“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not ...

“Who is there that receives a gift and tries to make bargains
about it? Let us then return thanks for what He has
bestowed on us. Who can tell whether if we had had a
larger share of ability or stronger health we should not
have possessed them to our destruction??”
- Alphonsus Liguon
OUTDOORS
MOSQUITOES
It’s just instinct; see a mosquito, smack a mosquito (or try to).
(taken from “Gardening” magazine)
But like all living things, ,mosquitoes play an important role in the ecosystem, so
it’s not a good idea to try to kill every last one. However, since their bite can cause
an itchy welt at best and spread disease at worst, here are some simple steps you
can take to discourage them in your garden.
Understand how they breed and feed. Like butterflies, mosquitoes have a four part
life cycle, egg, larva, pupa and adult. Females lay eggs on the surface of
water. The aquatic larvae are not strong swimmers, so the female seeks water
with little or no movement. The larvae feed on bacteria and algae and go through
several molts, eventually pupating and emerging as winged adults.
Adult mosquitoes are nectar feeders and pollinate plants such as orchids and
goldenrods. The females feed on blood to get iron and protein only when they’re
ready to reproduce. Mosquitoes are a food source for a myriad of wildlife species,
including dragonflies, frogs, lizards, fish, birds and bats.
Shut down the mosquito nursery. Anything that holds water—clogged rain
gutters, flowerpots, puddles on tarps, or kiddie pools—will serve as a nursery for
mosquito larvae. It takes a minimum of five days for larvae to turn into biting
adults, so empty birdbaths and other standing water twice a week. Stock garden
ponds with fish and encourage predators such as frogs and dragonflies. Goldfish
and mosquito fish are not native so never release them into natural waterways.
Pesticides can be toxic to predators that reduce mosquito populations. Never put
oil on water surfaces, as this pollutes the water and kills many forms of life.