Mosquitos
Designing Out Mosquitoes
Collective Action for a Healthy, Regenerative Landscape
Designing Out Mosquitoes
Collective Action for a Healthy, Regenerative Landscape
Do you experience "not enough mosquitoes to bother doing anything," or do you assume this is just the hardcore price of living under a forest-first principle? Neither? Are you living in that weird space where it’s not bad enough to panic, but not perfect enough to relax?
This is the classic Region-Beta Paradox: a situation not bad enough to force you to act, but not good enough to let you truly settle.
At first glance, Eco Village looks like mosquito heaven: twenty-four natural living water pools, flowing water features, reed beds, wetlands, and hundreds of tropical plant species.
The reality is the opposite.
Our water moves with purpose. Every pool turns over roughly once per day. The reed beds and circulation systems run at flow rates far too high for mosquito larvae to survive. Routine larval dips across the village confirm: zero mosquito larvae in the pools and reed beds. This is not luck—it is engineered ecology.
From Mosquito Nursery to Dragonfly Sanctuary, our living water system has quietly become a dragonfly sanctuary. This is critical to understand: healthy, flowing water attracts dragonflies.
Read Trust the Nymph
Think of them as the biological "immune system" of the village. While the water flow does the heavy lifting by flushing away eggs, the nymphs act as the final firewall. A single nymph is capable of devouring 20–60 mosquito larvae a day. In our pools, they mostly eat other small organisms because the mosquitoes rarely stand a chance, but their presence guarantees that any calm pocket of water remains a death trap for pests. Physics keeps them from breeding; biology ensures they don't survive.
A 15-minute inspection routine is fundamental for every resident. You check your space. You check the shared spaces. You even look at the edges where your garden meets your neighbor’s. There is no need to tough it out and assume getting bitten is “just the way it is.” It isn’t. Some residents already enjoy near-zero mosquitoes while still living in open jungle houses. The difference is never magic; it is always a short list of eliminated breeding sites.
The neighborhood WhatsApp group is the correct (and kindest) place to flag anything—larvae, standing water, or just “way too many bites this week.” This helps everyone, especially the introverts who might otherwise suffer in silence. Speaking up lets us fix it without friction.
Common Hidden Breeding Triggers in Eco Village
Pot saucers and plant trays: Perfect dark chambers for larvae.
Septic tank vents: Most are missing proper covers. Cloth is useless; it must be 1 mm stainless mesh screwed in place.
Open septic access pipes: Check if your system is missing sealed caps; this creates hidden underground breeding caves.
Drain channels: If they are backlogged with dirt or covered so you can’t see them, they are breeding mosquitoes.
Water-tank valve covers: Without these almost always pool rain.
Open pump box: An instant mosquito nightclub. A door helps.
Elephant ears / Taro: The axils (where the leaf meets the stem) hold water. Add sand to the grooves or remove the plant.
Heliconia: These require their own section, as many feel they are low risk. Bracts collect water and density equals risk. Fine as rare accents, but never use them as borders or dense walls. Why add risk when we have a thousand prettier options?
Cut or fill bamboo ends: Even a decorative bamboo pole will hold water inside the internode if cut open.
AC drip lines: If it ends on soil instead of gravel/drain, it forms a permanent puddle.
Stacked spare flowerpots: Every rim creates a dark ring of standing water.
Outdoor lamp bases & furniture: Check the recesses under sun-loungers and garden lights.
Dragonflies: A single dragonfly can eat dozens to over a hundred mosquitoes per day.
Bats: A single nursing bat consumes up to 4,500 small insects per night (hundreds of which are mosquitoes).
If you strung nylon lines to keep bats off your roof edge, they didn’t vanish—they just moved. Consider adding a bat box instead; the village that feeds the bats wins.
No fogging, no fumigation, ever.
One chemical treatment wipes out dragonflies, fireflies, bees, butterflies, and the frogs that eat the next generation of mosquitoes. We win by awareness, flow, sunlight, airflow, smart plant choice, and shared vigilance—nothing else.
The mosquito workgroup is available to walk through any area with you. Just ping the Neighbours WhatsApp group.
This place works because we treat the entire landscape as one organism and every resident as part of its immune system. When we design with nature and act together, mosquitoes simply lose their foothold.
Keep the water moving, the drains clean, and the WhatsApp active.
Since we do not use chemical fogging to kill adult mosquitoes, we rely on a smarter approach provided by our partners at Mosquito Solution Bali: we trick them.
