Aggressive insects like mosquitoes get us so frustrated with their overwhelmingly annoying prescence that it can highten your aggravation to a level where you just want to grab the spray can, and just kill them! kill them all! Before you get to that point, a couple of alternatives can be implemented to ease the rage.
Plant Lemongrass. Like the famed citronella candle your outdoor parties may be void of unwanted insect visitors if you add a few lemongrass plants to your landscape. Plant citronella, otherwise known as 'the mosquito plant' it is the magical scent that makes the famed candles effective. Horsemint, catnitp and peppermint are a few other herbs to add to your mosquito repellent entourage.
Other ideas include, burning candles with herb myrrh. Myrhh oil added to the wick of a candle, or the incense when burned keeps mosquitos at bay.
You could also form your own army by inviting more mosquito predators to your yard. These include, the guppy, the dragonfly, birds, and bats. Yes, bats, they can kill 'between 600 to 1000 insects, mosquitoes included, and mosquito-netting.com also tells you what plants attract these predators. The gecko feeds on mosquitoes too, and might be kind of cool to have around.
Mosquito dunks are a once a month treatment to kill mosquito larvae. They are claimed to be a biological pest control, and are non-toxic. Once you dunk one in any water beds around your yard the larvae will die by the birds and fish, etc. won't. If you don't dunk all of your 'dunks' you can keep them around for years to come and they will still remain effective. Check out www.gardeningwithease.com to read about and purchase your dunks.
All this preparation may not be enough to completely keep the mosquito away, but the odds of it extending the life of your outdoor party by a couple of hours will be looking pretty good.
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Back when my gardening took place on an exposed corner lot in industrial NW Portland, people would often stop by to declare “We could never do this! We live in the country, and the animals destroy everything!” Guess what? We now live in the county. Today, I will share with you a piece of writing I did when we lived in the city, and tomorrow I will update you on my newly countrified stance. Consider the rare and elusive mole. If you have an expanse of lawn regularly punctuated by domes of fresh earth, you may dispute the use of the word “rare”. Think about it. The mounds are evidence of mole activity, sure, but how many times have you seen the critter himself? I’m pretty sure you would have a hard time maintaining a high level of indignation if ever you came face to face with one of the little fellers. A mole has a gray coat leaning towards brown…one of those subtle tones favored by Calvin Klein. It is eiderdown soft. Mr./Ms. Mole looks like a puff of smoke with a delicate, pink snout and a pair of outsized paddle-shaped front paws specially adapted for tunneling. Moles are classified as insectivores, meaning they exist on a diet of many of the culprits you are hot to exterminate. With their tunneling, they improve soil aeration and drainage, all the while circulating soil minerals. So what’s the harm of a mound or two, on balance? 
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