Successfully combat and drive away mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can be extremely annoying. How to successfully drive away and fight the unpleasant insects? We have valuable tips ready.

A nerve-wracking buzzing at night, followed by unsightly hives on the skin and itching that drives one or the other to despair. These are the things most of us associate with blood-sucking mosquitoes. Here you can find out what you should know about the annoying mosquitoes and what keeps them away.

Mosquito: profile and information

The insects of the mosquito family (Culcidae) are known by many different names. In Switzerland they are called "Staunsen" or "Stanzen" and in Austria the term "Gelsen" is more common. Recently, the term “mosquito” has been gaining ground, originally derived from the Portuguese and Spanish “mosquito”.

Mosquitoes can be found almost anywhere in the world. There are 3,500 species in total - 104 of these mosquitoes are found in Europe.

Basically, mosquitoes feed on plant juices, but the females need blood for egg development after mating. The mosquitoes therefore have stinging-sucking mouthparts, which are reduced in the males. Therefore, only the female mosquitoes can suck blood. When biting, the mosquito injects a salivary secretion, which influences blood clotting and enables the mosquito to suck. The mosquitoes are attracted to their host by the exhaled carbon dioxide and body odor.

mosquito species

In the following we give you an overview of the types of mosquitoes that romp around in our area. The following mosquitoes are native species:

• common mosquito (Culex pipiens)
• flood gnat (Aedes vexans)
• Large house mosquito or ringworm (Culiseta annulata)
• sandfly (Phlebotominae)
• black fly (Simuliidae)
• bearded midge (Ceratopogonidae)

These mosquitoes, on the other hand, are invasive species - i.e. mosquitoes that were brought in from often exotic areas:

• Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
• Asian bush mosquito or Japanese bush mosquito (Aedes japonicus)
• Yellow fever mosquito or Egyptian tiger mosquito (Aedes aegypti)

We would like to go into a few of these mosquitoes or groups of mosquitoes in more detail below.

house mosquitoes

These mosquitoes survive the winter in hollow trees, burrows or in frost-free rooms. They are well known to us because this species of mosquito keeps us from sleeping in summer and autumn. In the spring, the females look for watering holes to lay their eggs and lay around 150 eggs. Theoretically, these females can produce up to a billion offspring by the end of the season.
Classic house mosquitoes are Culex pipiens, Culex hortensis, Culiseta annulata.

Flood mosquitoes

Flood mosquitoes lay their eggs in flood plains where their clutches wait for water. When a flood inundates this region, an explosive event begins. As soon as the water recedes, the mosquitoes begin to develop. The adult mosquitoes live relatively short, but the females also need blood to lay their eggs and can therefore be particularly annoying. They seek blood from amphibians and wild animals, but also from people who are nearby. These mosquitoes can also be blown near us by the wind, but they do not normally enter houses. Typical types are Aedes vexans, Aedes stiticus or Aedes rossicus.

Invasive mosquitoes

For several years, mosquitoes from tropical and Asian regions have also been found in Central Europe. These are not only favored by climate change, but the cause for the appearance of these mosquitoes is more in global trade. For example, in the south of Austria you could already see the Asian bush mosquito (Aedes japonicus) prove.

These mosquitoes are very similar to house mosquitoes, but they are often found in damp rooms and stables. Here too, the females can transmit blood plasmodia that trigger malaria. To do this, however, the mosquito has to bite a sick person, the pathogen has to complete its development in the mosquito and then the mosquito has to poke a person again. Only then is it possible for malaria to be transmitted. Some examples of mosquitoes that can transmit diseases are:

• The yellow fever mosquito is found in Europe in Turkey, Greece and southern Spain and can transmit dengue fever, Zika virus, yellow fever and chikungunya fever.
• The Asian bush mosquito comes from China, Korea and Japan and can transmit the West Nile virus and cause meningitis.
• The Asian tiger mosquito has its home in southern Asia, but is already sighted in southern Germany and Austria. These mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus, dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya fever. It may also be able to transmit the Zika virus.

Lifespan and cycle of the mosquito

It takes about 20 days for a mosquito to develop from egg to adult. The females lay their eggs in standing water. The calm surface of garden ponds or rain barrels is ideal for mosquitoes to lay their eggs.

Between 30 and 300 eggs can be deposited per egg laying. The eggs are glued together to form so-called egg boats. They float on the surface through trapped air bubbles between the eggs.

After 3 to 5 days, the first larvae hatch and develop in the water. They have no organs for breathing underwater, just a breathing tube. Their diet consists mainly of algae and microorganisms. During their development, the larvae molt four times. Depending on the food supply, the larva needs 1 to 3 weeks to fully develop and pupate.

The pupae then float beneath the surface of the water for a few days. Compared to other insects, the mosquito pupa is still mobile and can even flee when threatened. The mosquitoes are capable of reproduction once they are able to fly.

Large swarms of mosquitoes at dusk consist of a large number of males. The females fly into these flocks and are located by the males. This works via the different buzzing frequencies of male and female mosquitoes. Then the females are mated.

After fertilization, the female must consume protein and iron in order for her eggs to develop. These substances are found in the blood (haemoglobin). The females therefore sting their suitable host and take about 0.005 ml of blood. After digestion, which can take 1 to 2 days, the females lay their eggs and can mate again.