They use advanced traps designed to mimic a living, breathing human being. By combining specific scents with simulated breath, the traps lure the mosquitoes away from you and into the catch bag.
The Scent: Mimicking Skin (The Lure)
Mosquitoes find us by the specific chemical signature of our sweat. These traps use a paraffin-based solid paste to replicate this.
The Science
The paste releases Carboxylic Acids—natural organic acids (like lactic acid) that exist in food and on human skin. In the human body, these acids are involved in energy and metabolism.
The Trick
By releasing these specific acids, the trap creates an invisible scent cloud that smells exactly like a human to a mosquito.
Safety
The lure does not contain insecticide. It is simply a scent bait.
The Breath: Mimicking Exhalation (The CO2 Reactor)
Scent is only half the equation. For the outdoor traps, they also replicate the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) that humans exhale.
The Reactor
The system uses a separate tank that acts as a lung. Through natural fermentation of water, molasses, and organic material, it produces a steady, low flow of CO2.
The Result
This mimics the rhythm and volume of a resting person breathing.
The Byproduct
Because this process is natural fermentation, the waste product is actually an excellent fertilizer. When the team services the traps, this organic byproduct is often sent to local vineyards or farms.
The Capture: Physics, Not Poison
Normal light traps (zappers) rarely catch biting mosquitoes because mosquitoes are hunting for blood, not light.
The Synergy
By combining the Skin-Like Odour (Lure) with the Breath-Like CO2 (Reactor), the mosquito is convinced it has found a host.
The Mechanism
When the mosquito flies close to investigate the person, a suction fan pulls them inside a catch bag.
The End
They are not poisoned. They are simply held in the bag until they dehydrate (dry out).
Traps-as-a-Service (Active Monitoring)
You will notice the Mosquito Solution team checking these traps monthly. This is not just to change the battery or the bait. This is a Traps-as-a-Service (TaaS) model.
Data = Knowledge
They do not just empty the bag; they analyze it. Their biologists count the mosquitoes and identify the species (Aedes vs. Culex).
This data tells us if our mitigation strategies are working or if a new breeding site has opened up nearby. It turns pest control into an exact science.
Summary
This system is 100% biological and mechanical. It uses the mosquito's own hunting instincts against it, removing the breeding adults from the village without spraying a single drop of toxin. It is safe for bees, butterflies, pets, and humans.
Contact
www.mosquitosolutionbali.com
When we say eliminate standing water, most people imagine emptying a bucket or a pool. But in the tropics, the war is won or lost in the micro-habitats.
The Science of Small Volumes
Even though our village is free of plastic trash, it is helpful to visualize the risk using a standard unit of measurement: the bottle cap.
The Math
A standard bottle cap holds only 3 to 6 ml of water.
The Occupancy
Field studies confirm that this single cap can easily support one viable mosquito larva to adulthood. In crowded lab conditions, that same tiny volume can support dozens.
The Timeline
In our warm Bali climate (25–30°C), an egg turns into a flying adult in just 7 to 10 days.
The Risk
The mosquito does not care if the vessel is a plastic cap or a curled leaf. If a concave object sits in the shade where the sun cannot evaporate the water, it becomes a functioning nursery.
Nature's Trap: The Waxy Leaf
This is where the forest-first principle requires careful management. While we keep the site clean of artificial debris, nature creates its own containers.
The Potential Cup
Teak leaves are uniquely dangerous because they are large, thick, and waxy. Unlike a banana leaf that might absorb moisture, Teak repels it. Even if we do not find them full of water every day, their structure creates a temporary waterproof bowl. During heavy rains, these leaves can hold pockets of water just long enough to support breeding.
The Wet Blanket
The greater risk is often what lies beneath. When Teak leaves pile up, they act like a wet blanket over the forest floor. They block sunlight and airflow, preventing the soil from drying. This keeps the ground underneath permanently muddy and can hide small, cryptic puddles of water that are perfect for breeding but invisible from the surface.
Why Still Water Matters (The Snorkel)
The reason mosquitoes breed in a teaspoon of water on a leaf, but not in our large flowing streams, comes down to anatomy and physics.
The Anatomy
Mosquito larvae breathe through a tiny siphon (a snorkel) on their tail. They must hang upside down at the water's surface to breathe air.
The Physics
Surface tension is what holds them up. If the water is moving, like in our pools, or rippling from wind, they cannot latch on to the surface to breathe. They sink and drown.
The Danger
This is why protected ground puddles and curled leaves are so deadly. The water inside them is perfectly still, protected from the wind.
