Mosquitoes may seem to just be pesky little animals who like to prey on people. Yet, these creatures can be very dangerous as they can transmit a number of diseases. The bite of a mosquito can lead to yellow fever, West Nile Virus and malaria among other things. For this reason, the mosquito population must be controlled and, if at all possible, you must protect yourself against mosquito bites. This can be done in a number of ways. Make changes to your yard and incorporate certain plants into your garden. This will help to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Yet, if you are in a public area where you have no control over the environment, you can protect yourself when mosquitoes are present. This can be done naturally or through the use of chemical repellants.
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Ridding Your Yard of Mosquitoes
The easiest way to prevent mosquitoes from invading your yard is to remove any old, stagnant water. This is where the little critters breed and lay eggs. Any container that collects water and does not have a good drainage system is a haven for these insects. At first, you may not recognize the areas in which they are breeding, but look at such things as planter saucers and birdbaths. Also, check to see if your gutters are clogged, as mosquitoes loves to breed in this particular spot. Don’t overlook the obvious either. Cover any buckets or water vats you have outside and replace water daily in your pet’s bowl. A bat house is also a great way to rid your yard of mosquitoes. Bats eat hundreds of insects every night and can be a great help in controlling the mosquito population.
Your Garden as a Mosquito Repellant
Certain plants are known to be natural mosquito repellants. Plant some in and around your yard as well as throughout your garden. By doing so, you can make your outdoor living area a place for mosquitoes to avoid. Marigolds and Agetarum are both great choices as are many herbs and spices such as basil, rosemary and horsemint. To keep mosquitoes off of your body when leaving your yard, you may also use the leaves of these plants to protect yourself. Just take a leaf and run it over your skin and clothing. The mosquitoes will stay away.
Using Natural Products to Repel Mosquitoes
To protect your body from mosquito bites, you may wish to use a natural repellant such as the herbs and spices mentioned above. For ease of use, many people choose to apply essential oils to their skin. Good ones to try include cinnamon oil, rosemary oil and cedar oil. Care must be taken when using these as some people are sensitive to plant oils. Also, high concentrations of many oils can be toxic. If you do opt to go this route, remember to reapply frequently for best coverage.
Chemical Repellants
Chemical repellants are a popular choice as they are easy to apply and can last for extended periods of time. We are all familiar with products which contain DEET as they are the most popular and will prevent bites from both ticks and mosquitoes. Yet, many are now turning to products which contain nepetalactone as recent research shows that it may be ten times more effective in preventing mosquito bites than DEET. This is the oil found in catnip and may just be the future in repelling mosquitoes.
You may choose one or a combination of the above methods. The most important thing is to protect yourself again a mosquito bite. The consequences of not doing so may be severe.
