How To Avoid Being Bitten By Mosquitoes?
Snow is melting; the air is warmer; birds are coming out of hiding; flowers are blooming; and cherry blossoms are peeking and ready to blossom anytime. Spring is definitely here. But with all the beauty that this time brings, many nasty creatures also appear after keeping cover during winter. All sorts of bugs come out, and one small but terrible pest that emerges during warmer weather is the mosquito.
Mosquitoes are tiny. They flit around aimlessly trying to get a whiff of your blood. Once they do, they’ll home in and bite you. Then, it will be a few seconds too late once you notice them feeding on your blood. The following sensation you’ll get is itchiness. Mosquito bites are very itchy, and a wheal forms on the area of the bite. The small swelling disappears quickly if you try to stop yourself from scratching. If you continue to rub the area, it will soon become raw. These are just the physical effects of a mosquito bite that you can easily recover from. But what if you’re bitten by an insect that carries the dengue virus? Mosquitoes are known vectors that transmit life-threatening diseases to humans, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever, malaria, and various types of viruses that cause encephalitis or swelling of the brain. Because of the great danger that these tiny insects bring, it’s better to protect yourself and your loved ones from these bugs. Below are some methods that you might find helpful.
1. Prevent the bugs from entering your home. Now you see them, now you don’t. This is how the mosquito appears to most of us. Even if you chase them around, chances are that the flying bug that you’re pursuing will easily evade you and by just blinking once or twice, you’ll lose sight of this creature. Mosquitoes are pretty fast flyers and they seem to know that you’re on to them. So, it won’t be wise to just depend on your insect-catching abilities. It’s better to exclude these insects from your home by screening all doors and windows. Aside from mosquitoes, you’ll also be keeping out roaches, flies, and other pesky critters while still being able to enjoy the fresh crisp air of spring.
2. Spray your entire house with insecticide. After a party or any event that will require you to keep doors and windows open for long periods of time, spray your entire home with a mosquito insect repellent. Be sure to follow instructions regarding application. More importantly, don’t have your kids or even pets inside the house. Tell your kids to wait in the car so that you can go and grab some ice cream after you treat the house. Usually, you’ll need to stay out for about thirty minutes so that the chemicals will have enough time to kill the bugs and dissipate.
3. Always have some insect repellent lotion around. Whenever your kids want to play outdoors, apply repellent on them before allowing them to go outside. Know how long the repellent will last. Some last for four hours, while others are effective for up to ten hours. Reapply when necessary.
4. Clean your home regularly, and this includes your yard. By doing so, you’ll easily observe if there are containers, like jars or empty cans, where rain water has accumulated. Overturn these and discard. Remember that mosquitoes need to lay eggs in water. So, remove their breeding ground.
