Mosquitoes love me. I do not love them. I don’t return their calls, I’m always busy when they want to go out, I slap them when they get too close, but they’re not taking the hint. Maybe it’s because I’m outnumbered here in the Bayou City and the word being spread isn’t, “Stay away or die!” but “Free all-you-can-eat buffet!” The RWA Conference is next week and I’m going to look as though I just got off the plane from a two-week stint at Girl Scout Camp.
Meanwhile, the battle rages on. My first line of defense is an electronic goody: the Stinger Mosquito Trap. I have one just inside the front door. A light attracts the mosquitoes and a fan sucks them in where they dehydrate. No muss no fuss. 
Until I have to empty it.
My favorite weapon was an anniversary present. Roses are nice, but give me an electronic mosquito zapper anytime. I sleep with it next to the bed and when I hear that whiny buzz, I grab the racket without turning on the light, wave it around until I hear a snap and see a spark as 1500 volts fry the mosquito. Very satisfying. The smell of burning mosquito? Not so much.
Speaking of smell, a couple of years ago, I started looking for a new perfume. I’ve been squirting myself at counters, buying samplers, and rubbing my arms with those cards that come in magazines in hopes of eliciting more than, “It’s okay” from my husband. I’d about given up until one day he said, “Hey! What’s that perfume? I really like that.” And so I’ve found my new signature scent: Off Smooth and Dry.
If you’ve got any mosquito-fighting tips, please tell me!
P.S. I’ve just redone my website. Stop by and take a look.
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I wish I did have great tips for you. Night before last, we were sitting at the fire pit in the backyard, the heat from a blazing fire lulling me into a false sense of mosquito-lessness euphoria, but alas, I was sadly mistaken.
We have a creek that flows behind our house. It is the spawning grounds for the Michigan Mosquito. They very much resemble the one in your yellow sign up there. I sat with the requisite “Off” on my arms (can’t wear much, it makes me itch terribly) and the rest of me was covered. Or so I thought. I sat in the chair with my legs crossed and did the constant slap-flick, slap-flick one so often hears around our house. What I didn’t realize was that I had one little two inch by two inch area on the front of my right ankle that wasn’t covered by my jeans. Because of my poor circulation, I didn’t realize I was a smorgasbord for the mosquitoes.
I have TWENTY-SEVEN mosquito bites in that little, tiny, two by two area!
And the itching is driving me insane!!
*sigh* Where did you say you bought that tennis racket thingy?
Oh, I feel your itch! I hate when I wake up and have bites on my face. That racket came from and it’s on sale right now!
Harbor Freight. I didn’t do the link thingy right.
The mosquitoes have been vicious this year — I have been using those OFF personal fans to avoid the bug spray, but I still tend to just wear jeans on dog walks to avoid bites. The fans work pretty well, but I think when the bugs are hungry enough, they just don’t care…
Have to check out your website.
Sam
I wanted to try those personal fans. These stupid mosquitoes bite through clothes. I do like the Off Smooth and Dry because it does dry “dry”.
If the Off Smooth and Dry really works I’ll be in the store tomorrow looking for it. At the moment we are having an off period of time ~no mosquitoes ~ but that’s because we are in the middle of a drought situation…just wait until of if we get a healthy dose of rain. I am a mosquito magnet.
The latest anti-mosquito tip I’ve heard but haven’t tried is Listerine. A friend of the family keeps some in a spray bottle to use outside. I’ve also tried using Skin So Soft (original scent) from Avon. That doesn’t work for my daughter but it seems to work for me. I guess it just depends on body chemistry and of course the mosquito’s taste buds.
BTW- read Undressed last week- it was great! And love the website!
Sherry, thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed UNDRESSED.
I heard tying a dryer sheet to your wrist or clothing keeps them at bay. I’ve yet to try it though. Feel free to be the guinea pig and report back!
When I find the ultimate defense, I’ll be reporting EVERYWHERE!
My only mosquito-fighting advice is to move to San Francisco. We have none. It’s a beautiful thing.
Love the new website, by the way! I’ve got your Blaze sitting in my TBR pile and can’t wait to read it. My next project is a “4 Encounters” so I’ve stocked up all the ones that came before me to see what heavy shoes I’ve got to fill. LOL!
Thanks, Lori. Leslie set the bar pretty high!
I have a mosquito deleto… no, it’s the Skeeter Vac. It’s okay. I also ring the deck with torches filled with citronella oil. Lastly, I use a can of deck guard or some such spray around the yard before we have any kind of big gathering to give the insects a warning that I mean business.
But next on my list is a bat house. We’re going to put it up kind of far from the house so I don’t have bats zinging over my head at dusk every night. With any luck though, I’ll attract enough to seriously dent the mosquito population.
I’m envious of the bug killing badminton racquet… cool!!
Joanne, I hate to tell you this, but we back up to a nature preserve. The skies at night sometimes are black with bats. The mosquitoes outnumber them 10,000 to one. There’s just no way the bats can keep up. *sigh*
Good luck.
I really think that if everything disappeared from the earth one day, the only life left would be cockroaches and mosquitoes…