West Nile in WI

[Crys]

MADISON, Wis. -- State health officials said Monday that they have confirmed the first human with West Nile virus this year in Wisconsin.

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/h...40/detail.html

Just a heads-up.

[AlumniClub]

To help prevent illness from West Nile Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, remember:

Use Mosquito Repellent

Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites

Install or Repair Window and Door Screens

Support Community-Based Mosquito Control Programs in your area

[Crys]

Anybody know of any eco-friendly ways to control mosquitos? I would like to do something to encourage mosquito predators to flourish in the area around my apartment building, but other than putting out bird food and being very careful to help mosquito hawks back out of my apartment when they fly in, I'm not really sure what I can do. I would like to put up a bat box, because I know we have bats in the area, but my lease doesn't allow any animal boxes or feeders other than the single bird feeder I've already got.

[AlumniClub]

Plant a barrier of tansy or basil near doorways or around outdoor patios. Mosquitoes as well as flies and ants are repelled by them.

[Judy]

An excellent way to handle large bodies of standing water:

Pour in about a cup of Basic H; this is a Shaklee product. Basic H is a surfactant, making water "wetter" which will allow the water to absorb quickly into the ground and also kill mosquito larvae. It is all natural, bio degradable and completely safe. I bathed my 3 children in it - that is how good it is.

You can put some in a sprayer and spray your house and deck with it, all your bushes and flowers as a natural fertilizer, and it will kill mosquitos around the house or living space. It will not damage anything, and it has a fresh clean smell, it is so safe to use!

I used this for some years when we lived in the country with a swampy area across the street that bred mosquitos every summer. I would walk over and pour some Basic H in it until the water absorbed, the ground dried and trees eventually took root - there is a healthy woods growing there 20 years later, I recently drove by to take a look.

I can ship you some Basic H, this was not an ad really, I only use Shaklee personally but am happy to get you some - just email me.