mosquito medicine for CP????

[caseyhoo]

Now, I have 3 water tray for Drosera, 1 for Sarra, 1 for FlyTrap. Last time, I use to keep a betta in 1 of water tray. But, betta is not doing fine in others tray, die in few days.

I know that water change is the best way to prevent mosquito. Im thinking to use mosquito medicine that sell in hardware shop. Anyone try it before? Please lets me know... Else, some of my CP going to become white mouse soon...

Thanx in advance...

[arvin555]

Casey I don't know what you mean by your CPs becoming white mouse, do you mean that if you cannot make sure your water tray is mosquito larvae free you need to get rid of your CPs? Well we don't want that so I give you some tips.

1. what I do is I have a syringe and everyday if I find Mossie larvae I suck them up with syringe and put in a small container, I then pour them into my pond with fish or my bettas, yes I keep bettas too. This is best way for me coz I have live food for my bettas. In water tray I also see bloodworms which I also feed to fish.

2. If you don't like this idea, then I think more natural way than chemical way is the way to go.

a. You need to prevent mosquitos from laying on your water tray. A bit difficult even with screens.

b. You need to make sure that Mossie larvaes do not find ideal living area in your tray. Which means either keep water tray water level low that they can't live in it, coz it dried up every other day. (but might not be good for VFT drying out).

c. Use some kind of medium on your water tray, that can "wick" water into the pot but make it difficult for mossie larvae to live in. Some examples are

1. very tiny pebbles in the tray.
2. Dried sphagnum moss in the tray.
3. Cocofiber in the tray.
4. Water movement, maybe add aeration bubbles to the water trays, Aquarium airpump, the idea is that mossie larvaes do not like water surface movement. I think they die coz they can't breath well when water is always moving from the air bubbles.

No. 3 I saw a picture of one either in this forum or another forum, the person who used it say that it is a cocomat and the mat is under a tray of water, the mat wicks water into the pots and medium, keeping it moist, etc. The mat will preven the larvaes from being able to live in the water because it is crowded. Same concept as no. 1 and 2 also.

Oh, lastly, maybe try to put in some aquatic utricularias which hopefully will feed on the Mossie larvaes. A member posted that he put U. Gibba in his water tray which I thought was cool in the first place, and I am trying it now, but maybe that can double the purpose in avoiding mosquitos from breeding in your tray water. Not sure if he still gets mossie larvaes with his U. Gibba in water tray.

WAIT!! Casey it was you! It was your post! So even with the Gibba you still have Mossie larvae?

Anyways Good luck!

TTFN
Arvin

[caseyhoo]

Originally Posted by arvin555

Casey I don't know what you mean by your CPs becoming white mouse, do you mean that if you cannot make sure your water tray is mosquito larvae free you need to get rid of your CPs? Well we don't want that so I give you some tips.

1. what I do is I have a syringe and everyday if I find Mossie larvae I suck them up with syringe and put in a small container, I then pour them into my pond with fish or my bettas, yes I keep bettas too. This is best way for me coz I have live food for my bettas. In water tray I also see bloodworms which I also feed to fish.

2. If you don't like this idea, then I think more natural way than chemical way is the way to go.

a. You need to prevent mosquitos from laying on your water tray. A bit difficult even with screens.

b. You need to make sure that Mossie larvaes do not find ideal living area in your tray. Which means either keep water tray water level low that they can't live in it, coz it dried up every other day. (but might not be good for VFT drying out).

c. Use some kind of medium on your water tray, that can "wick" water into the pot but make it difficult for mossie larvae to live in. Some examples are

1. very tiny pebbles in the tray.
2. Dried sphagnum moss in the tray.
3. Cocofiber in the tray.
4. Water movement, maybe add aeration bubbles to the water trays, Aquarium airpump, the idea is that mossie larvaes do not like water surface movement. I think they die coz they can't breath well when water is always moving from the air bubbles.

No. 3 I saw a picture of one either in this forum or another forum, the person who used it say that it is a cocomat and the mat is under a tray of water, the mat wicks water into the pots and medium, keeping it moist, etc. The mat will preven the larvaes from being able to live in the water because it is crowded. Same concept as no. 1 and 2 also.

