4
Eliminate these, or empty them
frequently, at least every couple
of days. Drill holes in the bottom
of larger containers, such as
those used for recycling, if they
are kept outside. Turn over
wheelbarrows and buckets.
You should wear light-colored
long-sleeved shirts and long
pants when outdoors during the
day. Dark clothing attracts the
insects because it looks like a
cool, shadowy area. Put mosquito
netting over baby-carriers, and
avoid being out at dawn and dusk,
when mosquitoes bite the most
frequently.
Not all species of mosquitoes
are attracted to light, so light
traps are not effective, and
usually end up killing many more
beneficial insects than harmful
ones.
In one study, of the 10,000
bugs killed by a “bug zapper," only
eight were mosquitoes. Other
tests produced similar results,
killing far more beneficial insects
and mosquito predators than
mosquitoes themselves.
Many people turn to insect
repellents for protection.
Mosquitoes find their victims by
smell, either from the scent of
the skin, or the odor of exhaled
carbon dioxide. Insect repellents
don’t kill mosquitoes, they just
cover the odors which would
normally attract them, rendering
us somewhat “invisible."
The most effective repellent on
the market seems to be DEET (N,
N-diethyl-m-toluamide). Higher
percentages of DEET within a
repellent means that the
protection will last longer, but it
won’t be any more directly
effective in repelling the insects,
and a concentration of more than
50 percent doesn’t continue to
increase the length of protection
time.
Concentrations vary from
product to product. According to
the Centers for Disease Control, a
product containing 23.8 percent
DEET provides five hours of
protection, while 6.65 percent
protects for two hours.
If you are concerned about any
negative effects from DEET, you
can apply concentrations
appropriate for the amount of
time that you expect to be
outdoors, then reapply if
necessary.
There have been numerous
studies on the safety of DEET,
and it appears to cause only rare
negative reactions in sensitive
people. All the same, you
shouldn’t use a higher
concentration than you need, and
it’s important to apply it as
directed.
Don’t put the repellent on open
or irritated skin, or on skin that
will be covered with clothing. You
should spray the clothing itself,
and then wash it before wearing it
again.
You don’t need to apply DEET in
large amounts in order to get full
protection, and you should wash
any treated skin once you come
back indoors.
If using spray repellent, avoid
getting it in your eyes or mouth by
spraying it on your hands and then
rubbing it on your face and neck.
Although no serious illnesses
have been reported in children,
cautious experts advise using
lower concentrations (10 percent
or less) of DEET on those from 2
to 12 years old, while others even
approve it for infants over two
months old.
It is better for adults to put
repellent on their own hands, and
then apply it to children. Avoid
putting it on the hands of young
children, since their hands usually
end up in their mouths. There have
been no reported cases of
negative reactions to DEET in
pregnant or nursing mothers.
There is a lot of research going
on now in an attempt to develop
plant-based repellents which
would be non-toxic.
Catnip is showing a lot of
promise. Although no one yet
knows why it works, the
nepetalactone which gives the
plant its scent appears to be even
more effective than DEET.
Anecdotal evidence from
individuals suggests possible
repellent capabilities from cedar
oil, rubbing alcohol, Vaporub, Avon
Skin-So-Soft, vanilla, eucalyptus
oil, and lavender, to name just a
few. Since the purpose is mainly to
cover up your own scent and not
attract the mosquitoes, there are
plenty of possibilities for
experimentation.
Rather than increasing our risk
of exposure to West Nile Virus by
attracting wildlife to our yards,
enhancing our backyard habitat
to attract mosquito predators
and remove favorable conditions
for mosquito reproduction is one
of the best ways to reduce our
risk of infection.
Lowering the number of
mosquitoes is obviously the best
way to lower the chances of being
bitten.
This could include providing an
environment which appeals to
insect-eating birds by installing
bluebird nesting boxes, landscaping
with native plants which attract
other insects (both as mosquito
predators and as food for birds),
and providing water sources.
If you have a suitable location to
attract purple martins, they will
consume some mosquitoes, but
unfortunately they aren’t very
effective at reducing the
population of that particular
insect.
