Mosquito Apocalypse

With everything green and growing, Jasmine's ranch is beautiful in the Spring. It would be great time to spend most of the days outside. But it isn't. Instead, we are under siege.

Unless it is warm, sunny and breezy, going outside is a suicide.

I can hear them buzzing outside. Please, don't let them in.

Because this is our first Spring up here, hubby was worried what I was going to think of the black fly season. Yes, there were black flies and when they did come out they were nasty. It's been only a few days when they were really bad, though. And when they follow you indoors, all they are worried about is getting back out and have no interest in attacking anybody.

Before the black flies could really make a go of making our lives miserable, the mosquitoes came out.

Not just a few. It's like an alien blood-sucker apocalypse. The sheer numbers are unreal. And their veracity is unmatched.

Never before, except once or twice, we didn't go for a walks with our dogs because of outside conditions.

But now, when it's raining, about to rain, or overcast, nobody can go anywhere. Now, for ourselves, we could wear head nets and even net jackets. But even Cookie doesn't want to be out there in this. Both dogs get completely covered just going to potty.

We tried various natural repellents but none of the does any good. Not even DEET products make a dent in the sheer volume of the attackers and I would be extremely hesitant using this stuff on our dogs anyway.

It doesn't matter that we cut the grass, it doesn't matter whether you stay in the open areas. You breathe, you're there and you'll get swarmed in minutes.

Only dry, sunny, and ideally breezy or windy days allow us to spend time outside. We think of Winter with nostalgia.

Local people say they have never had a mosquito season this terrible.

That's a bit of a relief; maybe it's not like this every spring. I certainly hope so.

For now, as long as the sun isn't out, neither are we. Playing with the dogs inside. Even though Cookie loves playing inside, it doesn't make up for a good walk. At least hubby takes them for daily rides to add a bit more entertainment.

Right now I don't mind her getting a little less exercise, as I want her leg get all better. Last few days we kept her on the leash, even when we can go for walks. But I worry how ballistic she'll get once free again.

Whether it's going to be cockroaches, ticks, or mosquitoes, it seems that bugs will inherit the Earth.

Do you have a mosquito problem where you live? Found anything that works well to keep them at bay?


Related articles:
From The End Of A Lead Line To Casa Jasmine: Meet Cookie, Our New Adoptee
Creative Solutions And An Incidental Product Review
Taming Of The Wild Beast: Cookie's Transition To Civilization  
Staying On Top Of The Ears: Cookie Is Not Impressed  
Who's Training Whom? Stick And Treat 
Observation Skills Of Dogs  
If You Want Your Dog To Do Something, Teach It  
Tricks? It's Not Just About The Tricks 
What Constitutes The Perfect Dog?
Are Dog Training Classes Really For The Dogs?  
Look Where You Want To Go: Finding My Reactive Dog Training Zen Zone? 
Dog Training And Emotions 
Dog Training And Emotions: Postscript
Dogs Love Sentences In Question Form?
Not All Dog Trainers Were Created Equal Either 
A Thought On Separation Anxiety
Happy One-Year Adoptoversary, Cookie!
About Freedom, Trust And Responsibility: A "Pilot Study"
So, We Have A Bear 
About Happiness: What Makes Your Dog Happy? 
Our Example Of The Use Of "Look At That" (LAT) 
Why Do Dogs Dig?
Who Is In The Wrong?
Your Dog Wants To Follow You. You Just Gotta Be Going Some Place
We Still Have Two Dogs: A "Pilot Study" Part Two  
Early Winter Safety: Exploring New Territories
Cookie Is Okay. We ... Might Be, Eventually. (Don't Try This At Home)
One Thing I Love About Winter: I See What They "See" 
Give Your Dog What They Need, Get What You Want
Cookie, The First Of The Great Hunting Rottweilers  
Distance Is a Relative Concept  
Dog Communication: Be Good to Cookie or She'll Tell on You
The Benefit of the Doubt  
Putting The Guilty Dog Look To Rest?
The Stench of Fear: Is There Good and Bad Timing for Vet Visits? 
I am a Helicopter Dog Mom
Routines: Easy Come, Hard to Go

Comments

  1. I'm very thankful they don't seem to be that bad this year in my neck of the woods. I've been outdoors when it's pretty much getting swarmed and it's horrible. When they're that bad I don't really know what you can do; pray for more bats I guess?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, we're hoping that it's not going to be like this every year. Bats, huh? That's a second time I got that suggestion ... :-)

      Delete
  2. Ugh! Teh mosquitoes where we live aren't bad. So far, I've only seen a few. However, we just spent a night in the woods and they were TREEIBLE. I haven't seen so many in one place in a long time. I don't know what your expeirence is but Chester had a bit of a reaction from the bites. He swelled up pretty good where he was bitten. I had brought a "good" natural but spray with us for them but it didn't work. I had some DEET but, too, was really worried about putting it on them. I put a dab on Chester's head where we couldn't lick it but that didn't stop the little buggers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our guys don't get reactions to mosquito bites; I do. Last night I killed 15 in the bedroom *sigh

      Delete

Post a Comment