# Mosquito problem?



## GladeCreek (Mar 27, 2012)

So, we hardly ever had mosquito's here, but now that we have horses, the poor things are covered in them. Is this normal? What can I do about it if anything? TY!


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## bluewater rangerbreds (Apr 1, 2012)

Remove or eliminate all sources of standing water if possible. Clean out the water tanks regularly as you can actually see mosquito larvae swimming in the water if you let it go to long. Use mosquito repellant horse spray found at your local feed stores. if not possible to eliminate all the standing water you can use the mosquito dunks (round donut looking things) that kills mosquito larve
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/mosquito-dunks.html


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## treeclimber233 (Apr 10, 2013)

Or better yet put some small fish (guppies, goldfish, etc)  in the water.  they can eat the mosquito larva when they hatch out.  When mosquitoes cannot find water they will simply lay their eggs on the ground and "hope" when it rains they will hatch. If you provide them with water they will lay in the water and the fish take care of the babies. That is how I control mosquitos at my barn.  Works like a charm.


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## promiseacres (Apr 11, 2013)

We use fish too! Works well....fly spray should help on themselves the horses


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## michickenwrangler (Apr 11, 2013)

We have a natural spring-fed pond and while everyone asks us how bad mosquitoes are, unless we're in the deep woods or swamp, we hardly notice them. The fish do an exellent job of keeping them down.

You may also want to get a bat house or two. Bats eat THOUSANDS of mosquitoes every night. We like watching them fly about 4 feet over the pond on summer evenings.


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## CritterZone (Apr 11, 2013)

Make sure your horses are vaccinated for West Nile Virus!  

And all the other things people said about standing water, fish, etc...


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## goodhors (Apr 11, 2013)

I would like to suggest using Mosquito Torpedos over the Mosquito
Dunk rings.  The Torpedos last a month longer per piece, and don't break up
within a short time, STAY where you put them.  If you toss them in 
standing water, which then dries up, the Torpedo also dries up, but will
still be effective if the water comes back and wets it.  

I have used the Torpedos for the last couple years and think they 
do a better job than the Dunks for the above reasons.  I get a LOT of 
seasonal water, low spots, drainage ditches that may be wet a while, 
then dry for midsummer, wet again in the fall.  So having the Torpedo
stay put in those locations is really helpful.  For me, the Dunks were 
more expensive in needing to be replaced every 30 days, and breaking
apart long before the 30 days were up.  I throw 3 Torpedos (with my 
slingshot) out into the woods pond which is fair sized, and THEY DO make 
a difference in the mosquito population.  Then 3 more Torpedos as needed
for their time spans.  Slingshot is fun to get Torpedos across the pond
to spread them around, instead of mud wading to place them among the
pond shrub growth!!    

Torpedos used to be available at Home Depot.  But I didn't find
them last year so I ordered them from Jeffers Equine, which seemed 
to be about the best price when I was looking.  Buying several packs
at once saved on shipping, and I had them handy to use as needed.
They don't harm wildlife or the various inhabitants of our pond that
are not mammals.  

http://www.jefferspet.com/pre-strike-mosquito-torpedo/camid/EQU/cp/SB-P3/


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## GLENMAR (Apr 11, 2013)

CritterZone said:
			
		

> Make sure your horses are vaccinated for West Nile Virus!
> 
> And all the other things people said about standing water, fish, etc...


x2


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## andrewlucas (Apr 16, 2013)

Better to use mosquito spray, there are various pest control available to kill mosquitoes. Fish is also very good option.


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## goodhors (Apr 16, 2013)

Actually, PREVENTION of the adult Mosquito is cheaper, more environmentally
sound, and easier on the animals themselves, than individual sprays or 
coating the land itself with sprays that animals will eat along with the plants
that were coated.

No method ever get ALL the Mosquitos or prevents them from happening, but 
by cleaning up breeding areas, using the Torpedos or Dunks to prevent larvae
from maturing, you can get a lot of good results.

Spraying also costs a lot more, hard on the ozone layer, with some animals who 
can't tolerate the stuff on their skin.


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