First why do mosquitoes bite? Female mosquitoes need blood to develop fertile eggs.
Where Is the Dining Area? Mosquitoes breed & lay their eggs in stagnant or standing water. Remove and scrub out any areas of standing water.
How to Set-Up the Dining Area: Put a barrier between you and the mosquitoes. Cover up: wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks. At night, put up mosquito netting over the bed.
Put out an “Unwelcome Mat” Mosquito traps work by emitting substances that mosquitoes find attractive: carbon dioxide, heat, moisture; they attract, then trap or kill the mosquitoes.
Citronella candles have been used since 1882 as a means of drawing mosquitoes away from people, but some studies show candles or other open heat sources, which also give off heat, carbon dioxide, and moisture may also be effective.
Ultrasonic mosquito repellent devices supposedly emit sounds that irritate or scare away the bugs.
There are portable traps that emit carbon dioxide and are supposed to lure mosquitoes away from people and into the trap. Electric bug zappers, use a violet light that attracts flying insects; be neficial insects as well as mosquitoes are also being fried.
When is Dinner Time?
Generally dusk & dawn, though like most people they will snack all through the day.
Mosquito Repellent or Attractant? Mosquitoes are attracted by carbon dioxide, heat & humidity. Movement also attract mosquitoes.
DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) formulations with 23.8% (most formulas contain between 10% and 30%) protect wearers for about five hours.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), offer the following safety strategies for DEET use:
Follow label directions and precautions.
Use sparingly.
Avoid spraying on or near open skin, eyes, mouth, and nose, under clothing, or near food.
Wash treated skin with soap and water.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides these additional recommendations for DEET use on children:
Select the lowest concentration effective for the amount of time spent outdoors.
Avoid use on infants less than 2 months of age.
DEET products label directions will say you should apply it only once a day to exposed skin and outerwear. Avoid repeated applications, which may increase the potential toxic effects of DEET. Under clothes, it can absorb into the skin more readily, and possibly cause irritation.
Alternatives
The Environmental Protection Agency has also approved: picaridin (KBR 3023) and oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-mentane 3,8-diol, or PMD). The CDC says mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under age 3.
In Brazil, Basil plants are used inside sleeping quarters. Leaves and seeds of smooth basil (Ocimum suave) and camphor basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum) when placed into boiling water, they repelled 53 percent and 52 percent of mosquitoes, respectively, compared with a control.
In India, a 2 percent neem oil solution in coconut oil has been shown to be effective at repelling mosquitoes.
Natural repellants: essential oils -- citronella, cedar, peppermint, lemongrass, geranium, eucalyptus; or combinations of show some effectiveness.
Natural plant repellents: include lemon eucalyptus, soy, fennel, rue, palmarosa & pyrethrum (chrysanthemums) can not only decorate the garden, they can discourage unwanted diners!
First why do mosquitoes bite?
