Mosquitoes are a part of Arkansas just like crops, mountains, state parks or Walmart... Although, they're a lot less pleasant to have around than any of those other things. Mosquitoes can ruin a perfectly good evening on the back porch or a great outdoor concert, to be sure. That's why I found a list of different things that can help fend off the unofficial Arkansas state bird, and wanted to share.
- Dump or change standing water. Mosquitoes can breed in tiny amounts of water in as little as 7 days. Look around the yard for anything holding water, dump it out, and it helps to turn it over if you can. If you have a bird bath, change the water every 5 or 6 days to stop any potential breeding. And if it’s been awhile since you’ve cleaned your gutters, do that now! Debris and leaves in your gutters will allow them to collect standing water and create the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes around the perimeter of your home.
- Wear light colored and lighter clothing. There are varying opinions on whether or not mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothing. Some researchers have said that darker colors like black and red stand out more to insects. But mosquitoes are scientifically shown to be attracted to body heat. Darker coloring clothes can retain more heat while lighter clothing is more likely to reflect heat. So it's fair to say you can become less attractive to mosquitoes if you are wearing lighter colored clothing. Also, more breathable, light weight fabrics will keep you cooler on a hot summer day, producing a similar result.
- Plant mosquito repellent plants like basil, catnip, lemongrass and lavender. These plants release essential oils that naturally repel mosquitoes. If you aren’t able to plant in your yard, try putting some in pots or planters around your outdoor seating area.If you’re grilling, throw some rosemary on the grill! The rosemary smoke from the grill will repel mosquitoes and flavor your meat as well! Click here to read about how to use 12 different plants to repel mosquitoes.
- Essential Oils are another way to keep mosquitoes from biting. Similar to the plants above, rubbing essential oils like lavender, peppermint, basil, and eucalyptus on your skin or clothing can also help repel mosquitoes. Check out this article from MosquitoSquad.com about how to use Essential Oils to repel mosquitoes and treat their bites.
- Thin out dense bushes. Mosquitoes like to hide in thick brush during the day. By cleaning up the brush and thinning out thick vegetation, you’re making it harder for those boogers to hide.
- Spray your yard. I found this DIY recipe for an organic mosquito yard spray that I’m totally going to try this weekend using Mouthwash, Epsom Salt, and stale beer! It can’t hurt to try it. The hardest part will be letting 3 good beers go stale. Click here for the recipe and instructions.
- Mosquito Control Gear. The top recommendation around the internet is the Thermacell Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent. It has a rechargeable 6 ½ hour battery and will keep a bedroom sized area free of mosquitoes. DEET free and it's only about $20. I got one in a couple of days from Amazon and it seems to work pretty well while the kids are out playing, but you have to keep it stocked with the repellant sticks and with the appropriate burner fuel.
If you do wind up with mosquito bites, the best way to keep the itching at bay is DO NOT SCRATCH! You can also try rubbing apple cider vinegar on the bite, or even a slice of raw onion or freshly sliced garlic. Then there's the old standby of calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to relieve the itching. Or if you're really old school, my great-grandmother swore by Campho-Phenique for mosquito bites... if you can handle the smell. 😁