Mosquito 86

Every now and then, I get asked to try something out.  The latest was called the Mosquito 86. I wasn't quite sure what it was they were going to be sending me, and never having heard of it I was a bit skeptical. I've tried some foggers in the past and haven't been real impressed, so how good could this thing be, right?

Well, that was my first mistake. The Mosquito 86 is not a fogger. Instead, it actually disperses a professional grade mosquito killing solution that applies directly to grass, shrubs, and trees.  It sends out both fine aerosol droplets that float for a while and larger droplets that leave a barrier for longer term protection. In fact, it says it'll eliminate most mosquitos within 24 hours of first use and keep the yard mosquito and insect free for up to 3 weeks. Rainfall is where the "up to" comes in.

Not knowing exactly what was in the box, I was a bit eager to see what it had. There was a gas powered leaf blower (electric models are also available) and a strange attachment. They give you the standard nozzle for use as a leaf blower, but also a nozzle with a surgical hose running down it and a container for mixing up the secret recipe of mosquito killing agent. You mix a little of the solution that is included (refills available fairly inexpensive) and fill the rest of the container with water, fire up the leaf blower and away you go, killing mosquitos and other insects along the way.

Not having a real big yard myself and not much of a mosquito problem, I asked one of my co-workers to test it out at a big cook-out he was going to be at.  I also figured he's usually pretty critical of things like this, so it'd be a good test for the Mosquito 86. He came back after the weekend and simply said it worked well. How well? Well enough that I haven't been able to get it back, that's how well.

Looking around their website some more, I found that they offer a universal kit with adapters to fit over 50 leaf blower models, so you don't have to spend the $200 for the complete kit if you already have something that'll work. They offer refills of the Agent E anywhere from an 8 oz bottle (you use 1.25 oz per application) to a "Summer Pack" with 4 8 oz bottles, and the prices are pretty reasonable.

If I can ever get my Mosquito 86 back, I'm excited to give it a try. I noticed it's also effective with wasps, which have taken a liking to our garage the past couple of summers. Now if they could just do something about the birds that keep attacking themselves in my car mirrors...

Spring Cleaning Tool List

With the grass starting to grow and the weather turning nice, it's time to start thinking about yard work. Yes, I'm afraid it's returning to most of us this year. But the good news is that we've got some great tools for working on your yard.

For starters, no lawn is complete without a string trimmer. Simply mowing won't finish the job around the mailbox, trees, or even right up next to the house. A trimmer will finish that up and make it look freshly manicured, and it'll leave the other lawns "Green" with envy.

When you're done with that, you'll probably have some debris around. To quickly get that cleaned, you'll need a gas powered blower or even a cordless model. These will clean off your deck, patio, sidewalk and driveway in minimal time, and they'll be great when fall yard work comes around.

Now is a good time to mention safety work gloves. When working in the yard, work gloves are a good idea. There are sharp tools you'll be working with as well as sharp sticks, thorny flowers or vines and just plain dirty dirt. Work gloves will keep your hands clean and safe.

Once your lawn is under control, it's time to attack those bushes and shrubs. A hedge trimmer can quickly get it under control. Regardless if you're wanting to just trim or really shape your landscaping, a good quality hedge trimmer is the way to go.

For trimming trees or tall shrubs, adding a pruning blade to a reciprocating saw is the way to go. Recip saws are very versatile, powerful, and come in cordless or electric. The pruning blades have teeth specially designed for cutting through branches quickly. It's a fairly rough cut, but that doesn't usually matter on a tree.

For larger branches on shrubs or trees, you might need a chainsaw. While gas powered are the most common, we also carry cordless chainsaws which are powered from standard tool batteries. They won't run as long or cut as much, but they're lighter weight and very convenient when you don't need all the power of gas. Another option is an electric chainsaw, which is sort of in between for power, lighter than gas, but limited by the length of your extension cord.

Now that your whole yard is looking great, it's time to clean the car, right? Sure it is. It's time for a pressure washer. Not only will it clean the driveway, car and boat, but it's really good at cleaning the siding on the house and giving that final "Clean" look to your home.

With the right tools, Spring Cleaning can almost be fun!