Lights and bugs

[jefeyessica]

We live out in the country. The other night, I went swimming after dark for the first time. It took all but 30 seconds after I turned on the light for all the bugs to bomb-dive my pool. On TV pools never have millions of bugs in them!
So besides installing nettings all around my pool, does anyone have any suggestions to keep the bugs at bay? Maybe some kind of bug-zapper lamp? Or, if I leave the light on for a long time, do the bugs "stop" coming? Probably not, dumb question....
Help? :?:

 

[257WbyMag]

Like us, you no doubt have tons of June beetles bombing your pool as soon as you turn the pool light on. The good thing is, they will be gone soon. The bad thing is that there are still other bugs to take thier place.

You list your location as Dallas but since you say that you live in the country, I'm taking this to mean that you live in the "Dallas area". Unfortunately, one of the problems with livng a rural existence is that you will tend to have more insects than you would in the city. You may just have to pick and choose your battles with them. Swim with the light in the pool off. Also, consider getting a bug zapper if you haven't already. Now they have been proven to not do much in the way of mosquito control, but they sure do a number on everything else that flys towards light sources. Besides, it's fun to sit out back, drink some beer, and watch them zap the bugs for a while. I think that the bright UV light source in the zapper might destract them somewhat from your pool. Just guessing really but it might.

 

[Rubygrrl]

We bought a bug zapper--and you are right--it IS fun to drink beer and watch it while in the pool! :lol:

 

[NWMNMom]

Fog near the pool about 20 mins before swimming.

Unfortunately, our pool is right below the yard light - no choice. SOOOOO, we will sometimes have hundreds of Junebugs in the pool by morning - no lie. One year we had a wheelbarrow near the pool to shovel them into and haul away because all the dead beetles dumped out of the pool each morning began to smell and make big piles. We FILLED the wheel barrow every 2 days for almost a month. It was disgusting. This year has been very cool and late so the bugs have been more scarce but they still hang out. We have to fog before we do any night or even shade swimming - the Minnesota mosquitos are the size of crows this year and we have horses so get the lovely horse and deer flies too.

That old bug zapper certainly is cheap entertainment - we hang ours off to the side of the stables - away from the pool but we can watch and get a chuckle - even bet on which bugs
"go to the light" or how many in a time period. Rural life, ain't it special?

 

[jefeyessica]

What do you fog with?? I'll keep my eye out for a bug zapper light. Do they have those at wally world?

 

[257WbyMag]

Personally, I'm a firm believer in Raid's Yard Guard as an outdoor fog treatment. Hit the shrubs and trees with it and it really helps keep the mosquitos and biting bugs down. You can watch them fall out of the trees at my house when it hits em.