The herbal mosquito-trapping liquid is made of natural
herbal extracts, produces no smoke, and causes no harm
to humans and animals. With state-of-the-art
technology, it emits a human-like odor to attract
mosquitoes. This product is effective, safe to use, and
eco-friendly.

I wonder how much it would cost to get here?

[TropicalRose]

Bump! Its summer.

[Michaelangelica]

It is too, crept up on us, it did

Is this any good
i only have dial up so can't view it

HOW FAR AWAY CAN A MOSQUITO DETECT YOUR PRESENCE
http://sry-world.blogspot.com/2007/12/h ... -your.html (http://sry-world.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-far-away-can-mosquito-detect-your.html)

[CRTreeDude]

Well, I tend to be someone who stinks enough (it is assumed) that mosquitos like anyone besides me. :lol:

Our solution? Bats, lots of them. I like bat houses all round our property. Keeping everything clean so there is no standing water is an important thing too.

I am setting up a aquaponics system - perhaps I will put trays out for mosquitos to breed and then just dump them in the aquaponics system once they get full of critters. Extra food for the fish.

[Michaelangelica]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 075659.htm (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/010828075659.htm)


Catnip Repels Mosquitoes More Effectively Than DEET

ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2001) — CHICAGO, August 27 — Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents.
See also:
Plants & Animals


The finding was reported today at the 222nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, by the same Iowa State University research group that two years ago discovered that catnip also repels cockroaches.

Entomologist Chris Peterson, Ph.D., with Joel Coats, Ph.D., chair of the university’s entomology department, led the effort to test catnip’s ability to repel mosquitoes. Peterson, a former post-doctoral research associate at the school, is now with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Wood Products Insects Research Unit, in Starkville, Miss.

While they used so-called yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) — one of several species of mosquitoes found in the United States — Peterson says catnip should work against all types of mosquitoes.

Aedes aegypti, which can carry the yellow fever virus from one host to another, is found in most parts of the United States. Yellow fever itself, however, only occurs in Africa and South America, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Vaccines and mosquito control programs have essentially wiped out the disease in the United States, although there have been isolated reports of unvaccinated travelers returning with the disease. The last reported outbreak in this country was in 1905.

Peterson put groups of 20 mosquitoes in a two-foot glass tube, half of which was treated with nepetalactone. After 10 minutes, only an average of 20 percent — about four mosquitoes — remained on the side of the tube treated with a high dose (1.0 percent) of the oil. In the low-dose test (0.1 percent) with nepetalactone, an average of 25 percent — five mosquitoes — stayed on the treated side. The same tests with DEET (diethyl-m-toluamide) resulted in approximately 40 percent to 45 percent — eight-nine mosquitoes — remaining on the treated side.

In the laboratory, repellency is measured on a scale ranging from +100 percent, considered highly repellent, to –100 percent, considered a strong attractant. A compound with a +100 percent repellency rating would repel all mosquitoes, while –100 percent would attract them all. A rating of zero means half of the insects would stay on the treated side and half on the untreated side. In Peterson’s tests, catnip ranged from +49 percent to +59 percent at high doses, and +39 percent to +53 percent at low doses. By comparison, at the same doses, DEET’s repellency was only about +10 percent in this bioassay, he notes.

Peterson says nepetalactone is about 10 times more effective than DEET because it takes about one-tenth as much nepetalactone as DEET to have the same effect. Most commercial insect repellents contain about 5 percent to 25 percent DEET. Presumably, much less catnip oil would be needed in a formulation to have the same level of repellency as a DEET-based repellent.

Why catnip repels mosquitoes is still a mystery, says Peterson. “It might simply be acting as an irritant or they don’t like the smell. But nobody really knows why insect repellents work.”

No animal or human tests are yet scheduled for nepetalactone, although Peterson is hopeful that will take place in the future.

If subsequent testing shows nepetalactone is safe for people, Peterson thinks it would not be too difficult to commercialize it as an insect repellent. Extracting nepetalactone oil from catnip is fairly easily, he says. “Any high school science lab would have the equipment to distill this, and on the industrial scale it’s quite easy.”

Catnip is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family and grows wild in most parts of the United States, although it also is cultivated for commercial use. Catnip is native to Europe and was introduced to this country in the late 18th century. It is primarily known for the stimulating effect it has on cats, although some people use the leaves in tea, as a meat tenderizer and even as a folk treatment for fevers, colds, cramps and migraines.

