Innovative Mosquito Control Products

It’s officially summer, but most of us have been dealing with heat for quite some time already. And this means we’ve been dealing with mosquitoes for quite some time already as well. Luckily, there are more products than ever before that control these dangerous flying pests. They are, after all, the most dangerous animal in the world (here’s more on that). Here at ARBICO we have a great selection of highly-effective mosquito control products. Many of them are of the tried-and-true variety (personal repellents, sprays, zappers), which most people are familiar with, while others are the result of years (even decades) of creative thinking and innovative research and development. 

 - Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) – 

Bti is the OG of biological mosquito control. In 1976, Dr. Yoel Margalith (aka Mr. Mosquito) discovered Bti in samples from dying mosquitoes found in a pond in the Negev Desert of Israel. With further study, he determined that this naturally-occurring soil bacterium is deadly to mosquitoes when ingested but has no negative impact on non-target species and the environment (more on his work here). Bti causes mosquito larvae to stop feeding within one hour, followed by paralysis and death. This biocontrol can be applied directly to water (including drinking water), which makes it especially useful in a variety of circumstances from horse throughs to large-scale municipal water treatment facilities. We offer several different varieties of Bti, at a price point accessible to most anyone. If you have areas of standing water (large or small) that are your main mosquito-breeding locations, this is a no-fuss, no-worry product with a proven history of effectiveness. An added bonus: it is also effective against black flies and fungus gnats.

 - Bacillus sphaericus (Bs) – 

Bs is similar to Bti in that it contains spores that are toxic to mosquito larvae when ingested but is not harmful to other creatures or the environment. This is a selective larvicide and only works on certain types of mosquitoes; luckily these are some of the most common and deadly. It has several key differences from Bti: It is a selective larvicide; it cannot be used in drinking water; it works in highly organic aquatic environments (something Bti struggles with), and it persists where it is applied for longer periods of time than Bti. If you have a considerable area to treat and need that treatment to last as long as possible, this is an excellent choice for you. We have two exceptional Spheratax products that utilize this particular strain of Bacillus.

 - No-Bait Traps – 

The Enoz® Trap-N-Kill A-G-O Mosquito Trap and Skeet-O-Trap™ are traps that use a mosquito’s natural behaviors to lure them in instead of baits. They are designed to mimic the dark places with stagnant water that mosquitoes favor as a place to lay their eggs. Instead of baits, they use grass or hay clippings in water to get that stagnant water effect. The Skeet-O-Trap does not capture the adults; it only works to keep the larvae from escaping. The Enoz trap will kill both adults and larvae. Both traps are designed to work year after year and are effective against multiple mosquito species.

 - SKEETER Mosquito Control – 

SKEETER Mosquito Control is brand new in 2022 and is no less than ground-breaking. It combines botanical oils (garlic and soybean) with nematodes (Heterorhabditis megidis) to provide quick and long-lasting control of larvae, pupae, and any young adults who may still be hanging around. The oils suffocate and kill on contact and the nematodes search out the larvae, enter their bodies, and release a bacterium into their bloodstream. This kills the larvae within 48 hours and the nematodes use the dead and dying larvae as a food source, which extends the efficacy of SKEETER to 30 days. The use of oils combined with nematodes makes for an exciting, and definitely innovative, product.

 - Spatial Repellents – 

We are all familiar with the type of repellents that we apply to ourselves or to an outside area, but this type of repellent is a bit different. Bradshaw’s 4 Ring Protection Spatial Repellents form a dome of protection around an area using DEET-free botanical oils. Simply hang a pouch near the area you want to protect and the pleasant-smelling vapor it emits will draw the mosquitoes to it and away from where you want to be. It not only lures the mosquito, but it also interferes with their receptors so that they stop seeking a blood meal. This is not just an easy-to-use and cost-effective mosquito control product; it also lasts for days – considerably longer than other products. 

 - Spinosad – 

Spinosad is nothing new in the world of pest control, but Natular® DT and Natular® G30 WSP bring it in a water-soluble form to control mosquito larvae. Natular DT is an effervescent tablet with an outer layer that dissolves quickly and begins killing immediately, but it also contains a layer that lasts 90 days for continued control. Natular G30 WSP comes in pouches with 10 grams of product in each. They last 30 days each in water but break down quickly in sun and soil. These are truly apply-and-forget forms of mosquito control.  

