Are mosquitoes making your bonfires, hikes, and other summer activities uncomfortable? Across Northwest Indiana, people are feeling itchy. After all, our area has many opportunities for mosquitoes to reproduce due to all of the marshes, lakes ,and other stagnant pools of warm water. When a person is bitten by these flying blood-suckers, they may have an allergic reaction. The reaction is usually in the form of itchy, red bumps and is rarely life-threatening. Although reactions appear differently depending on the person, mosquitoes’ saliva is the culprit. The contents in the saliva is something your body doesn’t recognize, which causes the allergy.
How can you get these pesky bugs to quit bugging you? Below are some tips!
- Standing water: If you have buckets, kiddie pools, watering cans or other areas of standing water – dump it! Mosquitoes love to breed in standing water. Working against standing water can help reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard. If you are by a pond, try adding fish known to consume mosquitoes.
- Use chemical repellent: Repellent that contains DEET or other insecticides are the most effective. Also, they are usually safe to use on most people, even kids as young as 2.
- Use natural repellent: If you run out of your trusty can of OFF or the thought of using insecticides makes you uncomfortable, why not try a natural repellent? Sitting next to a plant, like mint, is said to help repel mosquitoes. You can also make your own spray or roll-on solution using essential oils like lemongrass, peppermint and eucalyptus. You can experiment to see what scent you prefer and what keeps the most bugs away.
- Cover your arms and feet: Mosquitoes prefer thin, exposed skin. They would love to dine on your feet, ankles and wrists! Don’t give them the chance with longer sleeves, socks and shoes. Double up with repellent to make it even harder for mosquitoes to take a bite.
- Take extra precaution at dusk and dawn: Although mosquitoes might bite anytime in the day, they love dusk and dawn. This time of day is a wonderful way to beat the heat of the afternoon hours, so don’t hide from mosquitoes inside! Get outside! But make sure you are wearing a lot of repellent and that you are properly covered.
- Try fogging/spraying the grass: Are mosquitoes in the grass around your pool, playground, or other areas of your yard? There are several fogging products on the market. It might not be as effective as you’d hope, but hey, it is worth a shot!
- Turn on a fan: Mosquitoes have a hard time flying in fast moving air. When you are sitting on your porch at dusk or playing a movie for the kids on a projector screen outside, run an extension cord and turn on a high-speed fan.
- Avoid wearing dark colors: Instead of wearing black or other dark clothing, opt for lighter colors. Apparently, deep colors attract mosquitoes because they stand out.
- Eat & drink: Before going to a mosquito-filled area like the deep woods, avoid drinking or eating things containing a lot of sugar and salt. To repel mosquitoes, make sure to eat items with garlic, onion and chili pepper.
- Spread the information! Let your neighbors know about the importance of dumping stagnant water and all the other tips from this article. Mosquitoes only travel a couple miles. If everyone helps to squash breeding grounds and doesn’t feed hungry female mosquitoes their blood, the population of mosquitoes in your area, in theory, should decrease!
At Affordable Bio Control, we care about your comfort. That is why we offer informative blogs like this. If you have any questions about bugs, feel free to contact us today. Give us a call at: 219-608-4286. We look forward to serving you!