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Purpose
The Friends of the Gladwin Conservation District is a volunteer non-profit founded in 2024 with the purpose of supporting the Gladwin Conservation District and encouraging conservation efforts throughout Gladwin County. Priorities Build a network of conservation-minded community members Improve and maintain the GCD Community Garden Develop conservation education campaigns and initiatives Attend outreach events in the community Gladwin County River Race of Two Cities Maintain a presence at local meetings in Gladwin County General Meetings Fourth Thursday of every month at 6:30pm Nice weather: GCD Community Garden (145 Clendening Rd, Gladwin, MI) Poor weather: GCD Office (750 M-18, Gladwin, MI) Connect with Us Check out our Facebook group to introduce yourself, ask questions, and share resources! |
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FGCD Feature Article
"Homestead Mosquito Control"
By Rich Points
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Humans have been battling mosquitoes since time immemorial. At best, their pesky bites and maddening buzz are annoying. At worst, they can spread diseases like West Nile, Zika, and encephalitis. Keeping them in check is a priority.
One common way mosquitoes are controlled is with chemicals known as pyrethrins which occur naturally in chrysanthemums. These chemicals are often “fogged” into the air and work by hijacking the insect's nervous system, causing paralysis and death. The problem is pyrethrins are non-selective, meaning they kill beneficial insects as well—bees, dragonflies, ladybugs, mayflies, lightning bugs, and can be toxic to fish and other aquatic life. In short, they’re not the best strategy for maintaining a thriving ecosystem. Luckily, Mother Nature, a few modern innovations, and practicing good “mosquito hygiene” can keep mosquito populations in check. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant, non-flowing water. The still water allows the larvae and pupae to come to the surface and breathe. We can disrupt this with a simple aerator or fountain in a pond, which can have a significant impact. |
Or you can buy mosquito dunks, which contain a naturally occurring bacterium that targets and kills the larvae before they develop into adults. These bacteria will kill insects like mosquitoes, blackflies, and fungus gnats but beneficial insects like dragonflies are spared.
To lessen mosquito numbers we need to eliminate as much unnecessary standing water as possible. This includes water in buckets, wheelbarrows, tarps, and gutters. Mosquitoes don’t need much water, even an upside-down bottle cap is enough for them to lay eggs in. You can also fill 5-gallon buckets with water and add a quarter of a mosquito dunk to each. Refresh the water and dunks once a month. These actions will go a long way toward reducing the mosquito population, but chances are they’ll still be around. That’s where Mother Nature comes in. Many creatures prey on mosquitoes: bats, birds, fish, amphibians, spiders, and dragonflies, to name a few. A healthy, diverse ecosystem provides the checks and balances to keep mosquito populations low. Bat boxes are a great asset. Bats feast on mosquitoes and can eat 6,000 to 8,000 in a single night! Few things are more rewarding than watching dozens of bats drop out of a bat box at sunset for a night of foraging. |
Dragonflies prey on mosquitoes throughout their life cycle—from larvae and pupae to adults. To attract dragonflies, you can add a water feature and stock it with plants like water lilies, rushes, and cattails that provide shelter and perches. Away from the pond, plant things like milkweed, black-eyed Susan, and Joe-Pye weed to create dragonfly habitat.
Mosquitoes don’t like strong-smelling plants and tend to avoid them. Here are some effective mosquito-repelling plants: Citronella, Lemongrass, Basil, Geranium, Sage, Bee Balm, Oregano, Lavender, Tansy, Feverfew, Marigold, Petunia, Mint, and Rosemary. Simply having them nearby offers some protection, but they’re most effective when the oils are actively released. Essential oils made from the plants can be effective deterrents applied to your person. Native Americans wear braided sweetgrass around their necks as a deterrent. So get your defences up and deploy these strategies, agitate or drain standing water, provide habitat for beneficial insects and animals, plant aromatic plants that deter mosquitoes and attract beneficials, and apply essential oils to your skin. With a little effort, you can work with Mother Nature to fend off everyone's least favorite insect without waging war on your backyard ecosystem. |
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