Avoiding Mosquito Bites

The rain is falling again. But along with the needed moisture, we have to get ready for the inevitable mosquitoes.

So, how do you avoid those pesky bugs?

And it’s not just the peskiness you need to avoid but remember to that some of those mosquitoes can spread West Nile Virus.

Although the West Nile Virus isn’t here yet; now that we are getting more moisture we’ll get more mosquitoes and most likely the kind that do carry this potentially deadly virus.

The best way to avoid mosquito’s bites is to use mosquito repellents. The kind that contain deet or picaridin or even oil of lemon eucalyptus are effective and safe, although the American Academy of Pediatrics does recommend not using deet type repellents on babies up to 2 months old. And when applying any repellent to older babies and children instead of spraying it in their face where it can get in to their eyes or mouth, spray it on your hands then wipe it on their face. Also, using the repellent on their clothes instead of their skin can help keep mosquitoes from landing on them in the first place.

Mosquitoes also tend to come out during our early evenings and mornings, so going out later in the day might help prevent bites. And researchers have found that mosquitoes tend to be attracted to the color blue and other darker colors and aren’t as attracted to the color yellow or lighter colors. So avoiding the darker color clothes can help as well.

The goal here is to not only prevent the itchy bite, but also the potential West Nile Virus some of the upcoming mosquitoes might carry.