No matter which of these first-rate products fits your needs and wallet, you can be assured that it has the potential to keep summer-spoiling mosquitoes away.

Submitted by Pam

Mosquito Deterrents

There’s just no getting around the fact that mosquitoes are more than nuisances – they’re dangerous and formidable opponents. We carry many excellent mosquito control products, but there are additional things one can do to improve their chances in the war between humans and mosquitoes. 

- BODY OINTMENTS - 

If you’re going to be out and about and know that mosquitoes will be a problem, you can begin your defense plan as soon as you get out of the shower. There are oils and lotions that are very helpful in repelling mosquitoes but choose carefully because some may actually be inviting bites.

• Certain essential oils, including lemon eucalyptus peppermint, lavender, geranium and citronella oil, have time-proven efficacy as repellents so apply them to your body generously. A secondary benefit of using these oils is the delightful scent that will surround you.  

• Catnip oil is another oil to try. According to this article, the oil is extracted from the catnip plant via steam distillation, and the process eliminates the chemicals that make catnip irresistible to cats. The catnip plant is known to have a scent mosquitoes dislike, so it only makes sense that the distilled oil would be even more repellent to them.

• For the most part, flowery perfumes and body lotions should be avoided. However, there is one strong exception to this rule: Avon’s Skin So Soft. Over many, many years millions of people have found this body oil to be an exceptional mosquito repellent. In fact, this product has been used by U.S. Marines as a mosquito repellent for more than 50 years on and around their training facility on Parris Island South Carolina. In the low country down there, mosquitoes are voracious, so these tough marines douse themselves in this sweet-smelling stuff. After all, it’s better to smell girly than be eaten alive. 

You should be aware that the above types of oils do not have the long-lasting effect that many commercial mosquito repellents do. On average, they last about two hours.

 - CLOTHING - 

After you have carefully considered what to put on your bare body, put a little extra thought into what you wear (after all, you’ll look good in anything). 

• Mosquitoes are attracted to the CO2 that mammals produce, but they also use their vision to zero in on a target. According to this article, as they fly characteristically slow and low to the ground, they respond to dark objects on the horizon. Which means you should probably choose a pastel as opposed to your favorite Goth outfit.

• This study takes the whole color thing one step further. It finds that mosquitoes like red, orange, black and cyan and snub green, purple, blue and white.

• Mosquitoes love the sweaty dirtiness of feet and there is very little as annoying as mosquito bites between your toes. For these reasons, skip the sandals and put some shoes on (even better, with socks).

• While summer seems more bearable in cool and flowing clothing, if you are interested in doing everything you can to avoid mosquitoes than you need to don some tightly woven synthetic clothing (extra points for a high tech athletic wear made for sun protection). Mosquitoes may seem small, but their proboscises are rather large insect-wise and simply cannot fit through some of these fabrics. The downside is that  you’ll need to wear long sleeves and pants for optimal results, which may be a little too much coverage on a particularly hot day.

 - OUTSIDE SPACES - 

No one is able to control the whole outdoors, of course, but you should look at the outdoor space you can control – your backyard, patio, porch or balcony.

• You probably already know that you should remove all standing water, but you may not be aware that mosquitoes only need a bottle-cap of water to lay their eggs in. It is also easy to overlook breeding spots like gutters, recycling bins, drains and saucers under plants. Instead of a quick once-over, give your outdoor space some careful

consideration to root out standing water.

• Reconsider the plants in your space to make sure you don’t have any that are welcoming to mosquitoes. If you do, remove them and add plants that repel skeeters. Nectar-producing flowers and water plants are attractive to mosquitoes, while the plants that contain the aforementioned oils are excellent repellents (there are others too). 

• Keep all your grasses cut down and remove any yard debris. Mosquitoes love to hide out in the relative safety of such places; it protects them from the elements – particularly sun and wind.

• Speaking of wind, mosquitoes are poor flyers so put a fan in your outdoor space. If it is set high enough mosquitoes will not be able to fight the wind it produces in order to get to you

• The proper outdoor lighting can also help with mosquito control. We are all familiar with the horde of insects beating against a porch or backdoor light, but a change of bulbs can element that behavior. Use incandescent or LED lighting, especially that which has a yellow glow, and you’ll see fewer mosquitoes and other flying insects.

