Gaining the Upper Hand on the Mosquito Battle This Year
Mosquitoes are posing a greater health risk this year than we’ve seen in a long time. The advent and almost certain spread of the Zika virus along with all of the other diseases that we have already been dealing with is a huge concern for all of us. It’s important to accept the fact that mosquitoes will be a problem despite our best efforts to control them. Therefore, we should focus our efforts on minimizing risk as we head outdoors during the summer months.
Cover from Head to Toe
The single, most effective way to prevent mosquito bites is to cover the body from head to toe. Wear shoes, socks, jeans, long sleeve shirts and neck and face protection. This may not be comfortable, but it’s essentially the only way to prevent the majority of mosquito bites. They simply can not penetrate through these layers of clothing. The more of your skin that is protected will translate into fewer bites, without the need for repellents or other remedies to keep mosquitoes at bay.
Netting
Mosquito nets are the second best line of defense. They prevent them from entering areas that are cordoned off. You can find nets in all shapes and sizes, which makes it possible to cover everything from windows to beds, living areas to campsites. The more netting you have will translate into fewer mosquitoes getting inside.
Repellent
While there are a lot of natural repellent recipes out there, keep in mind that not all of them work. Citronella is one example of a natural option that is effective. However, many are not, and you will be using them at your own risk. While a lot of us do not like the idea of chemical repellents on our clothing and skin, extreme situations require extreme measures. Consider purchasing DEET repellent or similar alternatives and covering exposed skin. The more clothing that you have on will limit the amount of repellent that you need, and this can also reduce any risk of harmful exposure. Just make sure that you wash off the repellent after mosquitoes have gone away for the day.
Preparing the Area
We all know that we can reduce the amount of mosquitoes in our area by removing sources that attract them. This is particularly true when it comes to standing water, yard debris and certain types of plants and shrubs. The habitat that mosquitoes like will depend on your area and what species call that location home. Do a little bit of research to determine how you can make your site as unfriendly to mosquitoes as possible. Fewer mosquitoes translate into fewer problems. You can also consider fogging or applying certain pesticides to your area in order to eliminate risk as well. Just keep in mind that this alone won’t eliminate mosquito problems. However, it can go a long way with respect to keeping populations under control.
It’s important that you have multiple layers of defense against mosquitoes. Take the time to establish a comprehensive repellent and elimination system in order to reduce the chances of getting bitten this summer. Ideally, you want to stay indoors or under netting during peak times when mosquitoes are the most active. However, these and other steps can be helpful when you don’t have much of a choice.
The more you can do now to prepare will help to establish a zone of safety that can provide the best possible protection against getting bitten. Remember that not every mosquito carries disease, so taking an approach to minimize contact will help to reduce risk. However, always remember that it’s impossible to eliminate mosquitoes entirely at the present time, so the burden is on us to take as many steps to prevent bites as possible.
These adjustments may be time-consuming, constricting and annoying, but they are necessary to protect you and your family. Remember that a big part of survival is in the form of prevention and the minimization of risk, and this often requires a lot of adaptation. It’s better to bite the bullet and suffer some inconveniences in order to reduce risk, and it’s worth the extra effort in the long run.
