Things that go bite in the night
#46
BE Forum Addict









Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,059











Dindnt think that Muskol was ever more than about 30 or 40%?...same as the "Deep Woods" Off now. You used to be able to get that in a 90+% DEET in a small pump container. Probably not healthy at that concentration anyway. "Jungle Juice" was another brand.
Its nasty pungent stuff...wrecked more than one pair of cheap sunglasses....But its usefull to carry in the bike saddle bag in case of a serious mechanical failure in the woods. I guess hunters and the like would go for it too.
Its nasty pungent stuff...wrecked more than one pair of cheap sunglasses....But its usefull to carry in the bike saddle bag in case of a serious mechanical failure in the woods. I guess hunters and the like would go for it too.
And pungent is right... after a weekend of outdoor activity, the combination of dirt, sweat, sunscreen, and pure DEET always lent me a certain air...
#48
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 526
From: Okotoks, Alberta











Its about 20 feet. I dont like it closer to the house than that because it will draw the little buggers closer, and much as they are attracted to it, they are attracted to me more! We have a fairly large yard (3/4 acre), so move it to where its needed most ever few weeks.
Remember, it will take a few weeks before it starts to make a good difference, but every skitter it catches now is one that wont be breeding later. It takes a bit of fiddeling to set the chemical bait to the optimum level. I hope you bought one of the models with the internal electric fan to suck them in..the cheaper ones without it are not nearly as effective. I think the 35 is what we have.
If its any consolation when I first came here I used to get huge golf ball sized lumps where I was bitten, but over time I guess my immune system has adapted and now the bites are just small bumps. Maybe it just seems like you are all bitten more here, because the bumps show up worse?
Remember, it will take a few weeks before it starts to make a good difference, but every skitter it catches now is one that wont be breeding later. It takes a bit of fiddeling to set the chemical bait to the optimum level. I hope you bought one of the models with the internal electric fan to suck them in..the cheaper ones without it are not nearly as effective. I think the 35 is what we have.
If its any consolation when I first came here I used to get huge golf ball sized lumps where I was bitten, but over time I guess my immune system has adapted and now the bites are just small bumps. Maybe it just seems like you are all bitten more here, because the bumps show up worse?
Thanks for that.
We did get the one with the internal fan, not the cheaper one, because I remembered reading one of your previous posts saying that the cheaper one was not as effective.
It has caught quite a lot already. I did feel vaguely sorry for them when I saw the ones on the sticky paper desperately flapping their wings trying to escape. But then I decided they deserved all they got!!
We'll move it further away down the garden as it probably is too close to the house, where it is now.
Thanks once again and hopefully I can report back in a few weeks to say that there isn't a mosquito within biting distance of my garden
#49
can say neat diesel works,after bambi going under the truck and taking out a main fuel line and having to plug it on back rd.
not one bite.
cant say oh appreciates the smell...l.l
not one bite.
cant say oh appreciates the smell...l.l
#50
That was literally only 48hrs after starting it up - you could already barely see the sticky paper for mozzies!!!
2007 was grim too, but thankfully this year has been great so far, with hardly any at all
#52
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 526
From: Okotoks, Alberta