Hopefully this has given you some ideas on how to lessen the effect of mosquitoes. All of these tips are valuable, but when used in conjunction with commercial mosquito control products you should see a marked improvement. If none of this works for you, you may just want to stay inside until the first frost kills the mosquitoes.

Submitted by Pam

What's This Bug? The Fungus Gnat.

These itty bitty insects are fungus gnats, although they go by many names, including “soil maggots”, “soil gnats”, and, (very commonly) “fruit flies”. People often mistake fungus gnats for fruit flies, but if you look closely you will see that they look more like tiny mosquitoes than any kind of fly. Although they look like mosquitoes, they don’t behave like them. They can’t bite and are utterly harmless to humans. However, they do have a nasty habit of flying around people’s faces, so it’s pretty easy to inhale or swallow one. Unpleasant but not necessarily dangerous.

Many people say that fungus gnats are worse in winter, but they may have been around all year long and you just didn’t notice them. Conditions in the home during winter are perfect for fungus gnats to thrive and people are inside more with their plants, so if you have a problem you will notice it during the cold weather months. And then there is the bringing-inside factor: when the temperature plummets, people scramble to bring in their plants that have been sitting on the porch or patio. It's very common to have hitchhikers on recently-outdoor plants, so always check them carefully before re-homing them.

Fungus gnat adults are harmless to plants – it is their offspring that cause the trouble. The adults lay their eggs in soil and within 3 days the larvae emerge and they are mighty hungry. Their foods of choice are fungi, decaying organic matter, and plant roots and they begin feeding as soon as they hatch. This feeding continues for about 10 days, at which time the larvae will pupate. A short 4 days later, the adults emerge from the pupae ready to reproduce. This short life cycle means that you could potentially have a continuous population of fungus gnats in your plants. When you take into consideration that these insects will thrive all year round in your climate-controlled home, it pays to be on guard and prepared to put down any potential infestations. 

Fungus gnats can be a big problem in greenhouses. The conditions (moist & warm) that are optimal for
propagation are also optimal for fungus gnat development. Their larvae will not only damage roots and cause wilting or plant death, their root-eating behavior can open wounds that allow soil-dwelling pathogens in. One small opening can lead to massive damage to crops or plant collections. For more on what to watch out for and ways to control fungus gnats in these situations, check out this short but informative article.

 Because the larvae do their feasting underground, the signs of their activity are often hidden until the damage has been done and the plants are visibly suffering. Your best tactic is to be pro-active and take the following steps:

Watch for flying adults - Fungus gnats are not great fliers, so you won’t see swarming like other insects do. What you may see is their sudden appearance as you water or turn lights on. The water will disrupt their hop-flying around the soil and, like other insects, light will draw them to it. Bear in mind that fungus gnats are very small, only 1/8”-1/10” long, and have clear wings and long antenna. If the insects flying around your plants don’t have these characteristics, then you have another insect pest problem. Here’s some more information on how to identify fungus gnats.

Watch your watering – Proper watering is not only important for overall plant health, it is an invaluable tool to control soil-dwelling larvae. Simply put, fungus gnats like living in soggy potting soil. Remember that plants require less water in winter, so your regular watering schedule should be cut back in cold months. Make sure that your plants are draining thoroughly and give the top couple of inches of soil (where the larvae like to dwell) a chance to dry out between waterings. 

Use sticky traps – Whether you have 15 or 15,000 plants, sprinkling some sticky traps around your growing area is a great way to find out what insects you have in there. And, with a little math, you should also be able to get at least a rough idea of how many there are. We carry a wide variety of sticky traps; you should be able to get whatever size, shape, and color you want here.

If you are a visual learner, we have a video about fungus gnats that you may enjoy. It’s a cartoon and (I think) rather fun.

If you think you have (or know you have) a fungus gnat problem, don’t despair - there are a lot of ways to get rid of them. Here at ARBICO, we have many solutions, including Beneficial Nematodes and beneficial insects that prey on fungus gnats. Interestingly, although fungus gnats are not related to mosquitoes, many of the products used to control mosquitoes work for them as well. If you would like more information on ways to control fungus gnats, go to our ARBICO Organics fungus gnats page here.

Submitted by Pam

 

                                                 

What's This Bug? The Shaggy-Legged Gallinipper.