Summary: The Math of Neglect
It is easy to ignore a pile of leaves. But the math is simple:
1 Bottle Cap (Volume) = 1 Mosquito.
1 Hidden Puddle (under a leaf pile) = Dozens of Mosquitoes.
1 Waxy Leaf = A potential water trap, even if temporary.
The Field Rule: If it holds water, empty it. If it covers wet ground—especially under dense borders—rake it out and thin the plants. You must let the sun and wind in to dry the soil.
A Safe, DIY, and Ecologically Friendly Way to Control Mosquitoes
Mosquito season often leads homeowners to spray their entire yards with pesticides. Unfortunately, these sprays—even "organic" ones—kill beneficial insects like dragonflies, fireflies, bees, and butterflies along with the mosquitoes. They can also contaminate stormwater, or worse, kill our entire living water and forest eco-system.
However, after all check boxes are checked you can add another layer, a trap, that target mosquitoes specifically by creating an ideal breeding ground that turns into a trap.
Simply encourage mosquitoes to breed in a controlled environment: The Mosquito Bucket of Doom.
This method uses Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a naturally occurring bacterium that is deadly to mosquito larvae but safe for humans, pets, birds, frogs, bees, and fireflies.
Equation: Bucket + Water + Handful of Grass + Stick + Bti Dunk = DOOM
What You Need:
A Bucket: 5-gallon size works well.
Water: To fill the bucket halfway.
Biomass: A handful of grass clippings, hay, or straw.
A Stick: Long enough to stick out of the water.
Bti Dunk: Usually sold as "Mosquito Dunks" at hardware stores.
1. Prepare the "Infusion"
Place a handful of grass or straw into the bucket and fill it halfway with water. As the grass decays, it releases carbon dioxide. This smell is irresistible to female mosquitoes looking for a place to lay eggs.
2. Add the Bti
Add a Bti dunk to the water.
Tip: One dunk treats 100 square feet of surface water for 30 days. Since a bucket is small, you can break the dunk into quarters and use 1/4 of a dunk per month to save money.
3. Add the Stick
Place a stick in the bucket so that it rests on the bottom and leans against the rim, protruding out of the water. This serves two vital purposes:
The Escape Ramp: If a bee, chipmunk, or bird falls in, they can climb out. We only want to kill mosquitoes.
The Nursery: Some mosquito species prefer to lay eggs on a woody substrate just above the water line.
4. Placement
Place the bucket in a shady, moist area protected from the wind—the kind of place mosquitoes naturally hang out.
Note: Do not place it right next to your patio chairs. The bucket attracts mosquitoes to lay eggs, so keep it a few meters away from where people sit.
Sun vs. Shade: If placed in direct sun, the water may get too hot (over 100°F), which kills larvae naturally but might discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs there in the first place. Shade is best.
Monthly Refresh: The Bti dunk lasts about 30 days. Once a month, dump the bucket (or pour it on a dry lawn), put in fresh water, fresh grass/straw, and a new 1/4 piece of Bti dunk.
Floaters vs. Sinkers: Bti dunks float. If you are worried about animals removing them or rain floating them out, you can put the dunk in a mesh veggie bag and tie it to the bottom of the stick to weigh it down.
Rain Overflow: If you live in a rainy area, you can drill overflow holes about 3 inches from the top of the bucket to prevent the dunk from washing away.
I see things moving in the water! Is it working?
Yes. You may see "wigglers" (larvae). This is normal. The eggs hatch into larvae, and the larvae eat the Bti. The Bti disrupts their gut, and they die within hours.
Warning Sign: If you see "tumblers" (the comma-shaped pupal stage), the Bti is not working or has expired. The goal is to kill them before they reach this stage.
Which bucket color is best?
Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors. Black, red, and orange are most effective. However, the smell of the decaying grass (CO2) is the primary attractant, so any bucket will work.
Will this hurt other animals?
No. Bti targets the larval stage of mosquitoes and related flies (like fungus gnats and black flies). It does not harm bees, butterflies, fish, frogs, pets, or humans.
Ever notice how one person at the dinner table gets eaten alive while the person next to them gets zero bites? It’s not bad luck—it’s biology.
1. The Science: Why are you a "Mosquito Magnet"?
It is estimated that 85% of your attractiveness to mosquitoes is genetic. It has nothing to do with having "sweet blood." It comes down to three factors:
The Breath (CO2): Mosquitoes track Carbon Dioxide from 50 meters away. Larger people and pregnant women exhale more CO2, making them louder "beacons" on the mosquito radar.
