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| How to Repel Mosquitoes |
Keep in mind that mosquitoes are drawn to stagnant pools of water and that they can breed heartily in such an environment. Limiting the amount of standing water in and around your home will go a long way toward preventing your property from becoming their preferred breeding ground. In drier climates where mosquitoes aren’t as much of a problem, this tactic alone may very well solve a minor mosquito infestation.
In areas that are more humid, however, it can be nearly impossible to prevent mosquitoes from coming around without resorting to at least slightly more aggressive measures. Regions that have high humidity as well as mild winters, like tropical and sub-tropical climates, face the biggest hurdles of all. The bugs are almost never killed off by the cold and so they buzz around in irritating swarms throughout the year. If you live in a warm, humid climate, the best plan for ridding your space of mosquitoes is probably going to be a combination of strategies.
Plants
Plants are the most natural and pleasant method for ridding yourself of mosquitoes. There are a lot of beautiful small shrubs and flowers that are normally readily available at your local nursery or garden center and that can be counted on to ward off the bothersome bugs. Most of the herbs that are used for cooking will have some mosquito repellant qualities and their usefulness in the kitchen makes them an even better option. Basil, thyme, rosemary and lavender are just a few of the plants that can create a lovely and fragrant potted herb garden for your balcony or patio as it drives away bugs at the same time.
Citronella grass is another option, and there are some scented geraniums with a strong citronella scent that is agreeable to humans but that does a great job of repelling mosquitoes, as well as other bugs that can be detrimental to your garden.
Candles & Torches
Candles are another nice method for fighting mosquitoes while adding a little ambience to your space at the same time. Those that are heavy on the citronella scent that mosquitoes so abhor seem to work the best and they are exceptionally easy to find at almost any home store during the spring and summer months. There are wax and soy candle varieties, with soy offering the most environmentally–friendly option for those who are worried about their impact on the planet.
You can also go for tiki torches and open lanterns burning citronella oil if you want a slightly more dramatic scene than mere candles can provide. Candles and torches have a limited range of efficacy, so one is probably not going to do the trick for your whole backyard. At least a couple of these devices would be required in order to protect even small patio area. It’s also important to remember that it can be very dangerous to ever leave them burning unattended.
Sprays
There are a wide variety of chemical sprays on the market that do a very good job of repelling mosquitoes. DEET is an oil that has been commercially available for years and that is used by health and relief organizations around the world, but that should be applied with some level of caution. There have been users who have had bad reactions to it, like skin irritation, nausea and trouble breathing. A more modern repellant is Icaradin, which has also been recommended by the World Health Organization as a useful weapon in the battle to prevent mosquito bites.
PMD is a plant-based repellant that is also effective, though it doesn’t last as long as DEET or Icaradin and it can cause skin irritation as well. Any spray-on mosquito repellants should be used in a well-ventilated area and they are often not recommended for children under the age of three or for those with sensitive skin or respiratory issues.
Clip-on Repellants
One of the newest tools in the arsenal of commercially available mosquito repellents are these personal and portable clip-on fans that operate by battery as they emit a vapor of metofluthrin, an insecticide that is capable of preventing bug bites for hours. While wearing one of these little machines is generally effective for the person it’s attached to, clip-on repellants won’t protect others around them.
There have been reports of people feeling ill after using the devices as well, so it’s probably best to keep a watchful eye on anyone who is using it and to take it off right away if the wearer starts to feel unwell.
Thankfully, between modern technology and proven methods from the past, there’s no reason for anyone to suffer through another summer of painful and dangerous mosquito bites. In fact, if you’ve ever wondered how to repel mosquitoes as effectively as possible, there is now a wider and more effective selection of mosquito repellents commonly available than ever before. By matching your efforts to the level of infestation, you may finally be able to get rid of pesky mosquitoes in your space once and for all.
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