Mosquito Bites

There are two options for you when facing mosquito bites. The first thing you can do is simply let the mosquitoes bite you. Your body will eventually build up an immunity to the enzymes that mosquitoes are pumping into you to thin the blood. The second thing you can do with a mosquito bite is go to your local Walgreen's and get a bottle of calamine lotion and rub that on the bites.

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes

My father lives by a lake. Good for him. There's only one problem with living next to a lake--the water, where mosquitoes breed. By eight o'clock each evening his yard turns into a feeding frenzy, filled with so many of those annoying, high-pitched buzzying creatures; it's enough to drive a man to drink. What's worse, mosquitoes carry diseases, anything from West Nile encephalitis to Malaria. So, if you're wondering "how do I get rid of mosquitoes?", here are some suggestions.

Natural Mosquito Control:

Mosquito Dunks are a rather new product on the market that use natural BTis to treat standing water sources around your home, like ponds and small swamps. The bio-friendly larvicide does not harm things like fish and other animals in the water. Moreover, mosquito dunks kill black fly larvae as well.

Mosquito Magnets are a relatively new device used to control mosquito problems in people's yards. They use a combination of CO2 and a chemical called octenol to attract the mosquitoes and then vacuum them up into a net where they dehydrate (ie. starve) and die. A pretty neat solution, but if you're an energy conscious person you might want to look into how much energy one of these devices consume in the course of a day.

Sodium lamps are a great alternative to regular porch and outdoor lighting because they use less energy than a normal bulb and they emit a wavelength of light that seems to be less attractive to insects. Installing these in your porch lights might save you money and reduce the number of mosquitoes that find their way into your yard.

Mosquito Control

The best way to avoid mosquito problems is to make certain that your yard or property is void of any standing water. Standing water (water that doesn't move, duh!) is where the greatest danger for a mosquito infestation is found. Mosquitoes lay their larvae in puddles of water, and in three and a half weeks one mosquito will become several hundred mosquitos. Here's what to do:

Empty containers that can hold water are a major source of mosquito control problems. Things like buckets, flower pots, wheel barrows, pop cans, beer bottles, coffee cans, bird feeders, bird baths, and anything else that can hold water needs to be cleaned up or emptied regularly.

Standing water in garbage cans will inevitably become a mosquito control issue. Garbage cans are particularly dangerous because they are a relatively safe shelter, like a suburb for mosquitoes. Make a hole at the bottom of your outdoor garbage or recycling containers to help them drain.

Mosquito control can be as easy as cleaning your pool every week. If you're living in an apartment or a home where there is a swimming pool, make sure you keep the chlorine levels where they should be. Remind your superintendent of the danger an inappropriately managed pool presents his renters.

Window screens, like netting, are your primary means of indoor mosquito control. Go through your home and make sure all of your window screens are in good repair, and that they fit flush against the frame. Even the smallest hole will be an invitation for night time air raids.

Mosquito netting must be used to protect infants in areas with heavy mosquito populations. The diseases that mosquitoes can spread, like any other disease, can be more harmful to very young children. Find some mosquito netting and cover any crib where children are sleeping, no matter the time of day.