Tips to repel mosquitoes this summer

MINNEAPOLIS — The first few weeks of unofficial summer in Minnesota have already been a roller coaster: tornadoes, heat waves, cold snaps and rain… lots and lots of rain.

The rain definitely helped though. Minnesota Drought Monitor The improvements also led to an increase in the influx of insects. Specifically, mosquito.

by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Mosquitoes can spread diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus, yellow fever, and Zika. The CDC said cases are generally rare in the U.S., but it still doesn't hurt to learn how to prevent the spread of such diseases or, at the very least, avoid those itchy bites altogether.

Read on for our list of tips for having a (nearly) blemish-free summer.

The CDC recommends using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered repellents that contain one of the following ingredients:

• DEET
• Picaridin (known outside the United States as KBR 3023 or icaridin)
• IR3535
• Lemon Eucalyptus Oil (OLE)—a plant-derived ingredient
• Paramenthanediol (PMD)
• 2-Undecanone—a plant-derived ingredient

CDC officials say EPA-registered products have been proven safe and effective for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Here are some guidelines for parents using repellents on their children:

• Be sure to follow label directions.
• Do not use products containing OLE or PMD in children under 3 years of age.
• Do not apply insect repellent to a child's hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
• adult: Apply insect repellent to your hands and to your child's face

Natural repellents are another option for people looking to keep mosquitoes at bay, but the CDC warns that the effectiveness of products that aren't registered with the EPA hasn't been evaluated.

To find the right repellent for your family, EPA's search tool.

To protect children from mosquito bites, the CDC recommends that parents wear clothing that covers their children's arms and legs and that infants in strollers or carriers use mosquito nets.

Like children, adults should also wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants. The CDC also recommends wearing clothing treated with permethrin, an insecticide that kills mosquitoes and remains effective even after multiple washes.

However, the CDC says it doesn't recommend applying permethrin products directly to the skin.

For more information about permethrin, click here.

Have you ever gone to bed and been driven mad by the sound of a mosquito buzzing somewhere in the dark? Is it just me?

If you've been there, you know how easy it is. I accidentally let a buzzing blood-sucking bug inside. That's why the CDC also offers tips to keep mosquitoes away from indoor areas.

• Installing, repairing and using window and door screens
• Keep doors closed, including garage doors. Do not leave doors open.
• Use air conditioning when possible
• If you still have mosquitoes in your home after installing or repairing screens, use an indoor insecticide.
• Hire a pest control professional to exterminate areas in your home

It's the natural world and we just live in it.

So it's important to know that although mosquitoes are a nuisance, they are still important to our overall ecosystem, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to prevent them from attacking unsuspecting victims in your garden.

The CDC recommends addressing the following tips to help treat these properties:

• Remove standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs
• Once a week, empty, scrub, turn upside down, cover or throw away any objects that collect water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, swimming pools, bird baths, flower trays and trash cans. Mosquitoes lay their eggs near water.
• Keep water containers (buckets, water tanks, rainwater barrels) tightly covered to prevent mosquitoes from getting in and laying eggs.
• If you have a container without a lid, use wire mesh with holes smaller than the size of an adult mosquito.

For more information and tips on mosquito prevention, CDC here.

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