A Mosquito-Free Summer

A Mosquito-Free Summer

Feb 23, 2023 | Garden Bugs

Mosquito Control

Enjoy your summer without bites.

Getting bitten in your tent, or in your garage, or outside on the patio – not the fun parts of summer. Be prepared this year with mosquito repellents to avoid these pesky insects.

Doktor Doom Mosquito, Tick & Pesky Fly Repellent

Spray on clothing and exposed skin to repel ticks, mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies, stable flies, biting midges and chiggers. Unscented spray is ideal for those with sensitivities to artificial fragrances.

Mosquito Shield Coils

Ideal for camping and any other outdoor activities. This mosquito-repelling spiral releases the scent of citronella, and will be your ally outdoors. Each spiral provides 7 hours of protection. Available in a tin and sold separately.

Summit Mosquito Dunks

A Mosquito Dunk looks like a small, beige donut which floats on standing water. As the Dunk slowly dissolves, it releases a bacterium which is toxic to all species of mosquito larvae. Use in any standing water including rain barrels, bird baths, tree holes, elevator shafts, planter reservoirs, and rain gutters.

Wilson OneShot Mosquito & Flying Insect Spray

Controls insects both indoors and outdoors. Fast knock down action on a variety of flying insects including mosquitos, wasps, house flies and more Contains lemongrass essential oil for a fresh citron scent.

Mosquito Shield Combat Formula

With 30% DEET, this formula has protection for up to 8 hours. Effective against mosquitoes, black flies, deer flies, stable flies, ticks, biting midges and chiggers. Designed for outdoor activists in mind.

PiACTIVE Insect Repellent 40ml, 150g

Spray provides long-lasting, 12 hour effective
protection from mosquitoes and ticks, and 10 hour protection from black flies. Not oily, greasy or sticky.

Find what suits your needs.

Mosquitoes are able to pierce through your skin with a specialized organ called a proboscis. This is what allows them to draw the blood of you or your pet, which is an important nutrient source for female mosquitoes to reproduce.

Nonetheless, this behaviour is frustrating to us who want to enjoy our wonderful Alberta summers without itching constantly! This itching comes from the saliva of mosquitoes, to which our immune system quickly attempts to respond to. Our inflammation response creates the itchy, red, and swollen characteristics of bites – though a chemical called histamine. Everyone reacts differently to mosquito bites depending on the inner workings of their immune system.

You’ll find especially large quantities of mosquitoes in swamps, marshes, or wet terrain, where the bugs can lay their eggs.

A prelimary step to managing these pesky insects is to remove any still water from your area. A pond in your backyard can attract mosquitoes to your area. The same goes for birdbaths. If this is a part of your issue, try Summit Mosquito Dunks. This product will float and dissolve in water to kill off any mosquito larvae by using a special type of bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis. This species of bacteria only affects the larvae of some flying insects and will have no affect of humans. 

You can also grow certain plants in your garden as a fantastic natural preventative measure. Fragrant plants and flowers like sage, rosemary,  lemon grass, catmint, citronells, and lavender can overwhelm and repel bugs. These essential oils are found in products like Wilson’s Mosquito & Flying Insect Spray and Mosquito Sheild Coils.

DEET is found in Mosquito Sheild Combat Formula Spray and Doktor Doom Mosquito, Tick & Pesky Fly Repellent. It works by disrupting the sensory information of mosquitoes and similar insects. This can be applied directly to your clothes and skin to keep the bugs at bay.

By Julia Bowen

Understanding Insecticides

Understanding Insecticides

Aug 25, 2022 | Garden Bugs

Understanding Insecticides

Pesticides and insecticides have been changing a lot in the last few years, with many being taken off the market due to health and ecological concerns. Chlorpyrifos, a chemical used in pesticides like Dursban and Lorsban has been banned in Canada as of 2021. The insecticide known as Ambush now goes by Bug-X Out. Neem oil is now banned in garden centers since it is not technically registered as pesticide, however is still sold in many beauty products at drug stores.

Confusing right?

With many names and available products changing, it can be difficult to know what to use in your garden. For insects, pyrethrins are a major group of chemicals that work against many little critters including ants, red lily beetles, Japanese beetles, aphids, whiteflies, and more. Pyrethrum is an insecticide that is extracted from the chrysanthemum flower and pyrethrins are the active molecules. This is a neurotoxin that paralyzes the bugs by over-firing their neurons. Eventually, this will lead to their death.

There are also synthetic compounds that are similar, known as pyrethroids. The group of pyrethrins are found in most insecticides like Ant BGon, Doktor Doom Residual Foam, Doktor Doom Plant Spray, Trounce Insecticide, Safer’s End-All, Schultz Insect Spray, and Knockdown X-Max. Permethrin, a synthetic version of these chemicals, is found in Bug X-Out, Doktor Doom Surface Residual Insect Killer, and Doktor Doom House & Garden Spray.

Find out how your pesticides really work and what is in them.

Piperonyl butoxide is another ingredient in many pesticides. Interestingly, it does not actually harm the insect itself but prevents some of their defensive mechanisms. This makes them less resistant to the other active ingredients in pesticides. This can be found in products like Shultz Insect Spray, Doktor Doom (Pyrethrin Insecticide Powder, Indoor/Outdoor Spray, and Spider Mite Knockout) and Knockdown X-Max.

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Explore natural options.

If you’re looking to avoid using chemicals in your garden, there are other options, too. Worm castings won’t kill your pests, but they do act as an insect repellent (including aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites). It contains chitinase which is an enzyme that breaks down the outer shell of insects. The microorganisms in worms also helps to benefit the soil microbiome and makes it a great addition to your garden soil.

Some products contain Bacillus species, a type of bacteria that is a biopesticide. This type of bacteria acts as a pathogen to insects. Just like we can get bacterial infections like pneumonia or respiratory infections, bugs can get bacterial infections, too. This is in Safer’s BTK, Beetle BGon Max, and Grub BGon Max. Beneficial nematodes are another great way to deal with insect infestations. Nematodes act as a parasite to insects and release toxins in order to kill them. These are able to treat ant, white grub, and fungus gnat infestations.

Insecticidal soaps are based off of potassium or sodium salts that work against soft-bodied insects like thrips, mealybugs, aphids, mites, and whiteflies. These salts disrupt the cell membranes of bugs. Green Earth, Schultz, and Safer’s have insecticidal soaps.

 

Diatomaceous earth works by drying out the fats and oils in insects. This is offered as an organic powder from Gaia Green. Lastly, a natural option is horticultural oil, which blocks the breathing openings since it coats insects in a layer of oil.

Understanding the difference between the available insecticides can be intimidating, but knowing the basics about how they work can help you make a better decision for what you need. To sum it up: natural options include worm castings, insecticidal soaps, bacteria species, nematodes, diatomaceous earth, and horticultural oil. More efficacious, chemical options include the pyrethrin family and piperonyl butoxide. Insecticidal soaps are not going to work well for hard-bodied bugs and should be reserved for soft-bodied critters.

Happy gardening!

By Julia Bowen