2006-06-15 03:09:01 · 5 answers · asked by Pearlsawme 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
As the mosquito larvae come to the top of the water they are coated in a thin layer of oil. Just enough to suffocate them! A little vegetable oil in a water trough keeps it skeeter free!!! As long as it maintains its film of oil .
2006-06-15 18:56:42 · answer #1 · answered by letsshu 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mosquito eggs must float on the surface for the young to survive after they hatch. Oil floats on water. WIth a thin coat of oil on the water the young mosquitoes are trapped underneath surface and they drown.
2006-06-15 03:15:10 · answer #2 · answered by Thoughts Like Mine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would think it would deter the female from ovipositing. also, mosquito larvae need to come to the surface periodically to breathe by sticking a sort of snorkelly doodad out; i reckon that if they did that in oily water, the oil would wreck the surface tension in the snorkelly thing and drown the larva.
2006-06-15 03:14:57 · answer #3 · answered by nemo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dunno...I didnt even know that stopped it! But wow thats a good idea, let me know if you ever figure it out! Maybe because its not pure water and the mosquito (that lays the larva) cannot stand on oil because it coats the legs and drowns them?
2006-06-15 03:13:18 · answer #4 · answered by ♪♫jessy♫♪ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the wigglers will be poisoned by the oil
2006-06-15 03:15:39 · answer #5 · answered by Dartzz 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