mosquito medicine for CP????

[David]

Hmm, perhaps someone should try aldrovanda in water tray and let us know if the aldro does well in it. Ban Aik..., you're the one wih lots of Aldro now. Wanna try this experiment for us to see?

[strath76]

You could use a sphagnum slurry to grow your plants in. This simply involves putting a heap of sphagnum moss into the trays so that the larva are crowded out. This also leads to a pleasant side effect which is more sphagnum. This is a relatively cheap and definately safe method and provides you with more sphagnum over time.

Another method that is definately riskier is to use Kerosene on the water. I haven't tried this but it is used here in some rain water tanks to stop larvae. As kerosene is lighter/less dense than water it floats on the surface and provides a physical barrier. I am thinking that you would need to ensure that the water always remained above the drain hole of teh pots as the kerosene would definately harm the plants if it got into the soil.

[caseyhoo]

I think Kerosene is not so practical, because it defanately will go in to yours pot when you try to remove it from water tray...

[arvin555]

Hey hey, I just read the post and photos of Simon. Shawn and David were commenting that the water tray system that Simon is using is a great idea, specially to prevent mosquitos from laying in the water tray. Hope Simon doesn't mind, I am posting the photo of his system here:



Yes I agree this method is the best one so far to prevent mossies from laying eggs in the water tray.

TTFN
Arvin

[Ifurita]

I've tried Aldrovanda in a tray of water(quite high water level) and its okay with enough light. It even catches some larvae from time to time. I still need to use the bacteria pellets tho.

[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

[bactrus]

Originally Posted by David

Hmm, perhaps someone should try aldrovanda in water tray and let us know if the aldro does well in it. Ban Aik..., you're the one wih lots of Aldro now. Wanna try this experiment for us to see?

Oops! just stumbled on this thread. Apologies for missing out, am always skimpping over articles. Hehe... twice already..

Regarding Aldrovanda in water tray, I have in August tried leaving some strands of Aldro in my Drosera water tray. Unfortunately they plant just fizzle out and died. I thought the Aldro must have got solar cooked in the shallow water tray as all five strands was left in waters of no more than 2 inches deep. I concluded that Aldrovanda don't like warm water thought they love the sun! Another thought is there isn't enough CO2 and food for photosynthesis as there wasn't any protozoa/larvae/microorganism in the water (okay maybe one or two but not enuf).

Oh, before I check out, Ifurita is right, I have found my Aldrovanda in my growing pot croweded by algae.

Since then I have not done any experiment. I'll repeat experiment soon and this time photographed.

Some people use Abate, which is distributed by BASF, to control mossie larvae. Recently, I added some juvenile guppies to hunt down the larvaes but will remove them once they get too big. Maybe, best thing is to change water every weekend. That way you get ride of algae and keep soluble salt in grwoing tray low too! Three birds with a pellet.

Arvin, I find those Waterboatman too in mt pond. They are very interesting critters. I'll harvest them as my VFT food. Btw, have you been bitten by one of them? Tiny prick sort of pain, no swelling.

[arvin555]

Bactrus,

Nice find about Abate, didn't find much info with a quick search though what I did find looked promising. Didn't really give info if it is safe for plants and animals though.

Regarding waterboatman and backswimmers no I haven't gotten bit by them because I have not yet messed with them. Lucky for me I read that they do sometimes bite, and you have confirmed it. If they bite then at least they are fiesty enough to get at Mosquito larvaes. In fact next chance I get, I will try to feed them one or two and see if they do attack them. I do see daphnia/moina with them, so I'm not sure if they attach those or that they live with them until they become food for the waterboatmen.

Disadvantage with Aldrovanda is they are not active hunters as they are not mobile enough. The problem with waterboatmen is that they are just a stage, and eventually will get out of the water when they reach adulthood.

By the way, from what I understand waterboatmen don't bite, but backswimmers do. Backswimmers are most probably Notonecta glauca and is a good choice to control mosquito larvae, the smaller version water boatman eats algae and microorganism, so might not eat Mossie larvae. So if it bites you, then the species that you have is great against mossie larvaes

TTFN
Arvin

[bactrus]

May be mixed up with the waterboatman and back swimmers. One of them did bite me, actually many bites as I was toying in the water hunting for water stick insect and great diving beetle. Those were the good days... so care free.

To think of it, I have not seen any of the my Aldro trapping any organism. Maybe they do but I just don't see it. Day time examination will probably help.

Abate, maybe sold under different trade names in different countries. Maybe check BASF, its a German company. Now Abate cost a BOMB!! Each pack has only 1% active ingredient (I think) the rest is sand. Feel cheated each time I buy a pack. To me juvenile guppy works and cheap too.