A patent application for the use of catnip compounds as insect repellents was submitted last year by the Iowa State University Research Foundation. Funding for the research was from the Iowa Agriculture Experiment Station.

Chris Peterson, Ph.D., is a former post-doctoral research associate at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and is now a Research Entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Wood Products Insect Research Service, in Starkville, Miss.

Joel R. Coats, Ph.D., is professor of entomology and toxicology and Chair of the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.

There are a ew catnips/catmint
The one that cats like, is a mint looking plant with white flowers and smelling of hospital corridors. Ffairly ugly compared to the ornamental garden varieties.

[ho-hum]

Hiya Michaelangelica,

Wotif I would rather have mossies than attract cats??

Only jesting.

How's the terra preta going? We need a new thread.

cheers,

[Michaelangelica]

there are two TP discussion threads
One on TP and global cooling warming and the other on technical/gardening/farming discussions
Both are on Yahoo Groups

Original Message -----
From: MFH
To: biochar@yahoogroups.com
_.___
Messages in this topic (52) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

Yahoo! Groups
Also there is a discussion group on hypography science forums and a" Blog" ? thread (s)which is becoming quite extensive at:-
http://hypography.com/forums/terra-preta.html

Two new books are planned to be published on TP shortly.

No one in the Oz government seems to have slightest interest.
If Carbon credits come in, family farmers stand to make a fortune, but everyone has their head in the sand.

On mosquitoes see
http://hypography.com/forums/medical-sc ... itoes.html (http://hypography.com/forums/medical-science/11868-controlling-mosquitoes.html)

Warmest wishes
m

[ho-hum]

Hiya Michaelangelica.

This interests me...
No one in the Oz government seems to have slightest interest.
If Carbon credits come in, family farmers stand to make a fortune, but everyone has their head in the sand.

So if somehow all current and past landholders in Australia-particularly, family farmers ''stand to make a fortune''.... wow.. how??... Obviously, they are doing something now that will make them a lot of money. I am not a family farmer but please share, otherwise these 'family farms' will be either be sold to the corporates or broken up. I tend to see the 'family farmers' as being products of past government policies and inequities. Those that survived have generally not adopted govt. policies past the useful, what they have done in the past 25 years is try and sort out sustainability and what it means to them.

Fair go. Aussie farmers have always been reactive and cynical of government policy. What it says is they have recognised issues of sustainability LONG before the aussie govt has.

Anyway, you seem to have information that differs from this. Let us hear it.

Post anything that supports either of these contentions. I do not mean to obfuscate but we need clarification.

cheers,

[Michaelangelica]

Carbon credits/trading system
If you make carbon you pay (industry coal etc)
if you sequester carbon you get credits.
All this can be traded on a stock market type system

Charcoal buried in the soil sequesters CO2 for thousands of years apart from the many benefits to soil fertility etc.
Just owning land is going to be a gold mine.
The Country/National/liberal//Greens/Labor parties seem blissfully unaware of the implications of carbon/charcoal sequestration in the soil.
Tim Flannery and others have tried to tell them but no-one is listening.

[Michaelangelica]

There are many (50?) types of mosquito that do nothing but feed frogs and fish

Possibly the best control is BT Isralensis a bacteria that kills many.

But do we know what we are doing?

[quote:8wri225m]
finger on the trigger, the fingers of my other hand gripped around my wrist ....

And lower the gun. I can't do it. I cannot slay my enemy. Sure, I'd killed many during the summer, but only in self-defense as they besieged me. But this was premeditated murder. All God's creatures.

And could the mosquito help being a mosquito? Think of its previous lives, the ultra-bad Karma coming back in such fashion, detested by everyone on the planet. I believe the great writer D.H. Lawrence once wrote a poem about mosquitoes, in which he declared that they suck blood out of need, which is better and more moral than plutocrats hoarding money in the bank. Yeah, he said that ... and I agree.