These days everyone wants to just get out and get on with their summer fun (except for those of us in AZ who are entering our self-imposed, heat-avoiding annual lockdown); but, remember there are hungry creatures out there waiting anxiously for your return. Case in point: The Shaggy-Legged Gallinipper (SLG). If you think this sounds like something you might hear on a show like “Moonshiners”, you aren’t far off. “Gallinipper” is an heirloom Southern term for an exceptionally large insect with a frightening bite. Which this is and it has hairy legs.

So, what is this bug? It's a mosquito (Psorophora ciliata), but not your average skeeter. It’s unusual in many ways. First of all, the SLG is big (as you’ve no doubt deduced) – like 3 to 6 times as big as a typical mosquito. It’s fairly rare and does not appear unless there has been abundant wet weather. It’s also an aggressive carnivorous predator that prefers other mosquitoes as prey, but does not limit itself to them. On the up side, it’s not a vector for disease transmission to humans.

SLG Distribution  

The SLG is a mosquito that is hard to miss and hard to forget. At about the size of a quarter, you will see these suckers coming. While their size may be intimidating, they are not the largest mosquito in the world. That honorific belongs to the genus Toxorhynchites and can be found worldwide. Toxorhynchites mosquitoes are huge, but at least they are not bloodsuckers. More on them here.

Although their territory is expanding as our climate changes, the SLG is primarily found in the Southeastern and Midwestern parts of the US. That being said, they have been reported as far north as Ontario and as far south as Argentina. Even though recent severe hurricanes and flooding have been followed by a rise in the SLG population, these are still uncommon mosquitoes. Everything has to fall into place for them to emerge in numbers, This is due to how they have adapted their lifecycle to respond to flooding events. SLG females have the ability to hold sperm until they find an ideal egg-laying time and location. They then fertilize the eggs as they are being laid and create an egg bank (which can contain a million eggs) for future hatching. For an SLG mom the perfect spot is not in standing water like many mosquitoes, it is on moist and low-lying ground that will likely flood at some point. This means they could be in anything from a drainage ditch to a woodland meadow. There the eggs will sit for as long as it takes for water to reach and cover them, then they will hatch. This waiting period can be years-long long, but the eggs are specially adapted to remain viable when dry and can easily overwinter. Once a hurricane or some sustained thunderstorms bring water to them, all these patient eggs will burst out all at once and the race will be on to start the next generation.

A female with her syringe-like proboscis

 Due to the transient nature of the pools from which the SLG emerges, these mosquitoes have a short eggs-to-adults period at just over a week. The adults then only live for a couple of weeks. Both of these are factors in why they grow so large and ferocious. They first grow big in their larval stage when they are eager carnivores, dining on other mosquito larvae and other aquatic invertebrates, and size matters when it comes to the ability to capture and consume prey. Likewise, being bigger and stronger for their short lives means that they can produce more eggs or sperm and do not need to feed to bulk up. Females may only need one full blood meal to get the nutrition she needs, which reduces the likelihood that she will seek out a human to bite and also puts her out of the disease-transmission game. However, by all accounts, you don’t want to get bit even once by one of these. It has been reported that their bite feels like a stabbing and is strong enough to go through two layers of cotton.

Here at ARBICO, we have some fabulous mosquito control options to arm yourself with before heading out there this summer. However, if you live in certain areas that are prone to flooding and/or hurricanes and still hope to be out enjoying nature in the coming months, be aware that you may get nailed by a large and strong lady mosquito. But, she’ll probably only bite once. Of course, she has billions of sisters that she hangs out with, so……

Submitted by Pam

Mosquito Control On The Fly

Back in April, I wrote about ways we can bring pollinators to our yards. Now I am turning to mosquito eaters. In these dog days of summer, mosquitoes are the fun spoilers of our backyard parties, hikes in the woods and days on the water. Here in southern Arizona, our monsoons came late so we’ve had a reprieve for a while. But now that we’ve had some serious storms, puddles and water-filled crannies everywhere are turning into mosquito nurseries. Besides using some of ARBICO’s awesome and earth friendly mosquito products, I’d like to suggest you consider luring some voracious skeeter eaters to your yard. Specifically, bats.

By now, I’m hoping, most people know that bats have been falsely and unfairly portrayed in popular culture. They are not fearsome and malevolent creatures that go after people. They are more like Batman, really. They swoop in and come to humanity’s aid. Not by beating up the Joker, but by pollinating plants for us and devouring millions of mosquitoes.

