Mosquitoes

How to Avoid Their Bites

Mosquitoes are troublesome pests that can cause itchy bites and transmit viruses. The best way to avoid being bitten is to avoid mosquito-infested areas and wear protective clothing and insect repellent.

Mosquito Bites

Female mosquitoes feed on blood to help their eggs develop into offspring. When they bite, they release saliva into the bite area. Allergic reactions to the saliva cause the itchy bumps and swollen hives some people get after being bitten.

If a mosquito is carrying a virus, that virus can be transferred to humans through the mosquito’s saliva. In Florida, these viruses can cause encephalitis or dengue fever. Mosquito-borne diseases currently of public health concern in Florida include St. Louis encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus encephalitis, and dengue.

Preventing Mosquito Bites

Avoid Mosquitoes

Peak mosquito activity of varieties that carry encephalitis occurs around dusk and dawn. The insects prefer calm, shady, humid areas. Dengue-carrying mosquitoes are daytime biters and usually do not fly far from the containers where they spend their immature stages.

If you are at home, make sure you restrict access to or eliminate standing water areas where mosquitoes can breed (e.g. puddles, fish ponds, bird baths, rain barrels, used tires, leaf clogged drains, plant saucers).

Also avoid mosquitoes by wearing protective layers; the more skin you cover, the fewer bites you will receive.

Use Topical Repellents

Repellents are used to “repel” mosquitoes; they do not kill them. The best repellents provide protection for a long period of time per application. Current repellents are either synthetic or plant derived chemicals available in spray, wipe-on, foam, or lotion formulas.

DEET is a highly effective repellent. “DEET” may not be on a product’s label—its chemical names might be listed instead:

N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide

N,N-diemethylbenzamide

In addition to DEET, the CDC added the following to its list of recommended repellents:

Picardin
- Chemical name: 1-Piperidinecarboxylic acid; 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-; 1-methylpropylester
Oil of lemon-eucalyptus
- Chemical name: p-menthane 3,8-diol (PMD)

To view a table listing tested protection times of various available repellents, read the source document Mosquito Repellents.

Safety

The EPA has determined that correct and normal usage of DEET is not a health concern. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation states that DEET products with a 30% concentration are as safe as those with a 10% concentration when used according to directions on the label.

“Natural” repellent alternatives are not necessarily “safe” repellent alternatives. These products contain plant oils that can be toxic and irritating in high concentrations. Always follow label directions.

For safe use of repellents, consider the following:

Only use repellents approved by the EPA. (The container should have an EPA-approved label and registration number.)
Follow label directions.
Repellents differ in application frequencies. Do not over apply.
Only apply repellents to exposed skin, not skin covered by clothing.
Do not apply to mouth, eyes, cuts and wounds, or on sunburned or irritated skin.

Repellents & Sunscreen

The use of repellents that are combined with sunscreen is not recommended. Sunscreens are intended for frequent and liberal application, which may lead to over applying included repellents.

Apply sunscreen first, then repellent to make sure that each product works as intended.

Ineffective Ways to Prevent Bites

Sound Devices

There is no evidence that sound-emitting devices will repel mosquitoes.

Eating Certain Foods

There is no scientific evidence that eating garlic, vitamins, onions, or any other food will make you less attractive to mosquitoes. A complex interaction of many chemical and visual signals determines mosquitoes’ attraction to you. For some individuals food is a determining factor, some not.

Mosquito Control Methods

Bug zappers use UV light to lure mosquitoes into an electrocuting trap. Studies have determined they do not reduce the amount of mosquitoes and they kill other bugs, such as moths and beetles, more than mosquitoes.

Bats and purple martins will eat mosquitoes; however, they have a varied diet, and mosquitoes only make up a small portion. Birds and bats cannot significantly reduce numbers and control mosquito populations during peak abundance.

Adapted and excerpted from:

C. R. Rutledge, J. Day, Mosquito Repellents (ENY-671), Entomology and Nematology Department (rev. 05/2008).

C. R. Rutledge, Mosquito Control Devices and Services for Florida Homeowners (ENY692), Entomology and Nematology Department (rev. 05/2008).

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