Any item that will make your arm longer, and therefore your swing faster, will suffice if you don’t have a swatter. Try a rolled up magazine or newspaper. No swatter handy? Kill the flying mosquito with a double-handed clap. Using two hands is more effective than one, as the air coming from each hand will blow the mosquito into the opposing palm.
Repellents containing 30% to 50% DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are the most popular type of repellents, and are recommended for adults and children over 2 months of age and are effective for several hours. Repellents with lower amounts of DEET offer shorter-term protection and must be applied more often. Repellents containing up to 15% picaridin, which must be applied often, are available in the US. Picaridin is odorless, has a pleasant feel, and doesn’t plasticize like DEET. Studies have shown it to be as fully repellent to mosquitoes as DEET and can also be applied on infants as young as 2 months. Protect infants less than 2 months of age by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit rather using a repellent.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus is sold as a product called Repel®. Repel is a 40% formulation of naturally-derived eucalyptus and has a pleasant scent and feel without any plasticizing properties. It is also effective at repelling ticks. Tea tree oil may be another useful natural repellent. Look for commercial repellents that include it. Try Skin Armour Deep Woods Outdoor soap. A combined effort from the researchers in Australia and China who have worked extensively over the last decade to find a competent mosquito protection product resulted in this product. It’s is a completely natural product made from a group of powerful natural oils and may help to you keep yours safe from the attack of mosquitoes while you’re working or camping outdoors.
Clothing may also be sprayed with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent for greater protection. Do not use permethrin directly on your skin. Avoid wearing heavy, dark clothing in warm weather. Mosquitoes are attracted to warm bodies, so staying cool is an effective way to avoid bites. They also appear to like black, blue and red the most. [1] X Research source Don’t wear scent when outdoors during mosquito season. Mosquitoes are attracted to sweat, but the act of sweating can mask more effective attractors of mosquitoes, such as perfumes.
Check the net for holes regularly; even overly long toenails can tear a hole in them during sleep. Make sure you are not touching the net anywhere while you sleep. Kennels and other pet refuges should also be covered with mosquito nets when you are experiencing a mosquito infestation.
Burn a citronella candle or torch. The smoke in the air may help keep away some bugs. Plant a citronella plant in a pot on your porch. [2] X Research source To use, you can snap off a twig and rub it over your skin and around the perimeter of your porch––the smell may discourage mosquitoes. Use citronella incense coils. Check for the other ingredients in these and don’t sit in the line of the smoke from them, as any smoke inhalation is potentially unhealthy.
Plant garlic around your house to repel mosquitoes. It can be integrated around your house, on a balcony, etc. [5] X Research source Garlic powder from your local grocer sprinkled all through your yard may create a mosquito repellent. Sprinkle a little extra thickly around the patio and porch areas. This may protect pets from being bitten if they sleep in that area. [6] X Research source
Mosquito trapping systems won’t eliminate all of the mosquitoes from your yard. Every neighborhood tends to have more than one species of mosquito breeding in the area, and different types of trapping systems cater to different species. Ask around in your area to find out what type of trapping system has worked well for others. Avoid using an electric “zapper”. These have been shown to kill many bugs very effectively, but generally the bugs killed are the non-harmful ones. [7] X Research source Plus, the noise they generate tends to be obnoxious.
Use a push broom to distribute the water for small puddles on hard surfaces. Use a siphon pump for larger puddles. If you’re inundated by mosquitoes due to standing water from street curbs, drainage ditches or other pools you cannot control, call the responsible public authority to explain that you believe the water has become a mosquito breeding source. If it is not possible to remove particular water source, place some Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) dunks/granules into the water. [9] X Expert Source Chikezie OnyiantaPest Control Specialist Expert Interview. 1 April 2021. BTI is a species of bacteria that functions as a larvicide and will kill mosquito larvae for as long as a month, in addition to being safe and non-toxic to children/pets. [10] X Research source
Cut back vegetation from around your pond or other water features. If you have a birdbath or another small source of water, change the water frequently or agitate it so mosquitoes won’t lay eggs there. Treat your pool with the proper chemicals to make it uninhabitable for mosquitoes.
