Here’s how to do it:

1. Avoid mosquitoes: If you know a little about the habits of mosquitoes you’ll know how to avoid them. Mosquitoes rest in shady places during the day so the hot summer sun won’t dry up their body fluids. At dusk they start flying around looking for a meal. They remain fairly active through the night, reaching another peak of activity around dawn. On humid, cool, or overcast days they don’t have to hide in the shade, so they’ll be out and biting. Therefore, if you’re going to be outdoors, pick an open, sunny spot away from trees, bushes or high grass where mosquitoes are hiding. Avoid going out unprotected at dusk, at night, or on cool or overcast days.
   
   
2. Put a barrier between you and mosquitoes:
   • Screens: Screens are one of the best methods for personal protection. Ordinary window screen with 14 to 18 meshes to the inch will keep out most mosquitoes. Screens on windows and doors should be kept in good repair. Screen doors should open outward and should close properly. Consider using self-closers on screen doors. All cracks around windows and doors should be sealed.
   • Mosquito-proof clothing/bedding: Wear a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt with sleeves and collar buttoned, and long pants tucked into socks. Clothing of tightly woven fabrics offers considerable protection against mosquito bites. To protect infants use mosquito netting made of cotton or nylon with 23 to 26 meshes per inch. White is best, as any mosquitoes will be easily seen and killed.
     
     
3. Make yourself less attractive to mosquitoes: Avoid wearing perfume or scented products. Wear light colored clothing rather than dark. And use an insect repellent with as high a concentration of active ingredient as you find effective for you. (N-N-diethyl-metatoluamide, known as “DEET” and available commercially in Off!, Cutter, Repel and other repellent products, appears more effective against nuisance mosquitoes than ethyl hexanediol, the main active ingredient in 6-12 Plus.) Be sure to avoid applying repellents to the eyes, lips, or other mucous membranes, or on skin that is cut or abraded or has a rash. Do remember to apply repellent to such areas as the ankles and the nape of the neck, and if you or your child has fine or thin hair, to the area where the hair is parted. Insect repellents may lose effectiveness over a few hours, or may be washed away by rain, sweating or swimming, and must then be reapplied. Don’t over-use insect repellent! It makes sense not to abuse a chemical that is applied directly to the skin. When it’s too hot to wear heavy clothing to protect yourself, try wearing a lighter weight long-sleeved shirt and long pants, and spray repellent on your clothes instead of on you. Be sure to read the label carefully. Repellents can harm certain fabrics and are solvents of paints, varnishes and plastics. Though millions of people have used repellents without any negative reaction, people with known or suspected metabolic disorders should check with their physicians before using repellents containing DEET.
   
   
4. Eliminate mosquito breeding places on your property: Survey your property to locate any possible mosquito breeding places: any place standing water can collect, such as old tires, kiddie pools, clogged gutters, wheelbarrows, etc. Keep these places clean and empty. Change water in pet dishes daily, in birdbaths twice weekly. (A companion brochure “Fight Those Bites—Stop Raising Mosquitoes in Your Yard and Home,” may be helpful to you.)
   
   
5. “Do-it-yourself” mosquito control: There are some pesticide formulations available for the do-it-yourselfer to apply in and around buildings. Only pesticides labeled for mosquitoes should be used. Follow all label and technical literature instructions. Concentrate your efforts in cool, damp, shady areas. Bear in mind that these pesticides will only get rid of mosquitoes that are on the wing when you spray. They have no residual effect—that is, they will not kill a mosquito that flies in from your neighbor’s yard a few hours later, even if that mosquito lands on a surface that has been sprayed. Do-it-yourself mosquito control may be effective to clear your yard of mosquitoes for special purposes such as an occasional day of working in your garden, or before an outdoor party. Do-it-yourself mosquito control should not be repeated frequently as a substitute for town-based mosquito control or the personal protection measures outlined above.

Some other tips: Should a mosquito get into your home—swat it! Keep an eye on your pets: domestic short-haired pets often carry mosquitoes into the house. Eliminate unnecessary trips in and out of the house—they may keep your house buzzing all night. If many mosquitoes are inside your house you may wish to use a spray bomb labeled for this purpose only, and spray the upper three feet of the room. “Resin Pest Strips” are NOT recommended for residential use: they are restricted for use around children, the elderly, and foods. They are not fast acting enough to kill mosquitoes before they bite you and they are constantly releasing insecticide whether it is needed or not.

Things That Don’t Work Very Well:

• Electronic bug zappers—These are only useful against insects that are readily attracted to light. Most kinds of mosquitoes are not attracted to lights enough to be controlled in this manner. Also, many non-pest insects are needlessly killed because they are attracted to light.
• Purple martins and dragonflies—Much misinformation has been circulated about the idea of using these insect predators for mosquito control. Neither will noticeably reduce the level of mosquito biting for a variety of ecological reasons. The most basic reason is that insect-feeding birds and insects fly during daylight while mosquitoes fly predominantly during semi-dark to dark periods.

From “Mosquitoes,” a leaflet produced by the Cooperative Extension Service: U. Mass., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and County Extension Services Cooperating, 1980.