Thus, a colony of 500 bats could consume over a quarter of a million mosquitoes per hour. Impressive numbers indeed, but singularly unrealistic when based upon a study where bats were confined to a room with mosquitoes as their only food source. Mosquito Plants' The citrosa geranium is currently being marketed as the answer to backyard mosquito problems on the basis of its alleged repellent properties. Researchers who developed this plant in the Netherlands claim that the plant carries a gene that produces the oil of citronella scent, a well-known but relatively weak mosquito repellent. Testing by the Department of Environmental Biology at the University of Guelph in Canada has established that the oils are released only when the leaves are crushed or rubbed on the skin.
Mosquitoes can indeed make outdoor activities miserable experiences.
Many people, desperate for relief, are driven to unusual, often untried, methods of control. While these may appeal to an unwary consumer, the sad fact is that they work only poorly, if at all. Time and again, controlled studies have shown that the most effective methods of mosquito control involve the integration of many different tried and true strategies, using approved repellents, source reduction and, when necessary, pesticides. The University of Iowa. All rights reserved.