Mosquitoes like this one can carry disease, netting keeps them in check.
Insects and birds can be formidable home and garden pests, and netting, which has been around for centuries, can be a chemical free way of protecting your crops, home and family. Insect netting is commonly called "mosquito netting," and is used for personal protection, especially around beds. Bird netting is used mostly for keeping birds off fruits and vegetables. In each case, the mesh is small enough to block animals but large enough to allow air circulation and permit light. Does this Spark an idea?
Mosquito Netting History
Cleopatra of Egypt was recorded to have used mosquito netting and as far back as the Roman Empire, the connection between insect bites and disease was apparent, though not understood. British officer, Major Ronald Ross and American, Colonel William Crawford Gorgas, advocated the use of netting in the late 1800s and early 1900s, among other methods to contain malaria with great success. Mosquito netting is still considered a highly effective measure against malaria and West Nile virus.
Mosquito Netting Mesh
While mesh might be made of a number of materials, the most common is a polyester or polyamide that is lightweight and durable. The mesh must be very small to be effective. Typically, the mesh has a 1.2mm opening and 20-200 mesh/square inch is recommended to control mosquitoes. In regions with sand flies, a 0.6mm netting is recommended.
Applications of Mosquito Netting
Mosquito netting is most commonly used as a canopy beds, but can also be found on tent openings and even on baby carriages. Rectangular netting offers the most space, but tent shaped netting is also common, and suspended from a single point on a ceiling. It is most likely to be seen in hot, moist regions of the world where biting insects present the greatest problems.
Bird Netting Uses
Bird netting is most frequently used for gardening purposes, especially with berries like blueberries and strawberries that birds can be attracted to. Netting can also be stapled to posts surrounding garden areas, but most often, it is merely laid over bushes or draped over a frame.
Bird Netting Mesh
Bird netting is often synthetic, made from polypropylene, but can also be made from wire mesh when containing other animals is desirable. The average size is 3/4 inch square openings and it typically comes in rolls more than 10 feet across and up to 100 feet long.
Advantages
The main advantage of both bird netting and mosquito netting is that they are non-toxic preventative measures. Unlike chemicals, they have a minimal environmental impact and in the case of bird netting, they do not leave a chemical residue on fruits and vegetables.
Disadvantages
Bird netting and mosquito netting are excellent for individual and home and garden use, but they are impractical for large scale farming. Bird netting can get tangled in the plants and be hard to remove. On occasion, other animals like snakes and rabbits can become entangled as well. Mosquito netting can be inconvenient when it comes to human mobility, especially when used around beds.
Tags: around beds, fruits vegetables, home garden, made from, Mosquito netting, Netting Mesh