How To Deal With Mosquitoes

To get rid of mosquitoes, you must eliminate any standing water near your home—that’s where they breed. Things like flowerpots, recycling bins, puddles, or even a overturned lid can result in thousands of mosquitoes. If you have a birdbath, change the water every couple days, be sure to treat swimming pools, & ask your neighbors to do the same.

Mow your lawn frequently and try to reduce vegetation around your house, which is where mosquitoes live.

Make sure all of your windows and doors are tightly sealed. Screens should be 16-18 mesh, and any holes or tears should be fixed immediately.

Replace outdoor lights with yellow bulbs. They’re not repellents, but they attract fewer mosquitoes than regular lighting.

If you have to be outside—particularly at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active—wear long sleeves and trousers, if possible. Either apply a repellent containing DEET, or apply picaridin or oil of lemon-eucalyptus, the only repellents considered to be both safe for young children and effective.

Direct a fan to blow on you when you’re outside or if you have a mosquito trapped inside that you can’t catch. Mosquitoes aren’t strong fliers so it will make it difficult to land on you.

Consider trying a mosquito-trapping device that lures the bugs with C02. They can work, although whether it captures enough mosquitoes to make a noticeable difference depends on many variables, even including the particular species of mosquitoes in your area.

Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as encephalitis, malaria, and West Nile virus. If you’re in an infected area, consider spraying heavy foliage near your house with pesticide—although, given the health risks, this should be a last ditch effort.