How to keep mosquitoes away

[livemusic]

Does anyone know... say you are building a house on pancake flat land and it's got a lot of water around it, so, lots of mosquitoes. Say you dig a pond and use the dirt to build a tall housepad, a big mound for the house to sit upon. Would that help at all with mosquitoes? What if you have a rooftop sitting area. So, up on the roof, you are not only elevated by the mound but also, the height of the roof off the mound.

I've heard about using cedar mulch for mosquitoes. And that they don't like lighter colors, so, maybe if you paint the rooftop white it might help? And you could put a fan up there to create a steady breeze, as they don't like wind. Build lots of purple martin birdhouses. Maybe bat houses? Electronic zappers?

I have a friend whose house is on a swampy lakeshore and he has a horrendous mosquito problem and installed an insecticide spray system that sprays a mist into the air every few minutes. But I would prefer not to breathe that stuff no matter how safe they claim it is. Permethrin is often used.

But, most curious about being elevated above the natural ground level. So far, I can't find an answer via an online search. I have no idea if elevation matters at all. I just know that you often see hordes of them in the grass and they fly up as you disturb the grass.

[GaTrapper]

I installed a bunch of bird houses on my property several years ago. Walmart used to carry nice cedar bird houses for pretty cheap.

Tree Swallows and other birds nest in them each year and they seem to really do a number on the bugs. I rarely get bit by a mosquito in our yard and we have a creek and pond. 

[Ljohnsaw]

I am a bit above grade   ;)


 
Even up top, just before sunrise or just after sunset, there is a cloud of mosquitos for about 30 minutes. Hard not to breath them in.  Only the cold or a stiff breeze holds them at bay. Fortunately, I don't get a reaction to their bites and they often don't bite me. My kids are like candy to them.

[WhitePineJunky]

IMO the cost of living in the woods. Birds do help and fly catchers and thrushes especially eat mosquitos 

[Andries]

Balconies on apartment buildings ten floors up have mosquitos. 
Fire towers have mosquitos.
Wind is effective but hit-and-miss.
All the bug repellants work to some degree but have health side-effects. One of life's 'pick your poison' choices.
WhitePineJunky summed it up best; "it's the cost of living in the woods."
He and I live in a country where mosquitos and politicians have equal effect on quality of life.
.
Design your new home build with lots screened porches and windows.
Screened gazebos, waterside slanty shanties, bug houses, dock house, whatever. Screens.
Mosquito screens are the only 100% way to keep them away.

[SawyerTed]

Cyonara insecticide is an amazing product. 

I have used it in a pump sprayer to spray the ground, deck surface porch floor etc in outdoor areas to repel mosquitoes.  It isn't necessary to spray furniture etc just the ground/floor. 

Going outside of the perimeter means immediate attack.  It is very obvious. 

No need to create an aerosol or apply spray during use of the outdoor area.  

From what I can tell it repels them for up to two weeks depending upon weather.  

Instructions say something like 14 applications per year max.  As a repellent, cyonara isn't mixed particularly strong.