Summer is officially in full swing, and it’s time to brave everything that comes with the season—including hungry mosquitoes.
With their distinctive buzz and itchy bites, mosquitoes are one of the most dreaded downsides of warm weather. Mosquito bites are usually a mere annoyance, but the notorious insects may carry diseases that can be deadly, such as malaria, Zika, or dengue. Bites can also occasionally cause more severe symptoms like inflammation, hives, or nausea.
To make matters worse, some mosquito species are shifting into new territories as a consequence of climate change and other human activities, making it more important to be aware of your interactions with these insects.
Fortunately, researchers have made great strides in understanding what attracts certain mosquito species to humans, and how to best repel them. Here are practical tips for avoiding mosquito bites, whether you are at home or on the road.
Know your enemyTo limit mosquito bites, it’s worth understanding a little about this blood-sucking insect and why some of them seek out humans in the first place.
“There are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes but only a few are a significant problem to humans,” writes Dina Fonseca, a professor and molecular ecologist at Rutgers University who studies ticks and mosquitoes, in an email. “Different mosquito species have different preferences for groups of species such as mammals, reptiles, birds.” Some even feed on the blood in leeches, she adds.
(You really are a mosquito magnet. Here’s why.)
Mosquitoes that evolved to feed on humans can sense our body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale, and select preferred hosts based on body odor. If you’re one of those people that mosquitoes always seem to target, you’re not crazy—some humans just smell better to mosquitoes than others. It’s worth taking extra precautions if you think you have the special distinction of being a mosquito’s favorite dish.
Use the right repellentsAs far as skin repellents go, nothing beats products containing a chemical called DEET (N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET repels a host of insects including mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and leeches.
“DEET is still the gold standard because it works by covering most of the odor receptors, making the mosquito ‘odor blind’—plus the effects last,” says Fonseca. The duration of protection depends on DEET concentration in the repellent; that information will be on the product’s label.
(The best mosquito repellents, from sprays to lotions.)
DEET is safe for use on children and adults—as long as it’s applied according to the product’s instructions. Never inhale or swallow products with DEET, as the chemical can be deadly if ingested. In rare cases, people have experienced skin reactions, including rashes or itchiness, after using products with DEET. If you have a reaction, you should “discontinue use of the product, wash treated skin, and call your local poison control center or physician for help,” according to guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Other common repellents, like lemon eucalyptus oil or citronella, can also be effective. Every repellent will interact with your body odor differently, though, so it’s worth experimenting a bit with products to find the one that works best for you.
Choose your timing Your exposure to mosquitoes depends on the time of day and the season, so it’s worth knowing when species in your region are most active by contacting your local mosquito control program.
“Mosquitoes are typically active during dusk and dawn, though this varies by species and area where you live, so avoiding being outside during these time periods will help reduce mosquito bites,” Silvie Huijben, an associate professor at Arizona State University who specializes in the evolutionary biology of mosquitoes and their pathogens, writes in an email.
(These predators are nature’s pest control.)
Wear light-colored clothingYour wardrobe can also lower your bite count. White or light-shaded outfits, such as khakis, may help to ward off the bugs, especially if you cover as much of your skin as possible.
Meanwhile, mosquitoes are more attracted to darker colors, like black, navy, or red, compared to lighter hues. Scientists have proposed many reasons for this preference; mosquitoes might associate these colors with their preferred dark and shady environments, and red, in particular, is the color that their eyes perceive on all shades of human skin.
Set up a netNets are also an essential part of the mosquito avoidance toolkit. Insecticide-treated nets can withstand multiple washings, Fonseca says, as can clothing treated with repellent. Set up a net around your tent if you’re camping, and fit your doors and windows with nets or screens to keep insect interlopers out of your home.
(These bug repellents actually work—if you use them correctly.)
Defend your turfIt’s not enough to protect your body from bugs; you also have to prevent them from multiplying near you in the first place. Any kind of standing water can create a mosquito population boom, so you should avoid letting water sit for long periods in your yard or garden.
“Common breeding sites for mosquitoes in backyards are flower pot trays, buckets, or rain barrels with water, toys collecting rain or irrigation water, discarded car tires, and doggy or kiddie pools,” says Huijben. “But mosquitoes can breed anywhere, they’ve even been found in discarded toilet bowls!
“Sometimes you can’t get rid of these water sources,” she adds. “In those cases, you can either screen them, cover them, or if needed you could add biological larval control such as mosquito dunk or mosquito bits.”
To encourage people to learn more about these environmental factors, Huijben created an interactive game called “Epic Mosquito Quest” that incorporates neighborhood mosquito control tips.
Travel wiselyBefore you head out on that summer vacation, check out the Travelers’ Health section of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, which provides location-specific advice for avoiding mosquito bites and insect-borne diseases.
After you return from your trip, you should take extra caution to avoid contact with mosquitoes. In the event that you did contract an infectious disease abroad—even if you’re not symptomatic—mosquitoes in your local area could spread it if they bite you.
The CDC also recommends that “if you have symptoms after travel, including fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash, see your healthcare provider immediately and share your travel history.”
Whatever your plans are for the coming months, be sure to incorporate a strategy to reduce your contact with mosquitoes. These insects are abundant and highly adaptable, but with the right approach you can remain bite-free, or at least bite-lite, this season.
Source : National Geographic