>Following a long car ride (2 1/2 hours each way), I stretched my legs and my aching back by watering the garden. Filled the watering can from the rain barrel, poured it over tomatoes, filled it again, slapped at mosquitoes, poured the water over the peppers, filled up again, slapped at more mosquitoes, dumped water quickly over roots of zucchini plants, started speeding up the process by using a second bucket because I COULDN’T STAND THE MOSQUITOES ANY MORE.
Is there a vampire variety of mosquito? Those in my backyard are certainly bloodthirsty. Chuck suggested that the FAA is issuing tail numbers for mosquitoes now because they’re getting so big. I’m afraid for the neighborhood bunnies or the little dog next door; the mosquitoes might carry them away!
Meanwhile, I noticed beans, finally, beans! I didn’t see any zucchini, just the potential for a few squash. But I didn’t even pick the yellow pear tomatoes, the little ones that seem to ripen daily. I could not, would not, stay in the torture chamber any longer and expose myself to the vicious bloodsucking flying insects that continued dive bombing me everywhere I went.
Somehow, I got the rhubarb and the herbs watered.
Somehow, I rinsed the bunnies’ litter boxes and left them out to dry overnight.
Somehow, I made it in the deck door without letting any little bugs follow along.
Somehow, I washed with soap and water to get the dirt off, but didn’t scratch any of the bite marks.
Somehow, I found the Benadryl gel quickly and spread it on all the bites I could reach – and a few that were rather awkward. How does a mosquito climb in my t-shirt sleeve, for example?
After all that, I had to wash my hands yet again so I could take out my contacts without pain and agony.
It’s a no-win situation. With heat and no rain, I’ll have to water every day, exposing myself to the winged elements. If we get rain, we’ll get more larva that turn into these evil winged critters. The neighborhood bats aren’t eating enough. Ideas? Maybe ketchup?
>Ahhhh…mosquito's…Yes, we too believe that this year WI has spawned a new hybrid super-mosquito!!! They are starting to disappear over here in the Valders area…in the morning, I am not getting swarmed by them when I let the chickens out, so hopefully…yes, hopefully the season is coming to an end…Wonder if confirmed cases of West Nile are up this summer??
>This has been a banner year for insects in my neighborhood, though we haven't seen a spike in mosquitoes the way you have. Still, I've encountered vine borers, aphids, squash bugs, and tomato hornworms beyond anything I've seen in past years. Sadly, the cure is probably frost… which also marks the end of the harvest.
With this frustration over insects, I find myself thinking the perennial mantra: Maybe next year will be better. Though insects haven't ruined my produce so much as made gardening less pleasant; there's plenty of good stuff to eat! I hope things improve for you quickly.
>I don't think mosquitoes like tea tree oil. I've also heard that they don't like the oils from catnip.
I live in California and we don't have many mosquitoes. It's one of the perks.
Jenny