The Skin Microbiome: This is the big one. Your skin is covered in microscopic bacteria that break down your sweat. The specific cocktail of bacteria you have determines your scent. Aedes mosquitoes (the dengue carriers) specifically love the bacteria that grow on feet and ankles—which is why they always bite under the table.
Heat & Movement: If you are running, gardening, or pacing, you are generating heat and lactic acid. You are literally glowing on their thermal sensors.
2. The Diet: What to Eat (and What Not To)
There is a lot of folklore about eating your way to safety. Here is the science:
The Myth: Garlic & Vitamin B.
We wish this were true. Unfortunately, multiple scientific studies have shown that eating garlic, bananas, or Vitamin B12 has zero effect on mosquito attraction. Eating garlic will repel your neighbors, but not the mosquitoes.
The Truth: Alcohol.
Bad news for the sunset drinks. Drinking alcohol (especially beer) raises your body temperature and increases the amount of ethanol in your sweat. Studies confirm that drinking alcohol makes you significantly more attractive to mosquitoes.
3. The Armor: What to Spray on Your Skin
As we avoid fogging the landscape, which means sometimes we must protect the body.
Support Local: "Begone Bug" (Utama Spice)
For a ready-made natural solution, try Utama Spice (a Ubud-based company following the Tri Hita Karana philosophy). Their "Begone Bug" spray is a blend of Citronella, Clove Bud, and Cajeput oil. It is effective, locally made, and safe for the skin.
DIY: The Homemade Lemongrass Spray
If you prefer to make your own, this recipe uses the natural citronella found in lemongrass.
Ingredients: 1 stalk lemongrass (chopped), 2 cups water, 1 tbsp Witch Hazel (optional), 15 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil.
Make it: Boil the water, add chopped lemongrass, and remove from heat. Let it steep for an hour (like strong tea). Strain out the grass. Add the Witch Hazel and oil. Shake well.
Use it: Spray generously on exposed skin. Note: Natural sprays evaporate fast. Reapply every 30–60 minutes.
The Heavy Hitters (Synthetic but Safe)
If the natural oils aren't cutting it:
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE): This is not the same as essential oil. It is a refined extract (PMD) and is the only plant-based repellent recommended by the CDC.
Picaridin: If you hate the oily feel or smell of DEET, use Picaridin. It is odorless, non-greasy, and safe for gear. It mimics a compound found in pepper plants and blinds the mosquito’s sensors.
4. The "Invisible" Spray: Soap
Since mosquitoes are attracted to the bacterial breakdown of sweat, the most effective thing you can do before the evening hang-out is take a shower. Scrubbing your feet and ankles with soap removes the chemical lure better than masking it with perfume.
Summary:
You can't change your genetics (CO2).
Garlic won't save you, and beer makes it worse.
Wash your feet, support local (Utama Spice), or brew your own lemongrass armor.
Walk onto any veranda in Bali at dusk, and you’ll see the same thing: a few pots of lemongrass and marigolds arranged like a fortress.
We hate to break it to you, but plants are not a force field.
1. The Science: Why the Potted Plant Doesn't Work
The "repellent" chemical in lemongrass (citronella) or cloves (eugenol) is locked inside the leaves. A living plant does not release enough scent to stop a mosquito.
The Wind Factor: Even if the plant smells strong to you, a slight breeze blows the scent away. A hungry mosquito following the CO2 trail of your breath will fly right through a rosemary bush to bite you.
The Danger: Planting dense hedges of "repellent plants" often backfires. Mosquitoes are weak fliers; they hate wind. By planting a thick wall, you block the breeze and create a calm, humid harbor—exactly what they love.
2. The Natural Arsenal: A Trap for the Drains
Since we don't fog, here is a way to use nature to fight back—not on your skin, but in the infrastructure.
The "Garlic Bomb" (Larvicide)
Garlic contains sulfur compounds that are lethal to mosquito larvae but safe for the garden.
Make it: Blend 3 cloves of garlic with water and strain it well (to remove chunks).
Use it: Spray this into stagnant water spots you can't easily drain—like a drain sump or a stubborn puddle. It kills the larvae before they hatch.
3. The Best "Repellent" is Physics
If you want to sit on your terrace at sunset without bites, the most effective tool isn't a plant—it's a fan.
Mosquitoes are terrible fliers. A simple floor fan creates a mechanical barrier they cannot fly through, and it disperses the CO2 from your breath so they can't find you.
Summary:
Grow lemongrass because you love tea. Grow marigolds because they are beautiful. But for protection? Use a fan. Do not hide behind a bush.
