Fungus Gnats!

[carolyn137]

Mosquito dunks are not just used for gnats. Here in my county in upstate NY they are used for ticks since the BT in the dunks also kills ticks and the importance here are the ticks connected to Lyme disease and in NYS and here in the East as well as in my county as well.

Our local health dept actually hands them out for free.

http://www.organiclandcare.net/green...icks-and-fleas

Carolyn

[SueCT]

Wow, Carolyn, I wish they handed them out for free here. Mine are probably several years old so I went out and bought some fresh tonight at Home Depot. It was about 10.00 for 6. I keep some on hand because I also have a small pond, and if I don't have the water moving constantly the mosquitoes can breed in there. Not sure how long they last, but since there is bacteria involved, they might lose effectiveness over time.

[ginger2778]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...&condition=new

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by SueCT

Wow, Carolyn, I wish they handed them out for free here. Mine are probably several years old so I went out and bought some fresh tonight at Home Depot. It was about 10.00 for 6. I keep some on hand because I also have a small pond, and if I don't have the water moving constantly the mosquitoes can breed in there. Not sure how long they last, but since there is bacteria involved, they might lose effectiveness over time.

There's a BIG difference between being concerned about gnats on tomato plants versus human Lyme disease and that's why they hand them out free.

AsI recall, and I'd have to check,the BT in the dunks are in spore form, so not a problem with storage until they come in contact with liquids when they sporulate and then become active live bacteria.

Carolyn

[SueCT]

I appreciate the difference, Carolyn. But I also use them because of concern about West Nile Virus, which is found in mosquitoes around here every year. Lyme disease is also very prevalent, as a matter of fact I believe it was discovered here in Lyme, CT., and I have cared for several patients with Babesiosis, also spread here by Ticks. I get concerned about the Mosquitoes because of my pond, but I did not know BT was good for ticks. Like I said, I do keep them on hand, but can you tell me how they are used to prevent ticks? 1 or 2 Dunks are plenty for my seedlings, but most of what I buy is for the other reasons. So sorry if it sounded like I wanted free dunks for my tomato plants. I have never had to use them for gnats before.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by SueCT

I appreciate the difference, Carolyn. But I also use them because of concern about West Nile Virus, which is found in mosquitoes around here every year. Lyme disease is also very prevalent, as a matter of fact I believe it was discovered here in Lyme, CT., and I have cared for several patients with Babesiosis, also spread here by Ticks. I get concerned about the Mosquitoes because of my pond, but I did not know BT was good for ticks. Like I said, I do keep them on hand, but can you tell me how they are used to prevent ticks? 1 or 2 Dunks are plenty for my seedlings, but most of what I buy is for the other reasons. So sorry if it sounded like I wanted free dunks for my tomato plants. I have never had to use them for gnats before.

Yes,Lyme disease was first detected,in the US that is,in Lyme Ct,in Europe it turned out that they had had it,but didn't recognize what they had.

And yes,we have Babesiosis and Bartonella and Erlichiosis up here as well,all spread by ticks.

How are they are used to prevent ticks?

I thought that was explained in the link I gave,they are also susceptible to BT.

Carolyn

[SueCT]

Not that I saw. It talks about using Dunks in standing water for mosquitoes, but only tick checks, bordering your property with wood chips or gravel, and garlic sprays for ticks.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by SueCT

Not that I saw. It talks about using Dunks in standing water for mosquitoes, but only tick checks, bordering your property with wood chips or gravel, and garlic sprays for ticks.

Sue,I went back and reread my link and if this is the paragraph you are referring to

(A barrier of wood chips or gravel approximately three to five feet wide surrounding the perimeter of your property will drastically reduce the flea and tick population. Why? Because they do not cross such a barrier. They love moisture and hate dry, uneven surfaces.)

Which does say that the incidence of ticks can be reduced if you have a wood chip or gravel perimeter 3-5 ft wide around your property and I don't know of anyone in my area who does have such a barrier.

And that doesn't even start to address the ticks that are brought inside by family pets nor does it address the fact that some ticks,it depends on the species,carry more than one disease in each tick, as has happened around here, but mostly in Vt and MA and I live just 2 miles from the VT border..

Carolyn

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

How are they are used to prevent ticks?

I thought that was explained in the link I gave,they are also susceptible to BT.

I'm confused as well. Mosquito dunks only really work in water or very swampy areas. And ticks don't have an aquatic phase the way mosquitoes do, do they? So I don't understand how mosquito dunks would control ticks. Wouldn't you need some form of BTi that could be dusted or sprayed over land to control ticks? Sounds a bit broad in terms of targeting to do that--you might take out a lot of other organisms that are either beneficial or harmless and important to the local food chain.

Although with West Nile and other mosquito-borne diseases depending on the location, it still makes sense for municipalities in affected areas to give out the dunks, even if only for mosquitoes.