Mosquitoes are among the most dangerous insects around. Although their bites are only just irritatingly itchy, they could actually transmit serious infections when they bite. West Nile Disease, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, and the Mosquito-borne Encephalitis are just three of the most frightening diseases that these tiny insects could bring. Mosquitoes are really scary to have around.
Most of the time, you’re not even aware that they are there, not until you’ve been bitten. These insects can really dampen picnics and other outdoor activities. They 
could easily transmit diseases to people and those most at risk are children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. So, how can you get rid of them? Do you have to stay inside your house all the time just to make sure that you don’t get bitten? Well, staying at home won’t be that beneficial as these mosquitoes can also easily gain entry into your residence, especially if windows and doors do not have screens. