The CDC reports only a handful of West Nile cases this summer, which is great news for outdoor lovers. But, bites are still annoying. Is there anyone who enjoys itchy, red welts? We can’t imagine there is.
If you’re one of the people that mosquitoes seem to love, here are a few tips from the CDC on how to avoid being “eaten alive” this summer.
- Use a repellent with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus while outdoors during peak mosquito hours. Most varieties of mosquitoes favor dusk to dawn. Here are the best repellents reported by Consumer Search.
- Get rid of standing water on your property. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water such as buckets, flowerpots, tree holes, etc.
- Wear light, loose fitting clothes while outdoors. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors (most likely because dark colored clothes capture heat) and have a harder time biting through loose clothes.
For more information on mosquitoes and repellents click here.