I still think it's a huge over-reaction to remove Bromeliads from your garden because they might harbor mosquitoes. There will always be mosquitoes, and if we remove the Broms they will find another place to breed.

I'm keeping my broms and just treating them regularly with Mosquito Bits and coffee grounds. We drink lots of coffee so we always have lots of those.

I am noticing a lot less mosquitoes around, since I'm sure the county is spraying more often in our neighborhood where some blocks have open ditches. Do hope they're being responsible about it and not killing off all the bees and other beneficials in their efforts to be "politically correct".

Zika is not a serious illness unless you are pregnant. My personal opinion is that any woman who gets pregnant now, and until they develop a vaccine for Zika is taking a huge unnecessary risk. The answer is not to get pregnant. To nuke the whole country with insecticides in an unsuccessful effort to kill mosquitoes is a health risk to everyone.

Latest news is the CDC now thinks there is another vector for Zika besides mosquitoes, too.

Just to be clear, the Bromeliads I tossed out were surplus to requirement, I have hundreds left.
I agree it is total overreacting to remove all bromeliads.

I was sure you were very sensible that way, Hetty. What about the folks at your wonderful botanical garden?

Another news story yesterday had a botanical garden somewhere removing all their broms.

Our Garden - which has thousands of Bromeliads - is taking the approach of fighting mosquitos with BT, which we have always done anyway. It was Miami Beach Botanical Gardens which has removed all theirs.

Here is the article
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/he...

This is how I feel about Miami in emojis:

mellielong said:This is how I feel about Miami in emojis:

Yep. Perfect Melanie. I just bought myself a 3lb. jar of Mosquito Bits which btw are much cheaper off Amazon than at Home Depot (who was sold out of them when I was there). Treat my Broms every couple of weeks if there's water in them.

I also scatter my coffee grounds all over them, and they get washed down into the leaf axils. It smell like Starbucks out there most of the time. MMmmm.

I've checked all the broms in my yard every so often the past month and even with the rains we've had, no sign of mosquito larvae. There's just so much hype about Zika ....

Bromeliad garden that smells of Starbucks? I think Elaine invented my version of heaven!

I did an experiment with two jars of water, one plain and one with a spoonfull of coffee grounds and there was mosquito larvae in the untreated jar within 3 days. The jar with the coffee grounds/water never had any larvae even after 2 weeks. Coffee grounds work!

That's very good to know, Alice! Thanks for experimenting and letting us know.

I should have added I live in a marshy spot with millions of mosquitoes year round so there was no shortage of subjects.

Lin - They gave been spraying pretty heavily here, so I've seen very few mosquitoes. Very few butterflies or caterpillars either.

I hope you are hunkering down. Be safe! We are riding it out just a few streets away from you. About half the neighbors on our street have stayed. So I know who is here. And my elderly neighbor is also across the street. We will go running over there if she needs us.

What a mess! I heard that it might take weeks to get our power back on. And this damn storm is predicted to circle around and hit us again as a tropical storm on Monday. Geez!!! Say it ain't true.

Be safe, my friends! The reporter on the Fox local news today at noon was at Sebastian Inlet and I thought about you guys. Even the weatherman was mad at the people kite surfing because it was already so dangerous.

beckygardener said:Lin, I hope you are hunkering down. Be safe! We are riding it out just a few streets away from you. About half the neighbors on our street have stayed. So I know who is here. And my elderly neighbor is also across the street. We will go running over there if she needs us.

What a mess! I heard that it might take weeks to get our power back on. And this damn storm is predicted to circle around and hit us again as a tropical storm on Monday. Geez!!! Say it ain't true.

Becky, we're as prepared as can be, all boarded up and hopefully safe as can be. I think if I'd known it was going to be as strong a storm as it's turned out to be, I would have evacuated ... even though we're not in an evacuation zone. I heard earlier today that there was talk of it possibly intensifying to a category 5 storm and that was truly scary! We've never experienced a Cat 3 or 4, only category 1 and 2 and those can cause major damage. Damage from Matthew has the potential to be catastrophic. Our house sits up a bit on the lot with the lawn sloping down so I don't think we'll have any water intrusion but the perimeter of our yard is quite soggy after even light rains and the street out front always floods. This subdivision apparently has had drainage issues for years.

We haven't lost power yet but the news is reporting that some parts of Indian River County have lost power already. It probably won't be long for ours to go and I sure hope we aren't without power for long; that always makes it miserable with the heat and humidity.

After Matthew passes if you need help with anything, give me a shout out and I'll help in any way I can!

Lin - you too. I am amazed we still have power at this time.

Hope all of you are safe and dry tomorrow. Please check in and let us know you are okay.

Please stay safe!!!!

I kept an eye on it Elaine @dyzzypyxxy as you advised. I think this is the flower. It took its time if it is!