It’s hard to believe you and your family have had a wonderful time away from home whether it is having a picnic or going to the amusement park and then you get home and realize you are all covered in mosquito bites. Not only are they painful but they are very very irritating and nowadays then can even be dangerous to your health. I now that you may be thinking that West Nile is rare and it won’t affect us, but for some who do actually get it, it can be very serious indeed. The worst thing about the West Nile virus is that it can be easily prevented and there are a few simple and easy rules that you should be followed which will not only protect you but your family also against it.

There are numerous ways in which you can prevent you and your family getting bitten by mosquitos and these are provided below.

Firstly, look at where they live and breed and arrange for it to be removed. Although it will not protect you against the mosquitos it will prevent them from breeding further and thus reduce any future populations of them. You can do this by removing any standing water around your property, so if you have a pool, pond or any other body of water then make sure that it is circulating (fit a pump and turn this on regularly). Yet if you have a water source that can not be circulated (say a bird bath) then make sure that the water contained in it is changed regularly (this does not allow the mosquito eggs time to be laid or hatched). Also you need to look at other areas around your property where standing water may be such as clogged rain gutters, puddles, open rubbish bins, potted plants, toys; children play equipment and anything else that may be able to collect a small amount of water.

Another thing you could do if you can not stop the mosquitos from breeding to keep them away from the area where you are. This can be done by using citronella candles or other similar devices. You will even find that you are able to purchase an electronic mosquito repeller that emits a sound which they can hear and deters them from the area. It is also advisable to use yellow lights rather than white ones in your garden, although they do not repel the mosquitos, they certainly do not attract them like normal white lights do. If you are able to place a fan near where you are sitting outside as mosquitos dislike air that is moving. However, when inside the way to keep mosquitos out is by making sure you keep screen doors/windows closed (doors which close automatically are the best kind to have) and sure that they are correctly attached and sealed.

However, one way to prevent mosquito bites is to kill those that you do have. You can do this by using various types of pesticides. Foggers are the ideal choice for killing mosquitos in the air where they are flying. Whilst residual insecticides are the best alternative to put on bushes and shrubs where they will rest when inactive. Whilst some of these solutions may seem more permanent than others, you will probably find you have problems with mosquitos that have migrated back from areas that have been untreated near to your home, and the best way to avoid these problems is to set up a mosquito plan in your neighbourhood (however, you may find them difficult to organize and maintain). Another way of controlling mosquitos is by using an electronic bug zapper, but when using this method you have to worry about the effect such a piece of equipment will have on those harmless insects and other wildlife in the area. You may find that many insects which are vital to the environment around your home will be killed when you are trying to exterminate mosquitos. Also should be aware that larger wildlife can also be inadvertently harmed by any pesticides that you have been using to deal with mosquitos.

The final option for helping to keep you and your family safe from mosquitos is to protect you and your family directly, by using chemicals like mosquito repellants, wearing the right sort of clothing and using the right sort of shelter. It is wise that the chemicals you are using have been officially sanctioned. But if you would prefer to use less repellant then it is advisable that you wear longed sleeved tops and trousers and only place repellant on exposed parts of the body (but do not wear clothing that is too thin as mosquitos can bite through it). If you know that a place you will be visiting is infested with mosquitos then make sure that you wear long clothing (tops and trousers) and place netting over your face. But the best thing to do is to avoid going outside if at all possible at the times when the mosquitos are most active.

So enjoy the summer and the great outdoors, but do remember to keep safe.