Tips to Reduce Insect Bites

To reduce insect bites:

• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, long-sleeved tops and pants when outdoors (no red): Mosquitos are attracted to dark colors and easily bite through tight clothing.
• Avoid wearing bright or floral patterns: These can make you more attractive to bees and wasps.
• Tuck pants into boots and wear a hat.
• Avoid wearing strong-smelling cologne.
• Eliminate standing water around your home: This is where mosquitoes breed. Drill holes in the bottoms of items like trash bins to drain water that may collect in them, keep gutters clean, drain children’s pools, empty excess water from flower pots and birdbaths (or change birdbath water frequently), change pets’ water bowls several times a week during the summer, to remove any breeding grounds mosquitoes may have created. Check for other standing water sources (patio furniture, children’s toys, etc.).
• Keep insects out of your home by keeping screens in good condition: Repair any with holes or tears.
• Avoid certain times of day: Mosquitoes are usually more active at dusk and dawn, although this may differ depending on the species. These times of the day are often cooler and less windy, making conditions more favorable for mosquitoes. Plan activities during the times of day when mosquitoes are less active.
• Stay away from areas known to be full of ticks or mosquitoes, especially during seasons and times of day when they’re most active.
• Avoid alcohol, salty and sugary/sweet foods: These may cause your body’s scent to be more appealing to mosquitoes, thus making you a prime target for unwanted feasting.
• Use mosquito netting when camping outdoors in infected areas.
• Check for ticks after exiting thick foliage or woods.
• Grow plants that have insect-repelling qualities: Rosemary, basil, catnip, lemon balm, rose geraniums. Researchers at Iowa State University found the essential oil in catnip to be about 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, the widely used synthetic repellent. Simply crush the leaves of any of these plants to release their scents and rub them on your exposed skin.

*Pregnant women may find that they attract more mosquitoes than usual, possibly because they emit more carbon dioxide, the gas that draws mosquitoes toward human and animal food sources. A 2002 study found that women who were pregnant attracted twice as many mosquitoes as did their non-pregnant counterparts.