I didn't shoot the mosquito, I didn't shoot myself, I didn't shoot anything. I sat down in my chair, picked up the book, the mosquito came near, sniffed, and staggered slowly away. Maybe the rash repelled it, but I like to think some kind of transaction or communion occurred, some mysterious bond. Stupid, I know, but since when is wise ever very wise? [/quote:8wri225m]
http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1296732.html

[cycloanarchist]

I have been testing Dipel (Bacillus thurungiensis) for 2 years, in garden ponds and a bird bath. It kills mosquito larvae very effectively. The beauty of it is that the mosqitos lay their eggs in your thurungiensis innoculated pond thinking it is a great place to raise more mosquitos. This means they are not laying them somewhere else, like your roof gutters. The eggs hatch, but the larvae do not thrive. They just limp around and eventually die. One innoculation of a sachet of Dipel lasts forever. Even when I have washed out my cement birdbath, the bacillus persists.
Dipel is very available at any garden store or hardware store as a natural catterpiller killer, unlike "Mosquito Dunks", which is the closely related Bacillus Thurengiensis variety Israeliensis.

[Michaelangelica]

The bacillis used for mosquitoes O/S is B. Isralenesis. I dint know ordinary dipel worked as well
(You can produce more "dipel" by leaving a sachet in warm, sweet water for a bit. Add a bit of agar gel too, if you like.

it worries me that there are over 30 varieties of mosquito, and less than 10% bite man (and only the females too!).
Mosquito larvae must form an important link in the food chain for fish and frogs?
Are we just causing problems with aquatic animals by our shot gun approch ?

I despair of the 'Bug Lamps' sold by the pallet load at Bunnings et al.
These kill every insect attracted to the light--good or bad.


“Mosquito control technique – useful tip!

If you have lemon flavoured dishwashing liquid, just pour a few drops into a white dinner plate filled with a little water. Set the dish on your porch, patio, picnic table, park bench or any outdoor area. The mosquitoes will flock to it and drop dead shortly after drinking the mixture.”

My friend added that it helps control the number of mosquitoes around your home and is especially good if you have pets and young children.
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?f ... undaymetro (http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/3/1/sundaymetro/3346077&sec=sundaymetro)
I thought lemon scented things like citronella grass repelled mosquitoes?

[Michaelangelica]

Queens-landers ( and others) may need this soon.

BTW
Coptis Chinensis has been shown to be an effective treatment of dengue virus,
SEE
Identification of palmatine as an inhibitor of West Nile virus
Jia F., Zou G., Fan J., Yuan Z.
Archives of Virology 2010 155:8 (1325-1329)


Palmatine is a protoberberine alkaloid found in several plants including Phellodendron amurense, Rhizoma coptidis/Coptis Chinensis and Corydalis yanhusuo. Enantia chlorantha.[

This compound could potentially be developed for the treatment of flavivirus infections[4
WIKI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmatine

[Grasshopper]

Recently, lemon eucalyptus oil has been scientifically tested and shown to be an effective repellent for mosquitoes, possibly as effective as some repellents containing the more commonly used compounds (DEET and picaridin). Lemon eucalyptus oil is a modified natural oil from the Eucalyptus Citriodora tree (Lemon scented gum), and it may be available in some 'natural' insect repellents.

I take vitamin B1 daily it has helped with skeeters and sand flies I still get bitten but nowhere near as much as I used to
They love me and can find me anywhere.
When in India every restaurant had either a ceiling fan or fans blowing under the tables I never got bitten.
Im also going to plant cat mint as an understory plant everywhere

[eco4560]

Do you mean lemon myrtle? Backhousia citriodora.

[Grasshopper]

From what I can gather its lemon scented gum or spotted gum Corymbia citriodora

http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/euclid3/euclidsample/html/Corymbia_citriodora.htm

[eco4560]

That's a pity. I have a backhousia. Was hoping that I could make a fortune selling oil!

[permasculptor]

catnip 10 times better than DEET
http://www.herbalpedia.com/blog/?tag=catnip

[Grasshopper]

I was going to plant a bit around the edges of my paths and near my barbie and see how it goes

[Michaelangelica]

bump

[Pakanohida]

Check it out

http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/a ... 2/DDT.html (http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/summ02/DDT.html)


I regret to inform you that DDT is not only bad, it's a crime against humanity & championing its cause really has no place anywhere IMO.

DDT despite being an insecticide is also a killer of fish, birds, mammals and yes, the most arrogant of all mammals, humans.


