No More Mosquitoes!
My two major issues with Midwestern summers are the humidity and the bugs. I can live with the humidity up to a point. The bugs, however, are another matter.
Living in the semi-desert suburbia of Southern California for nearly 15 years, I got spoiled with incredible weather (extremely low humidity) and no fly or mosquito problems (mostly). After moving back to Indiana, where I grew up, the most difficult seasonal transition — aside from winter, of course — has been dealing with those pesky pests.
Our big mistake was purchasing a home near a pond. The first year was brutal, as someone almost always had several new whelps to scratch each day. Last summer, we reduced bug bites with some strategically placed citronella plants and by diligently guarding against standing water around the house. Some people say citronella’s effectiveness in mosquito control is a myth, but the plants did seem to help us. Then again, maybe last summer just wasn’t as wet. As we prepare for this summer’s mosquito invasion, we’ll certainly follow the tips on page 8. If you have any ideas, please email them to hobbyfarms@hobbyfarms.com. I’ll try anything!
There’s one good thing about mosquitoes, especially for farmers: They are a reliable source of food for animals, including birds, bats, dragonflies and frogs. Another positive: We aren’t their first choice for dinner. Mosquitoes prefer horses, cattle and birds. — Roger Sipe, Editor