Repel and keep away mosquitoes

To prevent itchy hives, you should try to keep the mosquitoes away with the following tips. Especially for those of us who like to sleep with the window open, an insect screen on the windows is highly recommended.

Mosquitoes: Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?

It is a misconception that mosquitoes are attracted to light. In principle, the nocturnal and twilight-active insects orientate themselves on the moon. Our artificial light sources tend to confuse them and they lose their bearings. However, the mosquitoes can also get used to our light sources and the hunt for our blood starts again.

As already mentioned, the mosquitoes use their sense of smell to orientate themselves. If you do see mosquitoes buzzing around a light source, you don't have to worry. These mosquitoes are mostly midges (Chironomidae) that don't sting us.

Mosquitoes are attracted to our body odor and the carbon dioxide we exhale. That's why they're always buzzing around our heads at night. Here the carbon dioxide concentration is simply the highest.

Insect spray against mosquitoes

The insect sprays from the trade are so-called repellents. Repelling means nothing more than warding off. Repellents or deterrents contain substances that "stink" to the pest. The organism to be deterred usually perceives the substance through its sense of smell and is thereby expelled, but not killed. However, these synthetic sprays are often not suitable for children or pregnant women, who are particularly fond of being attacked by mosquitoes.

Our tip: Homemade bug spray

• Fill 30 ml of peppermint hydrosol into a pump bottle.
• Add 4 drops of peppermint essential oil and 2 drops of tea tree essential oil.
• Spray this spray on your clothing and body every few hours to repel insects.
• The spray also has a cooling and refreshing effect on tired legs.

Wearing the right clothing also helps to ward off mosquitoes. Wear long, body-covering clothing (which can be impregnated with insect repellent), but not too tight. Otherwise, the mosquitoes can easily bite through fabric.

Mosquitoes: Avoid standing water

As already mentioned, mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. It is therefore best to cover your rain barrels. Frogs and fish can reduce the population of larvae in your garden pond. Unfortunately, there is also the danger that the fish will also reduce the natural opponents of the mosquito larvae, such as the larvae of dragonflies or swimming beetles.

Also look out for hidden water points such as a forgotten bucket or empty flower pots where rainwater has collected. This is where mosquitoes like to develop.

Successfully combat mosquitoes

If you don't want to spray yourself with bug spray all summer, you can use a few other methods. Because mosquitoes are attracted to our body odor and carbon dioxide, various plants and fabrics can confuse and distract them. Walnut trees were often planted on farms in early times - often near the dung heap where such insects like to cavort. The emitted essential oils drive away the mosquitoes.

It is also helpful in the fight against mosquitoes if you spread the smell of essential oils in the room with an aroma lamp or use incense sticks. Especially citronella, lavender and catnip are excellent.

A tip from the garden to combat mosquitoes is the tomato. Mosquitoes don't like strong smells at all. Either you plant the tomatoes in front of your bedroom window or put some on your balcony. More information on the correct cultivation and care of tomatoes can be found here.

Mosquito trap instructions

To keep mosquitoes at bay, you can easily build a trap. So you can spend your evening in the garden in peace, without being visited by the annoying bloodsuckers.

For this trap you will need: sugar, water, yeast (yeast), 2 liter plastic bottle, tape

1. Cut the plastic bottle in half down the middle. The center is usually 10 cm below the neck of the bottle.
2. Fill approx. 200-300 ml of warm water and about 50 g of sugar in the bottom of the bottle. Mix everything well and let it cool down.
3. Add 1g of yeast. The yeast will break down the sugar, releasing carbon dioxide in the process.
4. Now put the top part of the plastic bottle in upside down (like a funnel) and tape it with some tape for security.
5. Set up the trap, preferably in a place where mosquitoes like to buzz around.

You will soon realize that the mosquitoes are flying into the trap and it is full of dead mosquitoes. The effect will of course be lost after some time, when the yeast has broken down all the sugar and the trap is full. Then simply renew the liquid from water, sugar and yeast.

Home remedies for mosquito bites

If the mosquitoes were quicker and none of the defensive measures helped, there are some home remedies that can relieve the itching. First of all, scratching is a very bad idea. While it's hard to resist this urge, you risk inflaming yourself and only spreading the mosquito's saliva—which only makes the itch worse.

The best remedy for mosquito bites is cooling. Gel compresses, ice packs, ice cubes or cold compresses help with itching and the cold also counteracts inflammation. Make sure that the cold packs or similar are not placed directly on the skin. Always put a tea towel or towel in between to protect your skin.

Another thing you're sure to have on hand is an onion. Halve them and place the freshly cut onion on the mosquito bite. The onion then unfolds its antibacterial and disinfecting effect and also relieves the itching.

You can probably find some vinegar in your kitchen when there aren't any onions. Mixing some vinegar with cold water makes a great itch-fighting solution. Soak a cotton pad or tea towel in it and place it on the stitch. You will soon feel relief.

The leaves of the buckhorn (Plantago lanceolata) an insider tip. This herb can be found in almost every meadow. Find some leaves of the herb and rub them between your hands until some of the sap comes out. Place the leaves on the stitch and let them do their job. The itching will go away soon.

Did you already know that there are plants that mosquitoes unfortunately cannot eat? With these Plants against mosquitoes you can keep the unloved pests away from your garden.