Prevent Mosquito Bites

Ah, the joys of summer. Time for outdoor activities, picnics, family play – and mosquito bites. For those of us who live in mosquito territory, it can negatively impact our enjoyment of the outdoors.

Mosquitoes can spread disease like West Nile virus, malaria, and dengue fever. The cycle starts with the bite, when a hungry female mosquito pierces the skin to gain access to blood. In the process, she leaves behind saliva, which irritates the skin and causes itching and redness.

Bites initially show up quickly as pale bumps that redden and become itchy, though some bites may not show up for two days. Some people are highly allergic to mosquito bites and suffer moderate to severe reactions. Warning symptoms from such reactions, including fever, severe headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and swollen glands, require immediate medical attention.

Some people claim that they are “mosquito bait,” and it’s true that mosquitoes choose their targets by evaluating chemicals in an individual’s breath, sweat, or scent. They are generally drawn more to men, those with blood type O, and overweight individuals. They may also be attracted to fragrant perfumes, body oils, hair sprays, and lotions.

If you live in a mosquito zone and want to enjoy being outside in the summer, the best defense is a good offense. If you’re prepared and informed, it’s possible to get even with mosquitoes and reclaim your right to be outdoors – without them!

Start with the basics. Avoid outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are active and on the hunt. If you must be outside then, physical barriers are effective. Wear neutral, light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks and shoes. Finally, mosquitoes breed in standing water, so don’t play or hike around standing water, and clean up areas around your home that collect water, like roof gutters, children’s wading pools, bird baths, or fire pits.

But sometimes the basics aren’t enough to rid your outdoor space from mosquitoes. Fortunately, there are new environmental products that attract and kill mosquitoes or repel them.

For example, systems like Mosquito Magnet® can rid even large areas (up to an acre) of mosquitoes. The devices emit attractants through replaceable propane cartridges. Approaching mosquitoes are immediately vacuumed into a net, where they dehydrate and die. These machines are most effective when used continuously during mosquito season and when placed between the hatching ground of the mosquitoes and their human targets. 

Other backyard solutions, like the Mosquito Terminator, offer automated insect control powered by sophisticated misting systems on timers. They spray safe biologic compounds for brief periods several times a day. The spray kills mosquitoes on contact, interrupting breeding cycles and effectively clearing the area of mosquitoes.

Along with large-scale remedies, we can also tackle the problem at the source with insect repellent applied directly to skin and clothing. Insect repellents inhibit mosquito biting, but they don’t actually kill the pests. The most effective mosquito repellants contain DEET. According to the American College of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), DEET is proven to be safe when used as directed and on children over 2 years of age at a concentration of 30% or less.

Adults can use DEET in higher concentrations to provide repellant protection for longer periods. As a general guideline, a DEET concentration of 25% provides 5 hours of protection. DEET repels other summer pests, too, such as fleas, flies, mites, and ticks.

Use common sense when applying DEET. Don’t put it on wounded or irritated skin or mucosal surfaces (eg, inside the mouth or eyes). Let your skin breathe after applying DEET, and don’t put it on under tight clothing. When using a spray formulation, be sure that the area is well ventilated. Alternatives to DEET repellants are those that contain picaridan, which is odorless and may be more pleasant to use.

To make outdoor life even easier, there is now clothing that features repellants embedded in the fabric. Clothing lines like Insect Shield® offer hats, shirts, socks, bandanas, shorts, and pants in fabrics treated with permethrin, a synthetic form of the effective and natural repellant made from chrysanthemums. The protection can last through 70 washings. Permethrin-treated clothing is now recommended by a number of organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC, as a disease-spreading preventive.

There are many other mosquito banishers on the market, including natural repellants containing citronella, lemon oil, eucalyptus, and garlic. Some of these may not be appropriate to use on children aged younger than 3, so check with your child’s pediatrician prior to use.

The best strategies to keep your skin free from mosquito bites are to avoid them, kill them, or repel them. But in case one or two resist your efforts and you are bitten, we’ll talk about treating those bites next.

Meantime, I hope you enjoy a mosquito-free summer!