Whilst giving the AP130GTX it's first taste of light I was exposed to every observers bane...mosquitos...hundreds of these winged bitey terrors swarming as soon as the sun started to set.
So what do you do to keep your observing area mosquito free...apart from applying repellent.
At least these buggers aren't as big as their cousins in Newcastle...which you could put a saddle on and ride around. But what these ones lack in size they sure as hell make up in numbers.
At night I wear long trousers and a long sleeve shirt and apply roll on Aerogard on my fingers and face. Its usually only a problem at twilight, later at night the mozzies are not a problem.
This is my dreaded part of the year as my blood brings them in for miles. I get mozzies during the day in my backyard and there are millions of them at night... all night.
With the mozzies come out, I won’t be doing any observing in my yard for the next 5 months :/
When setting up for imaging I rug up and try to get it done as fast as I can. I’ve tried repellants and they work for a little while but not long enough.
At home I use Mortein mozzie thingies that release an odourless repellant... we have an outdoor powerpoint, plug a powerboard into that with 2-3 of these plugged in and place upwind of the scope.
I also have to wear long clothes and Aerogard...
The worst is observing in the mountains - there’s some sort of horse fly with a really nasty bite - last year I got one that took months to heal.
I’m planning on trying a ThermaCell this year. Last mozzie season there were nights after setup that I’d be coming in with swollen hands and joints. Last summer for me was very non astro from them little buggers
One thing to reduce mosquitoes near your home- make sure there are no little pools of standing water such as often form in buckets, drums or bowls left outside in the rain. Upturn them all.
Ornamental ponds can be a wonderful breeding ground for them as well.
Just try not to harm any.
Although they are small and annoying they like us have only one life and entitled to live.
I find a mozzie coil helps but be careful with sprays.
I used ine that seemed to act negatively with plastic making it sticky...seemed to have a chemical reaction.
And I think only female mozzies bite and who would want to kill a little lady.
Alex
They are very friendly Alex, but having had family members infected with Barmah forest and Ross River viruses I put them firmly in the 'die vermin, die' category.
Bloody things , I use 2 thermacells and repellant, at night up here they are everywhere, along with sandflies.
Damn things can be expensive, my Moravian G3 1620 shorted and the service people found one had somehow got inside and shorted the circuit board which had to be replaced, nearly $1000.