In Eco Village, we have a strict rule: All food scraps go into designated sealed compost silos.
We arrived at this rule through trial and error.
1. The Lesson: Why the Compost Rings Failed
We previously trialed open "compost rings" where food waste was supposed to be buried inside the leaf pile. It failed completely because of the unique nature of Teak leaves.
The Physical Reality: Fresh Teak leaves are large, tough, and leather-like. They stack up like dinner plates. Trying to "dig" food waste down into a stack of fresh Teak leaves is nearly impossible. As a result, residents and staff couldn't bury the waste deep enough.
The Sugar Story (Mosquito Fuel): Because the food was left near the surface, it revealed a critical biological fact: It is a myth that mosquitoes only drink blood.
The Truth: Male mosquitoes are strict vegans who only drink nectar. Even females consume sugar for 90% of their energy; they only hunt for blood when they need protein for eggs.
The Consequence: The exposed mango skins and papaya created an all-you-can-eat sugar bar. We were literally feeding the females the high-calorie "jet fuel" they needed to fly and hunt us.
2. The Current Danger: The "Daytime Lounge"
While the food is now contained in sealed silos, the danger has shifted to the open piles of garden trimmings, the natural accumulation of leaves under dense borders, or when gardeners fail to toss organic debris (like Teak leaves) over the forest cliff.
These "gloomy corners" create a perfect storm of Harborage and Cryptic Breeding.
The Scene: Adult mosquitoes are fragile. They cannot survive in direct sun or wind. They need a place that is dark, humid, and wind-free to rest. A pile of damp garden waste (or a deep layer of leaves under a dense border) is the equivalent of a 5-star hotel lobby for mosquitoes.
The "Teak Trap": Again, some of the Teak leaves are the villain. Because they curl into durable, waterproof bowls when they fall, they trap rainwater. Furthermore, thick layers of Teak prevent undergrowth from establishing, meaning the bare soil underneath stays permanently wet and eventually forms hidden puddles.
The Solution: Disturbance
A "gloomy, undisturbed" pile or border is a hazard.
Clean the Floor: Do not let Teak leaves pile up under dense plants. Rake them out. You can replace them with a layer of proper mulch. Unlike the waxy Teak leaves which trap water on top, mulch absorbs moisture and keeps the soil healthy without creating puddles.
Let it Breathe: If your border wall is so thick you can't see the ground, it is too thick. Thin it out. Mosquitoes hate wind. If the air can move through your garden border, the mosquitoes will leave.
In ecological design, we often look for "natural" solutions, but sometimes nature works against us. Certain plants are scientifically classified as Phytotelmata—plants that naturally trap water.
In a residential village, these plants function exactly like man-made buckets or old tires: they are stagnant reservoirs that act as 5-star hotels for mosquito larvae.
1. The Heliconia Problem
The specific culprit is the Heliconia with upright flower bracts (often called "Lobster Claws").
The Math of the Risk: Research shows a single Heliconia stem can hold up to 2 cups (500ml) of stagnant water.
The Density Issue: One plant is manageable. But when used as privacy hedges or borders (often 100+ plants), you are inadvertently creating 50+ liters of distributed stagnant water right next to your home.
The "Mosquito Hotel": Beyond the water, dense walls of Heliconia create dark, humid shade that blocks airflow—the perfect resting environment for adult mosquitoes to survive longer.
2. The "Elephant Ear" (Taro/Alocasia) Trap
These broad-leafed plants are beautiful, but they have a structural flaw for vector control. The "V" shape where the leaf stem joins the base acts as a natural cup, collecting rainwater that sits for days.
3. The Permaculture Solution
The goal of permaculture is a self-regulating system, not one that requires constant manual labor. Keeping high-risk plants requires weekly checking and draining, which creates a "maintenance trap."
The Protocol:
Immediate Fix (Physical): If you have these plants, fill the water-holding bracts or leaf-axils with sand. This displaces the water so larvae cannot live there, without harming the plant.
Routine Maintenance: Break off old Heliconia flowers before they begin to rot and turn into "larval soup."
The Best Strategy (Design): Replace them. Designing the problem out is always better than managing it forever.
Safe Alternatives
You can achieve the same lush, tropical jungle vibe without the mosquito risk. Excellent, safe alternatives include:
Ginger & Costus: Similar look, but they drain naturally.
Cordyline (Ti Plants): Colorful and dry.
Lemongrass: A lush border plant that serves a triple purpose: it fills space, it is culinary, and it acts as a mild natural repellent.
Ferns & Palms: Classic forest floor cover that poses zero risk.