Just killed my first

[tiggerblue10]

mozzie of the year.

I was giving Little Tiggs a bath and there it was, perched on the shower curtain, so I put on my marigolds and grabbed it. I'm not normally into killing creatures of any kind including wasps and flies (just try and waft them out the window/door) but this time I felt I had to. I didn't relish the thought of either of us scratching ourselves to death. And they have the potential to carry nasty diseases.

[boxtops]

We have a little pile of mozzie-looking things which dance outside my back door, every year - not idea where they come from, but they're not really mozzies.

[wolf63]

Surely that is why you have cats. Old George loved a nice crunchy spider for a snack.

[DTCwordfan]

stagnant water somewhere nearby.....?

[tiggerblue10]

I know what you mean Box. I've walked through a swarm of something or other. Not pleasant!

[boxtops]

Spiders yes - but a mozzie's not big enough. The mob only go for house spiders, they don't seem interested in garden spiders. Butterflies and privet hawk moths are Rover's speciality!

[tiggerblue10]

Ooo don't think I want it near the cats either Wolf.

[tiggerblue10]

Not that I know of DTC.

[4getmenot]

do we get mozzies here? I always thought they were gnats

[wolf63]

I take it that a mozzie is just an English midgie. They ignore me as far as biting is concerned, but they used to get stuck in my chuggie (chewing gum) - it was bad when I used to walk the mutt around the South Inch (a park) especially near the boating pond).

[tiggerblue10]

This one looked like a mozzie 4get.

[DTCwordfan]

It doesnt have to be a big "lake" for them to breed, can be inside even a gardening pot or and old can. Water butts can often be traps if not used......anywhere dark or shadowy. Lived in the States and they had ones that took huge chunks out of you and blisters up to two inches across that would last forever on pale, freckled skin.

By the way, I have heard that if you are bitten/bruised, rubbing a honey comb on the affected area works wonders in helping the skin to repair.

[tiggerblue10]

I usually attract the bu$$ers when I'm abroad.

[boxtops]

Tigger, what we get in the garden are definitely midges or gnats - they look like mozzies but they don't make that dreadful divebombing sound. We get about three mozzies a year actually in the house, but only when it's really hot. I too am prone of mozz-attack when I go away - the good old Avon Skin so Soft dry body spray is in my holiday suitcase already!

[4getmenot]

oh, i just thought they were found abroad

[tiggerblue10]

I don't have anything with water in it in my garden as its paved over. Nothing with water in either.

[tiggerblue10]

I heard a mozzie noise a few nights ago when I was trying to sleep so its been in here a couple of days now.

[boxtops]

Nor do I, tigs, and the midges are always right outside my back door, always the same place.

[4getmenot]

i have bites all up my arm and right boob where i kept getting bitten last week at work. Went into toilets to strip and find the little blighter and it was a flea. And thats exactly why i dont have animals!

[237SJ]

I have no water in my garden but there are always swarms of mozzies by my garden shed. We are in between two rivers here but they are about 1/2 mile away. My mother lives around the corner and gets strange little insects called pond olives swarming around her back door. I think they are a type of mayfly and they stick to the ceiling.

[yelenots]

I've just found a huge wasp in my kitchen!! Needless to say I hit it with a tea towel and now its well and truly dead as I washed it down the sink - horrible things :(