
Ask HN: Does anything work against mosquitoes? - stiray
Due to the mild winter, those little flying annoyances became a real pain (garden)<p>I was reading about different &quot;traps&quot;, 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...<p>Before I use my old EOS, infra-red led, laptop, laser and servo motors (:D) and start a high tech war against them (https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;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)<p>To share a tip, vacuum cleaner works great for inhouse before sleep, but again useless for outside.
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alltakendamned
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](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.

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

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sethammons
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.

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giantg2
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.

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helph67
I reckon that mosquito coils work for indoor.
[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-19/mosquito-coils-do-
the...](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-19/mosquito-coils-do-they-work-
are-they-bad-for-your-health/9268492) 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!

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alexmingoia
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.

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Hackbraten
> 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](https://takethebiteaway.com)

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giantg2
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.

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Hackbraten
Fair point.

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yen223
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.

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

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quickthrower2
Deet

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caseyscottmckay
Use a fan.