Bat eating a moth

Bats are extraordinary insect hunters. Each one can eat up to 1,200 mosquito-sizes insects every hour. If they are out and about getting their bug grub on for 7 hours, that adds up to over 8,000 insects per bat! Of course, bats do not only eat mosquitoes, they also enjoy moths, beetles, flies, gnats and lots more. In this way, their opportunistic and enthusiastic predation covers insects that target crops as well as people. With their outsized appetites, encouraging insect hunting by bats around your home can significantly reduce the number of bites you and your pets will have to endure. And their droppings (guano) is an exceptional fertilizer for your garden.

The key to luring anything anywhere is to have something it wants. In the case of bats, if you want to lure them to your yard, you’ll want to create a space that bats will want to visit. The most important things for bat visitors are water, insects, plants and shelter. All of these elements are symbiotic and together make a first-rate bat habit, but adding even one or two of them would be helpful and enticing to your bat neighbors.

Water – Being a bat is thirsty work. It is estimated that bats can lose 50% of their body weight in water in a single day due to their non-stop, high-energy hunting style. They rarely even stop to drink, preferring the drive-by dip and sip method (see them in action here). So, you’ll want to provide some water in an area or container without high edges that they can access mid-air and mid-flight. It does not need to be big, a little backyard water feature can do nicely.

Insects – Bats definitely need water, and where these is water there is also insects. For an insectivore, a pond or water feature can become a convenience store with one-stop shopping. It doesn’t make much sense to try to bring in bats to kill mosquitoes and then provide a space for mosquitoes to thrive in. But you also can’t be overly hostile to insects or all of them, beneficial and otherwise, will abandon the area. What to do? First, if you absolutely must treat for mosquitoes, use something that will not harm the bats. Natular DT and Natular G30 WSP are very effective and easy to use and is safe for everything but mosquito larvae. Whether you treat to control mosquitoes or not (but especially if you do), encourage native and beneficial insects to stick around. Insect-eating bats enjoy a diverse diet, so a moth appetizer with its mosquito dinner is appreciated.

Plants – One of the crucial elements in a bat and beneficial-friendly garden are native plants. Native insects love their hometown plants and will congregate around them. Bats in the area will be tuned into this and will be on the lookout for healthy clusters of these plants. So, plant native species first. The other option is to create an oasis of night blooming flowers that will attract nocturnal insects. Datura, Moonflowers, Nicotonia and Night-Blooming Jasmine are all beautiful and deliciously fragrant options. Night-blooming water lilies would give you the water ingredients and the insect attractant in one gorgeous setting. If you don’t have (or want) a pond, here is how you can have water lilies in containers. Or go all out and create a Moon Garden; it will be as enticing to you as it is to night insects.

Bat Houses

Shelter – When you plant native species, you are not just providing a space for native insects to dwell; you are giving native bats a place that feels safe to them. They may rest for a while or make themselves at home for extended periods. If you are interested in giving bats a more secure or permanent home, the only way to go is with a bat house. Individuals and communities around the globe are embracing the potential and installing bat houses. Before you take this awesome step, be sure to read up on how it should be designed, built and positioned in the yard. Bats are particular about where they set up house and will either ignore or abandon a structure that doesn’t measure up. Here is a document from the experts at Bat Conservation International that clearly lays out the criteria for success. There is a place in Florida that built one of the largest bat houses in the world in order to help an endangered bat, check out this interesting and inspiring story here.

I encourage you to open your mind (and yard, garden or patio) to bats, but that does not mean that you should be overly friendly with them. Just keep your distance from them. Sit back and watch them hunt while you enjoy your moon garden and water feature; don’t try to interact with them. Remember that bats can carry rabies and other diseases (but not always), so watch wisely. And never pick one up!

On a lighter note, did you know bats have sparkly poop? I didn’t, either, until I read it here.

Submitted by Pam

What’s This Bug? The Asian Tiger Mosquito.

Aedes albopictus

Here at ARBICO we get a lot of people
coming in clutching their phones or carrying in carefully preserved specimens in glass jars or baggies
(not to mention those that send us emails with pictures) and they all ask a variation of the same question: “What’s this bug?’. And we love it. Not only are we generally crazy bug people, we embrace every opportunity to direct a person away from wholesale poisoning in the name of pest control and to guide them to a better, nature-loving choice. Some of what we come across is interesting in a “that’s weird” kind of way and some is interesting in a “oh, that’s what that looks like” way. These interactions can be entertaining as well as informative and I’d like to share some of this with you. So, with this post, I am initiating an on-going series to highlight some of these.