Mine was $300 for the unit and then you have to buy a canister of propane gas for it. We got some refills of the sticky paper for the outside and I think they were $30 for a couple.
I have a feeling I read on here somewhere that it will cost approx $30-$40 per month to run, with replacing the gas and the other bits.
Worth every penny if it gets rid of some of them at least!!!!
Last edited by Lisa_W; Jul 2nd 2008 at 11:29 pm.
#53
Mine was $300 for the unit and then you have to buy a canister of propane gas for it. We got some refills of the sticky paper for the outside and I think they were $30 for a couple.
I have a feeling I read on here somewhere that it will cost approx $30-$40 per month to run, with replacing the gas and the other bits.
Worth every penny if it gets rid of some of them at least!!!!
I have a feeling I read on here somewhere that it will cost approx $30-$40 per month to run, with replacing the gas and the other bits.
Worth every penny if it gets rid of some of them at least!!!!
#54
The better one (dont get a cheap one) is currently on offer for $300, usually its more than $400.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true
Lisas running costs sound about right. It uses a tank of gas every 21 days or so ($18), I replace the sticky traps about every month($30 for two), and the octenal bait every 60 days ($30 each). Sometimes you can pick up bait and traps cheaper on ebay (or from people on british expats
) Stock up at the store in the early spring, because they WILL run out of bait and traps long before you decide to pack it away again.
Ive had mine about 5 years, and had one "engine" fail on me that cost about $200 to replace. We run it for 3, maybe 4 months a year, and its worth it to us.
This is my favourite picture of ours...
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true
Lisas running costs sound about right. It uses a tank of gas every 21 days or so ($18), I replace the sticky traps about every month($30 for two), and the octenal bait every 60 days ($30 each). Sometimes you can pick up bait and traps cheaper on ebay (or from people on british expats
) Stock up at the store in the early spring, because they WILL run out of bait and traps long before you decide to pack it away again.Ive had mine about 5 years, and had one "engine" fail on me that cost about $200 to replace. We run it for 3, maybe 4 months a year, and its worth it to us.
This is my favourite picture of ours...
Last edited by iaink; Jul 3rd 2008 at 1:30 am.
#55
That pic is just so wrong..... you could make a midgie beard out of them
#56






Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,457

Thanks for the tips, I never get bitten but here.....................I've got large bites on the soles of my feet where they've got me at night
They deserve to die!
Terese

They deserve to die!
Terese
#57
That one that's stuck to the side of the bag on Ian's pic looks like it could take a cat
#58
Well I can report that the Deet based repellant are fabulous - not one bite since using it. However the downside is I think that my existing bites are allergic to it as all of a sudden they have started to look like big ol love bites (for want of a better description).
Not painful or anything just ugly to look at. Will monitor the situation but they have started to gradually go down and don't itch anymore.
Not painful or anything just ugly to look at. Will monitor the situation but they have started to gradually go down and don't itch anymore.
#59
On that note, let me know if you want to share a bulk order. I get them for about $15 each (bait blocks and the double pack of tac traps) and shipping seems to be around $20 no matter how much we buy... We have this one now and it's great. Even with silly UPS brokerage, etc, it worked out cheaper than the equivalent anywhere in Canada: http://www.northlineexpress.com/item...?ic=5UV-SV5100
Also, we learnt our lesson (re: their unreliability) and actually paid for an extended warranty on this one. I think that's the first time we've ever bothered, so sod's law says it'll run forever
#60
Glad to have helped
On that note, let me know if you want to share a bulk order. I get them for about $15 each (bait blocks and the double pack of tac traps) and shipping seems to be around $20 no matter how much we buy...
We have this one now and it's great. Even with silly UPS brokerage, etc, it worked out cheaper than the equivalent anywhere in Canada: http://www.northlineexpress.com/item...?ic=5UV-SV5100
Also, we learnt our lesson (re: their unreliability) and actually paid for an extended warranty on this one. I think that's the first time we've ever bothered, so sod's law says it'll run forever
On that note, let me know if you want to share a bulk order. I get them for about $15 each (bait blocks and the double pack of tac traps) and shipping seems to be around $20 no matter how much we buy... We have this one now and it's great. Even with silly UPS brokerage, etc, it worked out cheaper than the equivalent anywhere in Canada: http://www.northlineexpress.com/item...?ic=5UV-SV5100
Also, we learnt our lesson (re: their unreliability) and actually paid for an extended warranty on this one. I think that's the first time we've ever bothered, so sod's law says it'll run forever

That sure is the mother of all skeetervacs you have there! Mine died shortly after the picture was taken, and it was just clugged up with the bodies. The trick seems to be to remember to clean out around that little plastic plug thing in the bottom as recommended, but if paying for the extended warantee keeps it working, then its money well spent!



