permaculture

["keller" <ak.and.ak@on-line.de>]

Hi,

the best is to stop them from breeding by reducing the available breeding
space (standing water etc.).

In natural wetlands, just keep out. It is not made for people.

In fish ponds, you might use predators, like mosquito fish, for instance.
That is a fish called Gambusia affinis. William McLarney in his book
"Freshwater Aquaculture" (not a bad book, by the way) describes it as a
small fish (femals 2.3 inches, males 1.25 inches) "native to the Atlantic
coast drainages from New Jersey through Florida, Gulf Coast to northeastern
Mexicon and in the lower Mississippi valley to sourthern Illinois.
Sucessfully introduced in Hawaii and in the vicinities of Toledo, Ohio and
Ann Arbor, Michigan and perhaps elsewhere. Sometimes abvailable in the
aquarium trade." Habitat is described as "Low-gradient and standing waters,
including ponds, small pools, ditches, marshes, and creeks. Does best where
there is cleare water and aquatic vegetaiton." "Can reproduce virtually
anywhere it can survive." "Feeds at or nera the surface, principally on
insect larvae." "Formerly compulsory in fish ponds in parts of the southeren
United States to contorl Anopheles mosquitoes."

Don't know if your area is too cold for it. It might also be forbidden to
introduce it. Even if it cannot survive the winter, it might be possible to
set it free in summer, if bread in sufficient quantities.

There should be a campain against this spraying, targeted at keeping the
tourists away. It might be too late this time, but maybe on the long run.
Somehow this needs to get broader press coverage. Maybe Greenpeace could be
interested or any organisation like that. They have experience in making
such campains.

Andreas
----- Original Message -----
From: Claude Genest <genest@together.net>
To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2002 2:49 PM
Subject: [permaculture] Mosquito spraying


> Hi Gang....
>
> Our county is proposing spraying to control osquito populations - not
> because they pose any real health hazard mind you but because ( and I
quote)
> " They're keeping the tourists out of our Stae parcs" (!)
>
> Ya'all have any good ammo/info web sites  you could provide for ths
upcoming
> battle please ?
>
> I'm looking for
> 1. reasons why spraying is a bad idea and
> 2. Organic alternatives to "controlling" the mosquito population...
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
>
> Claude
>
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