Oh, lastly, maybe try to put in some aquatic utricularias which hopefully will feed on the Mossie larvaes. A member posted that he put U. Gibba in his water tray which I thought was cool in the first place, and I am trying it now, but maybe that can double the purpose in avoiding mosquitos from breeding in your tray water. Not sure if he still gets mossie larvaes with his U. Gibba in water tray.

WAIT!! Casey it was you! It was your post! So even with the Gibba you still have Mossie larvae?

Anyways Good luck!

TTFN
Arvin

Become "white mouse" means, will use some of my CPs for experiment...

I think, 1st solution is out for me... Because, I seldom check out my CPs tray... No time...

Chemical is what im thinking... But, must do some experiment. Unless there is some expert tried it before.

I think the most practical way for me is "Use some kind of medium on your water tray".

Utric in water tray didnt help much in mossie larvae control...

Out of topic, my U. gibba that grow on top of spagnum moss is flowering!!!

[hongrui]

i am using some anti-larve bits that i place in my water trays. so far so good. no larve and no adverse reactions from my drosera and vfts. but you cannot have rain water flusing out the trays, otherwise the chemicals all get flushed out and you'll have larve in the trays.

[caseyhoo]

Originally Posted by hongrui

i am using some anti-larve bits that i place in my water trays. so far so good. no larve and no adverse reactions from my drosera and vfts. but you cannot have rain water flusing out the trays, otherwise the chemicals all get flushed out and you'll have larve in the trays.

Cool... Thanx for input...

not sure whether the anti-larvae bits that you are using is same with mine...

[David]

Casey, U gibba traps are too tiny to capture mosquito larvae. Perhaps you could try U. aurea that has a much bigger trap. But then again, looking at the traps, perhaps it si still too small to swallow the mosquito larvae. Perhaps get the Utric species with traps that are about 1 inch in diameter... sorry, can't remember that species name. It's not found in Malaysia. However, that aquatic species has the largest traps.

Thanks Arvin for your tips. Very useful information.

[shawnintland]

Casey and Hongrui - what are the "anti-larve bits" you are using? Maybe I missed a thread/post somewhere but very interested (and itching!)!

[arvin555]

There are a few Biological means that I have just realized a week ago. I collect rainwater often, and in one of my tubs, I noticed that it got "infected" by a beetle one of these:

http://www.europeangardener.com/prin...ory=324&ID=663

I noticed that after all this time, maybe 1 month already of this water being there, I have never seen any bloodworms or mossie larvaes. So I guess that these beetles are eating them. Now the problem for those who doesn't have these in your water tray is how to get them and if they are available in your area (I am guessing they are in the wild).

Shawn, I have a feeling that any type of chemical or pill is a bit dangerous for our plants, unless specifically guaranteed to be safe for them. I imagine some type of petrolium will be involved.

Infurita, can you please explain a bit more about the bacteria pellets you mentioned. This is to control Mosquito larvae or to feed your Aldrovanda?

Shawn, I actually am using a similar system as Simon to some of my pots, specifically VFT pots, it was actually just an accident. my VFT pots has a wide brim but narrow bottom, and coz I needed at least 1" of water, most of my water trays were not effective, so I found some plastic bowls in a shopping center, it fit perfectly. The pots fit snugly on the bowl brim that I have never seen mosquitos at all, well aside from the fact that with the wide pot, the standing water evaporates easily and sometimes do dry out if I forget to water them for two days in hot days.

Will try to post photos, but very similar in concept anyway with Simon's.

I do imagine that your problem is that you'll have to make those water trays for your plants one by one, that is like a thousand plastic container. hehehe!

Your Cocomat system works fine too doesn't it?

Wait, I just did a quick search, try searching for Skeetercide or Skeetershield and see if you can find out if they are already in mass production. This is Yeast laced with some kind of hormone that starves the Larvaes, I do hope that the hormone doesn't affect plants though.

TTFN
Arvin