Effects on human health

Potential mechanisms of action on humans are genotoxicity and endocrine disruption. DDT may be directly genotoxic,[45] but may also induce enzymes to produce other genotoxic intermediates and DNA adducts.[45] It is an endocrine disruptor; The DDT metabolite DDE acts as an antiandrogen (but not as an estrogen). p,p'-DDT, DDT's main component, has little or no androgenic or estrogenic activity.[45] Minor component o,p'-DDT has weak estrogenic activity.
[edit] Acute toxicity

DDT is classified as "moderately toxic" by the United States National Toxicology Program (NTP)[46] and "moderately hazardous" by the World Health Organization (WHO), based on the rat oral LD50 of 113 mg/kg.[47] DDT has on rare occasions been administered orally as a treatment for barbiturate poisoning.[48]
[edit] Chronic toxicity
[edit] Diabetes

DDT and DDE have been linked to diabetes. A number of studies from the US, Canada, and Sweden have found that the prevalence of the disease in a population increases with serum DDT or DDE levels.[49][50][51][52][53][54]
[edit] Developmental toxicity

DDT and DDE, like other organochlorines, have been shown to have xenoestrogenic activity, meaning they are chemically similar enough to estrogens to trigger hormonal responses in animals. This endocrine disrupting activity has been observed in mice and rat toxicological studies, and available epidemiological evidence indicates that these effects may be occurring in humans as a result of DDT exposure. The US Environmental Protection Agency states that DDT exposure damages the reproductive system and reduces reproductive success. These effects may cause developmental and reproductive toxicity:

A review article in The Lancet states, "research has shown that exposure to DDT at amounts that would be needed in malaria control might cause preterm birth and early weaning ... toxicological evidence shows endocrine-disrupting properties; human data also indicate possible disruption in semen quality, menstruation, gestational length, and duration of lactation."[23]
Human epidemiological studies suggest that exposure is a risk factor for premature birth and low birth weight, and may harm a mother's ability to breast feed.[55] Some 21st century researchers argue that these effects may increase infant deaths, offsetting any anti-malarial benefits.[56] A 2008 study, however, failed to confirm the association between exposure and difficulty breastfeeding.[57]
Several recent studies demonstrate a link between in utero exposure to DDT or DDE and developmental neurotoxicity in humans. For example, a 2006 University of California, Berkeley study suggests that children exposed while in the womb have a greater chance of development problems,[58] and other studies have found that even low levels of DDT or DDE in umbilical cord serum at birth are associated with decreased attention at infancy[59] and decreased cognitive skills at 4 years of age.[60] Similarly, Mexican researchers have linked first trimester DDE exposure to retarded psychomotor development.[61]
Other studies document decreases in semen quality among men with high exposures (generally from IRS).[62][63][64]
Studies generally find that high blood DDT or DDE levels do not increase time to pregnancy (TTP.)[65] There is some evidence that the daughters of highly exposed women may have more difficulty getting pregnant (i.e. increased TTP).[66]
DDT is associated with early pregnancy loss, a type of miscarriage. A prospective cohort study of Chinese textile workers found "a positive, monotonic, exposure-response association between preconception serum total DDT and the risk of subsequent early pregnancy losses."[67] The median serum DDE level of study group was lower than that typically observed in women living in homes sprayed with DDT.[68]
A Japanese study of congenital hypothyroidism concluded that in utero DDT exposure may affect thyroid hormone levels and "play an important role in the incidence and/or causation of cretinism."[69] Other studies have also found the DDT or DDE interfere with proper thyroid function.[70][71]

[edit] Other

Occupational exposure in agriculture and malaria control has been linked to neurological problems (i.e. Parkinsons)[72] and asthma.[73]
[edit] Carcinogenicity

DDT is suspected to cause cancer. The NTP classifies it as "reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen," the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a "possible" human carcinogen, and the EPA classifies DDT, DDE, and DDD as class B2 "probable" carcinogens. These evaluations are based mainly on the results of animal studies.[1][23]

There is evidence from epidemiological studies (i.e. studies in human populations) that indicates that DDT causes cancers of the liver,[23][35] pancreas[23][35] and breast.[35] There is mixed evidence that it contributes to leukemia,[35] lymphoma[35][74] and testicular cancer.[23][35][75] Other epidemiological studies suggest that DDT/DDE does not cause multiple myeloma,[23] or cancers of the prostate,[23] endometrium,[23][35] rectum,[23][35] lung,[35] bladder,[35] or stomach.[35]
[edit] Breast cancer

