# Mosquito control



## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Any suggestions about how to keep the mosquitoes from biting my rabbits? Netting is not a good option.

Can I put citronella on their ears? Can it use something that expels repellant like those clip on devices for people? (Not candle since that would be a fire hazard) 

Other ideas?


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I have read that marigolds are not liked by misquitos. Grow some on the perimeter of your rabbit area?

And I know that catnip tea makes a good spray for anti misquotoes that can be used on people, so probably okay for rabbits.
Or I want to try to grow catnip and see if that has a anti misquotes effect.

http://eartheasy.com/blog/2011/04/5-easy-to-grow-mosquito-repelling-plants/
This link may give you other ideas.


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## d'vash (Apr 25, 2013)

I have wild catnip both around the perimeter, and inside the rabbit pen. It's is safe for them to nibble on, but most don't like it anyway. Only bruised catnip will deter mosquitos; fresh does nothing. I suppose you could hang bushels of bruised catnip with string on the cage wire walls.

I personally also hang a solar-powered UV light bug-zapper on a post in the middle of the pen. It keep the mosquitos away at night, when they seem most hungry. 

Ducks take care of the larvae, and dragonflies do the rest of the work. I've heard of people raising dragonfly nymphs.

http://www.walterreeves.com/gardening-q-and-a/dragonfly-raising/


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## TMTex (Apr 5, 2013)

AngieM2 said:


> I have read that marigolds are not liked by misquitos.


My wife has heard the same thing and we're looking into planting some around the rabbitry. There's also a citronella plant that looks promising.

I've planted lavender, thyme and rosemary around our rabbitry to try to deter flies. I also put a fly trap (the big jug of stinky watery stuff from Tractor Supply) close to the rabbitry. The flies and mosquitoes aren't bad in there, but they'll show their presence elsewhere. 

I'm not sure if the plants are helping, but it seems like they are.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Do you think putting a dab of citronella oil right on their ears would be harmful?


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

I'd make sure they couldn't ingest it.



> Animal toxicity studies have shown that citronella oil has an LD 50 in mice of 4600 mg/kg and in rats of 7200 mg/kg. A dose of 1 to 4 mL/kg given by stomach tube in rabbits caused paralysis, coma, and death. At least 1 case of death has been reported in a child who ingested an unknown quantity of citronella oil. A review of 5 cases of childhood citronella oil poisoning suggests that dilution of the oil following ingestion may be sufficient to treat most cases of ingestion and that emesis may be induced with a relatively low risk of major pulmonary complications. If spontaneous vomiting has occurred, observation for respiratory symptoms is required. 10


Source


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

SherryB said:


> Do you think putting a dab of citronella oil right on their ears would be harmful?


Hey Sherry. I run a good size bug light in my rabbitery every night----it is running off solar. I do not know if the rabbits still get bitten or not, but It zaps 1000's per night. I keep a big tub under it to catch the zapped bugs etc and feed them to the chickens.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I use fresh catnip all the time for fly and mosquito repellent. You have to crush it thoroughly to release the scent. I find it highly effective.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

OK, first off, mosquitoes are NOT attracted to light. The bugs that you are killing by a bug zapper are in all probability not mosquitoes, they're probably midges, moths and other insects-including many beneficial insects. 

If you want to get rid of mosquitoes, there are several things that you can do, things that are natural.

1. Encourage birds and bats that eat mosquitoes. Swallows and bluebirds both are big mosquito eaters, as are many bats. Even hummingbirds will eat mosquitoes. You can put up houses for the birds and bats. There are direction for all on line. And, if you plant flowers or have feeders for the hummingbirds, they'll come in your yard as well.

2. Put in a shallow pond in a sunny location, but don't put fish in it, just some aquatic plants. Many amphibians need shallow ponds that have no fish for laying eggs. The young will eat mosquito larvae, and the adults will eat the adults. Plus, having the pond will also attract dragonflies and damselflies. Both also have aquatic young, and that also eat the mosquito larvae. And, the adults will eat the adult.

3. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide (CO2) and dark things. They will scent the CO2 to find their meal, so you need to give them some in an area away from where you don't want them. I found this on-line, and have just set it up, so I can't say for sure how well it's going to work. To make a mosquito trap, take a 2 liter soda bottle, cut it about 1/3 from the top, remove the lid. In the bottom part, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 cup of hot water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add 1 gram of yeast. You may need to add just a drop of dishwasher soap. Turn the top of the soda bottle upside down in the bottom part to make a funnel. Cover the bottle w/something dark. The fermenting yeast will emit CO2, and (hopefully) attract the mosquitoes. You need to change this about every 2 weeks.


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

You might also try having a fan set on high blowing across the rabbits. This will help dissipate the CO2 as well as making it difficult for the mosquitoes to fly.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

dizzy said:


> OK, first off, mosquitoes are NOT attracted to light. The bugs that you are killing by a bug zapper are in all probability not mosquitoes, they're probably midges, moths and other insects-including many beneficial insects.
> 
> .


