6 Ways To Ward Off Mosquitoes

Picnics, barbecues and other summery soirees-so much to look forward to this summer! But as you take the festivities outdoors, make sure that you're not one of the tasty menu items.

According to Joe Conlon, a medical entomologist and the technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association, mosquito bites, for the most part, are just annoying. But he says, especially in certain parts of the country, they can be more dangerous. "Being infected with a mosquito-borne disease is definitely an issue, even in the United States, as West Nile virus has taught us", he says. 

 

If possible, schedule your activities to avoid the times when mosquitoes are most active, usually dawn and dusk.  

Conlon has 6 ways for staying bite-free this summer :

1. Time it right

    If possible, schedule your activities to avoid the times when mosquitoes are most active, usually dawn a

    and dusk

2. Kepp it breezy

    Keeping a deck or porch mosquito-free is quite easy, according to Conlon. "Strategically placed floor

    fans providing a breeze across the area of concern will serve to keep the mosquitoes at bay," he says.

   "Mosquitoes are weak fliers, and will not be able to navigate properly against or within the airstream."

   There is no set formula for how large a fan or how many you'll need, it's simply a matter of experimenting

   until you obtain the desired effect.

3. Turn on the (bug) lights.    

    If you have a deck, says Conlon, light it isuing General Electric yellow But Lights. "These lights are not

    repellant per se, "he says, "but they do not attract mosquitoes like incandescent white lights."

   By the way, citronella candles have a mild repellent effect, he says, but do not offer significantly more

   protection than other candles producing smoke. 

4. Choose your clothes wisely

    Dress in light colored, loose-fitting clothing. Close-weave is the best prevent biting, but layered

    loose-weave works almost as well.

5. Go with DEET.

    According to Conlin, DEET remains the standard by which all other repellents are judged; it's effective

   against mosquitoes, bitting flies, chiggers, fleas and ticks. But make sure your apply it correctly! if it's not

   working, it's probably because your misapplied it-or need to reapply. When it comes to choosing a brand,

   look for one that has 30% DEET for adults. Ask your pediatrician about the best choice for your child;

  Conlin says most recommend no more that 10% DEET and do not recomend DEET for babies under two 

  months old.

 Two of Conlin's other recomendation : Cutter Advanced, which contains an ingredient called picaridin,

 which, he says, is odorless, has a pleasant feel and doesn't plasticize like DEET. For a natural product

 try oil of lemon-eucalyptus, sold as Repel.

6. Set a trap

  You might have heard about products marketed as mosquito traps. According to Joseph, these device

  will trap and kill measurable numbers of mosquitoes. But, he says, whether it wold produce a noticeable

  reduction in the mosquito population would depend on a variety of factors, including how sensitive you are

  how many mosquitoes there are, and even wind velocity.