Rain has finally come to West Texas. And did some areas get the rain! There is a gardening truism—first comes the then, next come the mosquitoes. And do we have them!
Mosquitoes are some of the most annoying pests around. It seems that the mosquitoes this year seem to be different than past critters. They are larger, and you know it when they land on you.
Its not surprising that the mosquitoes this year seem to be different, that they may or may not be different, but they could be since there are over 3,000 mosquito species worldwide and 200 species in the United States (mosquito.org).
Mosquitoes need water to survive and we do have sitting water in fields and in almost any container laying around the garden.
If the mosquito we have hovering around now is the house mosquito, its life cycle begins with the female laying eggs in as little as one inch of water. Larvae are released when the eggs hatch. Larvae are the “wigglers” that can be seen in water-filled containers when it seems as if the surface of the water is in motion. Larvae will pupate and adults emerge from the water in about four days. Fully developed males locate a female by the sound of her wingbeats. It is the females we hear buzzing as she seeks blood. Females mate once but continue to lay eggs after every blood meal. Females live for a month or more.
Pelargonium (geranium) species that emit citrusy volatiles may be botanic mosquito repellents. These species emit citrus odors: Lime geranium (Pelargonium nervosum) has lime-scented leaves; Lemon geranium (P. crispum), with lemony aroma and Variegated Lemon geranium (P. crispum “Variegatum”), with white-edged leaves; Citronella geranium (P. citronellum) that emits an odor of citronella grass; and Citrosa geranium (P. citrosum 'Van Leeni') with a strong lemon scent. P. citrosum is the usual cultivar marketed variously as the 'mosquito plant” that is actually just a scented geranium that produces citronellalike scent when leaves are crushed (Fine Gardening).
The question is, does the citronella geranium repel mosquitoes? Leaves must be crushed to release citron oil. Rubbing crushed leaves on the skin may provide some immediate but not a long-lasting deterrent (J Am Mosquito Control Oct, 1994). However, people may be sensitive to Pelargoniums, so test a patch of skin before you take this approach.
Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
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