We begin with the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus). Most people are surprised when they really get a look at these small guys (about 1/4" long) because they are actually quite lovely and way more decorative than one might think a mosquito could be. Their trademark black and silvery white striping may vary somewhat, but this species is easily identified by the white “racing” strip that runs from the front of the head down to its back. If this coloration seems more zebra than tiger, there may be a hint to this name thing in its origin story: In 1894, an entomologist, F.A.A. Skuse, in Sydney received a previously undocumented specimen from Calcutta. He referred to the insect as his “banded mosquito of Bengal” and gave it the albopictus name, which means “painted white”. Somewhere over time, this reference to Bengal became connected to this most famous animal of Bengal, the tiger. The ferocity of this insect probably played a part is the name as well. Besides, “Asian Zebra Mosquito” just doesn’t sound right.

Lucky Bamboo

The part in its name that is accurate, is the “Asian” part, as it is native to Southeast Asia. It has not stayed there, though. It has proven to be extremely successful as an invasive species. In fact, it is one of the Top 100 World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species according to the Global Invasive Species Database and can now be found in a good portion of the world. The reasons for its success lie in the adaptability of this insect. It can thrive in a wide variety of climates from wet to dry in tropical and temperate areas; it feeds on multiple types of hosts (people, domestic and wild animals and birds); it is a container breeder that can breed in small amounts of water (both natural and manmade) and it is active year-round in many areas. It is believed that these pretty little biters first came to the Southeastern U.S. in a shipment of tires in the mid-1980’s. California had managed to stay clear of these invaders until 2001, when they were found in several counties. It was determined that these mosquitoes had been introduced by a shipment of ornamental “Lucky Bamboo” plants from Taiwan.

Aedes aegypti larvae

So, what’s the deal with these? First of all, these tigers are difficult to ignore. The females are aggressive biters and might bite the same person several times; she is persistent about getting that all-important iron and protein needed to produce eggs. In addition, Asian Tiger Mosquitoes work during the day, unlike other species that will feed at dawn and dusk. This day-drinking habit means they can come into contact with greater number of people than other mosquitoes and it also makes them more difficult to control. Most large-scale spraying for mosquito control takes place at night in order reduce the effects on humans and other insects and because atmospheric conditions in daytime make it less effective. By the time these guys go to work in the morning, the sprays broadcast at night will have already dissipated.

This biggest issue with these mosquitoes is that they are reliable vectors for some very serious diseases. These diseases include Chikungunya, Zika, Encephalitis, Dengue, Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus and Heartworms in dogs. Of all the big names of viral diseases carried by mosquitoes, the only one the Asian Tiger does not carry is Malaria; that virus belongs to the Aedes aegypti species. It is important to note that the viruses carried by the Asian Tiger in the U.S. have (to this date) only affected animals; there is no evidence of human disease. So, although your risk may be fairly low, take care to protect your animals from potentially devastating bites as you are outside enjoying yourself this summer. Here are some ideas from my blog.

In late 2017, the EPA approved the use of male Asian Tiger Mosquitoes that have been infected with the Woolbachia bacteria as a biopesticide. These non-biting boys are then let loose to breed with wild females. The bacteria renders their offspring unviable, eventually causing the population to drop. These bacteria-ridden deadbeat dads are being sold under the moniker “ZAP Males”.


These mosquitoes are pretty but they can be a real nuisance to you and a real danger to your animals. The best way to protect yourself is to cover yourself up when outdoors and to deprive them of breeding space, but remember that they can breed in something as small as a bottle cap - even a flower or plant. We offer a comprehensive assortment of mosquito control products to help you and further information here.

If you are interested in what the USDA has to say about the Asian Tiger Mosquito, here is a Public Service Announcement video they put out. You can also keep up to date with these insects and other invasive species on their website here.

Happy bite-dodging this summer!

Protecting Your Pets From Summer’s Flying, Biting Insects

In recent weeks, I have written about how to create an enjoyable outdoor space and how to plant to attract pollinators, now it’s time to take our animal companions into consideration. You can have a beautiful yard and a pollinator-friendly garden, but none of it can be properly enjoyed if mosquitoes and flies are making themselves at home there. And if insects are making you uncomfortable, your pets are also miserable out there.

