Good advice, Mary Ann, I have lots of barn swallows in the barn, and most years I have several families of bats that hang around. I haven't seen them this year, It's been such a cold spring, I don't know what happend. I had planned on building a "bat house" to put up this summer, but didn't get it done. Bird houses almost always get taken over by the darn sparrows here, so I haven't put up the martin house that I have. I also have lots of toads around, and they have their tad poles in the puddles that have been around this year. They will eat a lot of the larvea too. But still many will make it to our blood supply, or the other animals as well.

Bat houses would be helpful. the fungus has been working on killing off the brown bats. We used to see them flying around at night, but n more. We can't work outside after dinner because of the little pests. Having a place nearby which is marshy, doesn't help.

I have seen many more bats this year than in the recent past. Hopefully that means our population is coming back. But regardless of how many they eat, I seem to attrack mosquitoes.

oh, mosquitos are always there, it is just great if the bats get rid of some.

I saw solar powered bug zappers advertised at Christmas Tree Shoppe or is it Shop?

My grandmother said the mosquitos never bothered her because she was part native american and their blood has some sort of special repellant. I always kind of believed her because when I was around her in the summer..they would bypass grandma and head for me, (me being adopted).

Linnea, I used to have a bug zapper, but quit using them as they killed mostly May flies, a beneficial insect. Mosquitos or flies don't go near them.

Ken, when I was growing up, one of my neighbors was never bothered by them either, I don't think he was part Native American, but there are certain people that thay won't bother.

I used to have a bug zapper too. I also quit using it. It killed the right kind of bugs (down by the barn) -- but one of the mares was gonna have a nervous breakdown over the thing. She jumped every time it zapped -- and stood trembling and bug-eyed waiting for the next one. Decided it wasn't worth losing a nice mare over.

A shot while ago there was an article about bug zappers vs. iris borer moths. Seemed to solve the problem for that individual! as to the skeeters, we are close (across the street) from the river, so there are plenty. The village will occasionally aerial spray for them, in "bad years", as there has been West Nile virus in the area, although there is always a big controversy over it! Neither is something you want...the spray is, or at least can be, as bad as the disease! Rita uses one of those pin-on, battery operated, bug chasers that OFF makes , and seems to like it. I use a little listerene, in a spray bottle, and "mist ' myself every 15-20 min., and that seems to help.( I carry the bottle around with me anyway, as that's my "rot' treatment, too !) generally, we are getting old enough, and worn out enough, that long before the skeeters come out n the late day, we are back in the house! ....Arlyn

So you spray yourself with the "rot" treatment? Wonder what Rita makes of that!

Yup! As I said, I'm not POSITIVE it helps with the bugs, or ,for that matter, with the rot.....but neither the skeeters, the iris ,or myself, have bad breath! ....Arlyn

Listerine has eucalyptus and thyme oil in it - both great anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and bug repellant. It also has menthol...not as strong but still an addition.

I have sprayed generic Listerine on my dwarf apple tree.

And just found out that white vinegar makes a good "everything" killer, good for walkways and bricked areas. Maybe that could also be used on skin to repel the pests, and you'd smell like a salad!
They are attracted to some sweet aromas so what one eats or wears can be a factor. Also some people are just "sweeter" than others of course.

That must be why the skeeters don't bother me as much as the horse flies do! ....Arlyn

I am not bothered much either Arlyn, but my wife is, and a granddaughter living nearby.

Wow - I hadn't thought of Listerine as a bug repellant, Linneaj. I'll have to try it.

Thanks to Arlyn too for the Listerine suggestion!

Spraying your rot treatment on yourself? .......

I'll need to try Listerine too, I get new bites nearly every day. Thank you for the info!

Seems to work, Rob! I stopped losing old parts, and I started putting on some new growth ! ......Arlyn

Oh Arlyn!!! That was medical equipment.... not new growth. Sorry, I just had to say it.