I have not done my Homework on mosquitoes, so I can not comment on some of your info. I can tell you this, I have a tote under my bug light in the rabbitery and it has hundreds of mosquitoes or if they are not mosquitoes, they are a clone to them in the tote every morning. Of course there are alot of other bugs as well.
My home is 1/2 mile away and we have 2 more bug lights around the yard. My Wife sits on a unscreened porch every night and if the bug light is not on she can not sit out there, because there are so many mosquitoes. Go turn on the bug light-----in a few minutes the light is steady zapping and she rarely has a bite. I have sat close to the bug light and personally seen Many mosquitoes flying into it. I have taken a bug light down by the lake and camped out in the summer---with the bug light off the mosquitoes eat you alive, turn it on and you rarely get bitten. They might not be attracted to the light but they are drawed to something around the light-----maybe its all the bigger bugs getting fried/smoking----I do not know----I just know the bug lights at my place kill many Mosquitoes and I am thankful that I have them.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Fire-Man said:


> I have not done my Homework on mosquitoes, so I can not comment on some of your info. I can tell you this, I have a tote under my bug light in the rabbitery and it has hundreds of mosquitoes or if they are not mosquitoes, they are a clone to them in the tote every morning. Of course there are alot of other bugs as well.
> My home is 1/2 mile away and we have 2 more bug lights around the yard. My Wife sits on a unscreened porch every night and if the bug light is not on she can not sit out there, because there are so many mosquitoes. Go turn on the bug light-----in a few minutes the light is steady zapping and she rarely has a bite. I have sat close to the bug light and personally seen Many mosquitoes flying into it. I have taken a bug light down by the lake and camped out in the summer---with the bug light off the mosquitoes eat you alive, turn it on and you rarely get bitten. They might not be attracted to the light but they are drawed to something around the light-----maybe its all the bigger bugs getting fried/smoking----I do not know----I just know the bug lights at my place kill many Mosquitoes and I am thankful that I have them.


In all probability what you have are midges. They are attracted to light and are often mistaken for mosquitoes. They are very similar in appearance and if you aren't familiar w/the differences, you're going to be fooled.

Another one that is commonly mistaken for the mosquito is the crane fly. They look like overgrown mosquitoes, but aren't.

Mosquitoes, midges and crane flies are all in the same family-diptera, so unless you've had training in entomology, it can be difficult to tell the difference. Here's an article that will help explain the difference between the 3. http://insects.about.com/od/flies/tp/Insects-Commonly-Mistaken-For-Mosquitoes.htm


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Almost forgot to say, if you're getting bit, and the bugs are going to the bug zapper, it's probably biting midges. While they don't carry the diseases that a mosquito can, they can still spread things like blue tongue to some animals-like deer. And, their bite can be quite painful. If you have midges and not mosquitoes (or both), I'd keep the bug zapper going.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Dizzy, what did you use to cover your bottle so it was dark? I don't quite get that part. Could I spray the bottle black?


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## HayBabies (Feb 27, 2013)

When we lived by the river the mosquito's were eating up all of our animals. The vet sold us a bottle of pyrethrin based liquid and told us to mix it with vegetable oil and put it in a spray bottle. The oil is to help it stick/stay on the animals. We used it on the bunnies. They did fine, but hated getting sprayed.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

Ive heard really great things about this

http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

SherryB said:


> Dizzy, what did you use to cover your bottle so it was dark? I don't quite get that part. Could I spray the bottle black?


Yep, you could spray it black, or use black duct tape. The bottle that I have I trash picked from the neighbors (I don't normally drink soda), so I grabbed one that had a dark blue label. I know I've gotten a bunch of bugs, but haven't had a chance to really check out what they are. W/my luck, by the time I get the chance, the bugs will be too far gone to ID. They tend to get kind of nasty after awhile.

If anyone tries the trap, please, let me know how it works. I'm a naturalist. This summer, I'm working as a nature aid in a local nature center. And while I enjoy the job and could even take over for the senior naturalist if she were to retire this fall, I don't want to work for someone else. I've had several people ask me about doing nature lessons for groups. This year, mosquitoes are a real big problem because of all the rain. I want to be able to tell people an inexpensive way to combat the nasty little blood suckers w/out resorting to chemicals.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Dizzy, I am planning to try it. I need to get a bottle too though first. I will let you know.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks! I went to check out what I've gotten, but the bugs smaller bugs are too far gone to tell.


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## lggdrg (Apr 24, 2013)

I am having a mosquito problem near my rabbit tractor. Planting herbs isn't a solution for me but was wondering if chickens eat mosquitos and could I put one or two chickens in the rabbit tractor with my 6 week old rabbits and they live in harmony?


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