Home : Weather : Mosquitoes :
  • Mosquito Prevention Info from CDC

Links
--Stop Mosquitoes Flyer (PDF)
--Fulton County Mosquito Web Site

Repellent
-- Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. Generally, the the more active ingredient a repellent contains the longer it can protect you from mosquito bites. A higher percentage of active ingredient in a repellent does not mean that your protection is better—just that it will last longer. Click here for more on insect repellent active ingredients. Choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time that you will be outdoors.


  • Repellents may irritate the eyes and mouth, so avoid applying repellent to the hands of children.
  • Whenever you use an insecticide or insect repellent, be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's DIRECTIONS FOR USE, as printed on the product.
  • For detailed information about using repellents, see the Insect Repellent Use and Safety questions.
-- Spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly to exposed skin. Do not apply repellent to skin under your clothing.

Clothes
-- When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.

Home
-- Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.

Reduce Standing Water
-- Help reduce the number of mosquitoes in areas outdoors where you work or play, by draining sources of standing water. In this way, you reduce the number of places mosquitoes can lay their eggs and breed.

* At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans.
* Check for clogged rain gutters and clean them out.
* Remove discarded tires, and other items that could collect water.
* Be sure to check for containers or trash in places that may be hard to see, such as under bushes or under your home.
  • Fight Against the Itch
Photo of mosquito bites by tanakawho from Flickr Creative Commons
Many home remedies and recipes exist, most of which are effective against itching, including calamine lotion, baking soda, salt, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, and toothpaste. Also rubbing nail polish (preferably clear)or deodorant on the bite will stop it from itching most of the time. Ammonia has been clinically demonstrated to be an effective treatment.
  • Mosquito Myths
Citronella Plants
Several natural or man-made products have been touted as mosquito repellents or effective in mosquito control. Citronella oil, which is a product of several types of plants that can be made into candles or burned directly, is an effective mosquito repellent in high concentrations, but individual citronella-producing plants do not make enough oil to effectively repel mosquitoes.

Bug Zappers
Ultraviolet lights and ultrasonic devices are not effective.

Not HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS cannot survive in a mosquito, and therefore cannot be transmitted from one person to another through mosquito bites.(Courtesy of howstuffworks.com)
Advertisement