As we move into summer (some of us already there – it will be 98°F here today), biting insects are coming out. Mosquitoes and flies are annoying pests that go beyond merely being pesky into being hazardous to health and even, in some cases, deadly. Mosquitos are especially dangerous to humans; in fact, they are considered the world’s deadliest animal. You can combine deaths by lions, sharks, snakes, wolves, crocodiles, bears, tigers and humans and not even come close to the number of people killed by mosquitoes. It is not the insect itself that kills, but the diseases that it carries. Many of these mosquito-borne diseases can have calamitous effects on our dogs, horses and other warm-blooded pets.

Flies are especially troublesome to pet owners. They are drawn to the animals manure and bodily fluids. Since our pets don’t have hands to swat them away, the poor creatures suffer greatly from flies. Not only are they on the high end of the annoying spectrum, they also carry a myriad of devastating diseases. All of the many fly species have the capability of transmitting diseases, with some of these affecting humans and other directly aimed at other animals. By some accounts, house flies are credited with transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans.

Now that I’ve provided the gloom and doom, I’d like to offer some effective solutions to the problem bugs of summer. ARBICO Organics offers a carefully curated selection of products that can be used in, around and on your pets and yard to keep mosquitoes and flies away. If you have horses or livestock, we have you covered there as well. Luckily, much of what you can do to keep biting insects away from your animals will work to keep them from the people in the family as well.


Repellents, beneficial insects, traps and insecticides all have their place in keeping your garden pet-pest free, but there are other steps you can take to discourage pest insects from coming over to begin with:

Management, management, management: Since mosquitoes breed in standing water (in as little as a bottle cap, see how that works here) and most of the flies you are troubled by breed in manure, it is important to keep things emptied out and cleaned up. Trash, junk piles, tires, flower pots, gutters, lawn ornaments and toys in the yard– all are able to host a mosquito nursery. Walk around, pick things up or turn them over. Responsible animal owners understand manure management and daily pickup may not be feasible, but it bears noting that the cleaner you keep it, the better.

Clip it, cut it, groom it down: While pollinators like tall grass, shrubbery and other “wild” spaces to gather, unfortunately, so do pest insects. There is no right answer on this; you will simply have to decide which insect is your priority. A possible solution would be to groom the areas where you usually gather and create an unkempt area on the opposite end of your space.

Let's plant catnip, what could happen?

Cool it down: Mosquitoes and flies are disrupted by fan-blown air. Not only does it break up the scent trails they use to get to us, it makes it more difficult for them to fly. If you have a way to hang it, put a fan up over your patio. Or a simply set an oscillating fan where it will hit you. And either option works well in stables or barns.

Plant enemies of mosquitoes: The effort to reduce mosquito numbers can begin as simply as adding plants that repel mosquitoes to your garden. Many of these same plants also repel flies. Repellent plants include Eucalyptus, Marigolds, Basil, Catnip, Lavender, Peppermint, Citronella, Lemon Balm, Rosemary and Pennyroyal. Some of these plants serve a double duty as delicious additions to your table, so planting them is a definite win-win. Scientific studies have shown Catnip to be 10 times as effective as DEET in repelling mosquitoes. Of course, you may have to deal with additional cats in your yard.

Lights out: Many, if not most, insects are drawn to light. But not all light is equal to them. Fluorescent lights are less attractive than incandescent. So, keep lights off near or in kennels, barns or stables. Or light up an area with incandescent light that is far away from you and your animals.

Zebra camouflage:  Recent research has concluded that a zebra’s signature black and white stripes are actually an evolutionary adaptation to keep flies off them. The stripes mess with the fly’s vison and interrupt their ability to land. Apparently, this also works if you put a horse in a black and white coat. You can buy these here, along with fashionable zebra accessories. So, although your horse may feel like a fool in his new suit, he will have fewer flies bothering him.

None of these pest control suggestions will work if you have neighbors who do not have the same commitment to the fight as you do. The best solution to that problem is to befriend (or stay friendly to) them and encourage a dialogue around working together on this. Lend a hand to fix the problem; not only can you feel good about that, your own problem will be reduced. And that is all just good karma.

Submitted by Pam