Top Tips to Bust the Mozzies This Summer

Summer is definitely here and the barbies are cranking. Nothing spoils an evening with friends or family in the alfresco quite like being bitten by voracious, out for blood mosquitoes.

Unfortunately, many people don't have much luck with the 'mozzie repelling' plants like lemongrass, citronella, etc. So what to do?

Consider using a pure, good quality essential oil of lavender instead. We buy the inexpensive Tasmanian lavender oil, available from Donna Harper's herb store at the Fremantle Markets.  Whether mixed 50% with olive oil or rubbed undiluted on the skin, this keeps away all manner of creepy crawlies, including flies. It works a treat. 

Of course preventing them from breeding is crucial. Here at Garden Deva, we have a resident frog, birds, 2 ponds full of tadpoles and western minnow fish which keep mosquito larvae at bay. Having a pond makes an enormous difference to pest numbers in the garden as many predators (dragonflies/damsel flies/native wasps/frogs etc) who eat the 'baddies', need water to survive and breed. Even if it is just a large pot with a silicon plug at the base, you can create a mini ecosystem for the garden and hours of beauty and pleasure for you and your family. Container water gardens are beautiful garden features and are relatively inexpensive to create yourself.

Encouraging beneficial insects, microbats and simply creating habitat for predators who love a bit of mozzie protein is so easy to do and makes a big dent in the mosquito population. Growing an assortment of flowers - particularly from the daisy family - and also allowing herbs to go to seed (like parsley, dill, carrots, lettuce) provides food and habitat for the good bugs, is beautiful and is definitely mood enhancing!