<p>We bought a Mosquito Magnet a few years ago and have had fairly decent results from it. It gets put away every winter and taken out every summer. Took it out last week and it seemed to have a power problem; we figured out what we need, and have ordered the parts (kind of our fault for not following up with some maintenance). But it will be a few days before they arrive, and we have a graduation party scheduled for D2 in 2½ weeks and it takes 4 weeks to get the full effect once we turn it on (after the parts arrive). So I’m looking for alternative solutions for our backyard. </p>
<p>In summer’s passed, we never used yard sprayers/foggers because we had a dog (she was put down in March, so we don’t have that issue anymore); so I’ve never paid any attention to any of them, how well certain brands are known to work, etc. Today when I was at Home Depot, I noticed the Off Clip-Ons repellants and wondered how they might work if we clipped them onto tables, chairs, or in trees around the yard. </p>
<p>I’m guessing the answer is going to be a solution of our Mosquito Magnet (once we get it going) and something else. </p>
<p>Anyone have any product they feel very strongly about? And yes, we now have a bumper crop of mosquitos thanks to a VERY wet June. Party is from 3-9PM.</p>
<p>There is a type of candle that emits a scent that keeps the mosquitos away. Can’t remember the name. Also spraying Listerine supposedly does the trick. Google those subjects. My friend would use those tiki poles with those candles in them, I remember.</p>
<p>Citronella candles are what I was trying to remember.</p>
<p>We had good luck with a citronella fogger that attached to our hose. You spray the grass around the area you will be in and it repels them. We also had citronella candles and tiki lights. It worked for us.</p>
<p>I can’t tell you how many forwarded emails I’ve gotten over the years telling me to use Listerine, but every time I snope it, I find it’s false.</p>
<p>Actually, since it’s a one-event use, I wouldn’t mind using a stronger chemical than citronella, but it can be part of the ‘support’ system. </p>
<p>I will look around for the foggers that attach to the hose.</p>
<p>Part of our problem is that we live next to a pond owned by our park district, so we will always have mosquito issues, unfortunately, just not the Magnet at its full capacity this year!</p>
<p>I used a clip on for dog walking at night all last summer…the research says it doesn’t work.</p>
<p>we use (cutter) Bug free back yard…we have a good size yard ( in Memphis) almost an acre - it takes 5 bottles for the full yard…you hook it up to a hose…takes my dh about an hour to do it all…really helps…lasts about 3 weeks</p>
<p>we had mosquito magnets from Frontgate - about 5 in all - all were returned -</p>
<p>that’s how we knew ours didn’t…there would be 5 bugs in it after a week…Frontgate tried saying, maybe you killed them all. um, no. glad yours works. where did you get it?</p>
<p>I think when I ordered it, I bought it from the company because you really couldn’t find it in stores around here yet. My brother had one in Houston (if it works there, I thought, it should work here!) and it helped them a lot. But yea, the net is really gross when you take it out. We could easily get 5 mosquitos in an hour (exaggerating a slight bit), much less a week! You do have to be very careful with placement (which I’m sure you realize) and I think we were just lucky with that on the first try.</p>
<p>For $49, I can get my yard professionally sprayed and it could last up to three weeks! I never knew there were places out there that did private residences. I know that when we go to Ravinia during the summer, we never have issues with mosquitoes, but I know they spray there. Didn’t know I could get the same effect in my own yard!</p>
<p>I am a mosquito magnet myself, :(, but I’d be very leery of spraying poisons all over my yard. And I would not want to be at a party with little fans blowing it around. </p>
<p>If you do the professional treatment, I would want to know what chemical was being used. I looked around that website referenced above,and they don’t seem to want to name it. </p>
<p>We use citronella candles and Tiki torches. Ultimately, when the skeeters are out, I go in. I joked last night that i’m my husband’s screen porch as, if I’m outside, he will not be stung; they’ll go after me.</p>
<p>Despite that, I am very leery of the long-term effects of many insecticides; we only buy Deet-free repellents.</p>
<p>Like I said, it’s only a one-time event, although I realize the chemical will last in the yard for up to three weeks, it looks like. I ordinarily wouldn’t opt for this, but I’m getting sort of desperate.</p>
<p>We have a really nice patio, with a nice round marble table with a fire pit in the middle of it, and when we have parties, people tend to congregate out there.</p>
<p>Interesting update I thought I’d provide. Our replacement parts for the Mosquito Magnet did not do the job, and considering the unit stayed outside (not running) this past winter, we declared it dead. So I cried uncle and decided to just go out and buy another one, fully prepared to pay what I did the first time around. I think I paid around $500 for the Liberty which is supposed to cover a ½ acre. Stopped by Home Depot today, and they have the Patriot (which covers a whole acre) on sale for $298!</p>
<p>I’m sure you all can deduce what I did from there! Now to get it put together and get it going tonight.</p>
<p>Sounds like you’ve got it under control. For others-- we use the citronella candles that come in pails. We put them around the deck and they work very well, and they’re pretty. I like the torches but they don’t really seem to last well.</p>
<p>terwitt - Does it need a electric outlet or does it run on batteries? I researched and am getting conflicting infomation. I love working in the yard. We are in the wooded area with many mosquitoes.</p>
<p>That’s what I do now. I spray it on my gardening clothes. The fume from repellents gives me a mild headache. It will be so much more pleasant going in and out freely. I have a beautiful yard. I like to stay outside.</p>