The question of whether DDT or DDE are risk factors of breast cancer has been repeatedly studied. While individual studies conflict, the most recent reviews of all the evidence conclude that pre-puberty exposure increases the risk of subsequent breast cancer.[35][76] Until recently, almost all studies measured DDT or DDE blood levels at the time of breast cancer diagnosis or after. This study design has been criticized, since the levels at diagnosis do not necessarily correspond to levels when the cancer started.[77] Taken as a whole such studies "do not support the hypothesis that exposure to DDT is an important risk factor for breast cancer."[45] The studies of this design have been extensively reviewed.[23][78][79]

In contrast, a study published in 2007 strongly associated early exposure (the p,p'- isomer) and breast cancer later in life. Unlike previous studies, this prospective cohort study collected blood samples from young mothers in the 1960s while DDT was still in use, and their breast cancer status was then monitored over the years. In addition to suggesting that the p,p'- isomer is the more significant risk factor, the study also suggests that the timing of exposure is critical. For the subset of women born more than 14 years before agricultural use, there was no association between DDT and breast cancer. However, for younger women—exposed earlier in life—the third who were exposed most to p,p'-DDT had a fivefold increase in breast cancer incidence over the least exposed third, after correcting for the protective effect of o,p'-DDT.[45][80][81] These results are supported by animal studies.[35]

Anyone who thinks this is a good idea imo is certifiable for the loony bin.

[Pakanohida]

Wow, that had me aggro.

So has anyone remembered / thought of using broken flower pots to increase homes for frogs to eat the mosquito's?

Has anyone else made bat boxes in order to have some bats eat up the lil buggers?

[Michaelangelica]

Wow, that had me aggro.

A fairly old post.
The most important post in this thread is the first one with the simple design for a mosquito trap.

It is amazing that some are still trying to Rubbish Rachel Carson so long after her death; when we should be building shrines to her. I suspect "21st Century Science Associates (http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/)" is a Lyndon LaRouche (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaRouche_movement) front organisation. Amazing that everbody else can be so wrong and your ideas can be so right. Follow the money? Follow the arrogance!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_Energy_Foundation

Apropos to your story re canned food with babies' pictures:-- The UN has been giving out DDT impregnated mosquito nets in Africa. However most end up as fish nets, wedding veils etc

[Pakanohida]

Wanna be really scared about a use for DDT... ever hear of a "Mickey Slim"?

1 part gin, shaken
dust with ddt.

serve

[Michaelangelica]

Want to be really scared? Talk to a professor of Chemistry like I did. Experts can be quietly, calmly, terrifying.
DDT is no where near as bad as later generations of chlorinated hydrocarbons. In particular, the witches' brew Toxaphene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxaphene), is a problem as there is no way of detecting it in the environment.(toxaphene products consist of between 100 and 220 compounds)

Chlorinated hydrocarbons (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/815051-overview), the family name of DDT, floats on the top micron of the sea.
This is where phytoplankton live and breed. the chemicals interfere with phytoplankton reproduction.
Phytoplankton produce most of the planet's oxygen.
All bioaccumulate (http://journals.lww.com/jpgn/Fulltext/2000/02000/Toxaphenes_and_Chlorinated_Naphthalenes_in_Adipose .13.aspx)in mammalian fat, and are mostly impossible to secrete except in mothers' milk. they are very persistant chemicals having half lives of decades

Chlorinated hydrocarbons may play a role in female infertility and may be an underlying factor in certain gynecological conditions. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10330303)

[Pakanohida]

This is one of the chief reasons I stopped eating fish in the 80's.

Everything sprayed has made it to a river, and eventually to the ocean, as did all the DDT.

Paranoid? Maybe, but I have seen some things, and done some stuff. I don't recommend it! ;)

[digging]

Well I have tonnes of frogs and we still have tonnes of shidoes. Anyways the first thing I though of is if this trap could be a good way to also catch them for feeding to birds? Have the traps near the birds so they could also eat them?

Digging

[Michaelangelica]

Bart Knols: Cheese, dogs, smells and pills to end malaria


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gah5TyZQSq4&feature=player_embedded

http://www.ted.com/talks/bart_knols_cheese_dogs_and_pills_to_end_malaria.ht ml?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2012-05-15&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

[BananaBender]

I can guarantee this device is like tits on a bull in the tropics. :)

Re frogs. I have hundreds if not thousands of frogs on my property. To be honest they really dont put much of a dent in the numbers from what i can see.
I also have lots of microbats aswell and they dont really go for them. They prefer the moths.

[aroideana]

Grow heaps of Drosera and Pinguicula ..