How to Get Rid Of Mosquito Eaters
Mosquito eaters are considered a really bothersome pest. This kind of insect resembles real mosquito that always bugs us and feeds on our blood. Some of you might want to discover how to get rid of mosquito eaters, but some of you could also be oblivious of what mosquito eaters are actually. Despite looking like larger version of mosquitos, mosquito eaters are not mosquitos. In fact, they are closer to flies; they don’t suck your blood nor harm you in any way. Mosquito eaters are called like that because they are associated with the act of eating mosquitos, which is also slightly misleading because they don’t really feed on mosquitos, only some of their larvae feed on mosquito larvae. But such name is already so patented that many people know this insect species by the name ‘mosquito eater’. Other names that are also popular for this insect are crane fly and mosquito hawks.
How to Get Rid Of Mosquito Eaters in Various Ways
Now, if mosquito eaters don’t feed on blood or mosquitos, what do they eat? Turns out those mosquito eaters are a kind of pest for your plants and crops, as they feed on every part of the greeneries. They eat the root, the stem, and also the leaves. They also breed their larvae on the plants, making them even more damaged and eventually can lead to the death of those plants. This is why a lot of people want to know how to get rid of mosquito eaters.
If you wonder the ways to get rid of mosquito eaters, there are plenty ways that you can choose. First, you can opt for natural remedies instead of the chemical ones, because they will not hurt your crops. Try controlling the damage caused by mosquito eaters by making the environment not suitable for them. The insect likes damp places, so it will be wise to keep the media where you plant your crops from being too moist. You can also somehow improve the drainage so it won’t leak your crops, and cut the irrigation from time to time so you will break the life cycle of the mosquito eaters.
The larvae, or the eggs produced by adult mosquito eaters are actually the most dangerous ones, so you can start the abolishment of mosquito eaters by removing the larvae from your plants. You can schedule your watering time, and make sure to avoid the time when the eggs are laid by the parents until the time when the first larva becomes a mosquito eater. The key is to improve the water system that might make it more suitable for mosquito eater to breed. You might also want to try removing the larvae from the leaves at night, since they are more noticeable in the dark and will be easier to remove. Aside from the environmental control, there are also some ways to free your plants from mosquito eater with organic ingredients.
- Insecticidal soap. The first one is insecticidal soap that is actually potassium salts of fatty acids. This organic substance will be really useful if combined with pyrethrin, a really strong nerve paralyzer that usually leads its victim to death. The mosquito eaters themselves will be attacked by the soap from inside, making the inside of the shell of the insect numb, and it will give a nice dehydration so that the pyrethrin can be absorbed. Pyrethrin itself is a really famous nerve agent; it’s not exactly a dishwashing substance but more of the mix from pyrethrin oils and flowers. If you use this method, the result will also be able to be seen soon. This organic method is well-preferred by many people because it is effective and organic. You can simply put the substance inside a bottle spray and cover all the plants’ parts with it.
- Azadirachtin. You can also use Azadirachtin if you want to try another method on how to get rid of mosquito eaters. Azadirachtin is actually neem oil that is extracted from neem tree. This substance will be effective in killing mosquito eaters by suffocating them. You will need to apply the substance right after you find a sign of mosquito eaters to avoid further damage. The method is the same with pyrethrin, you can just spray it all over the plants.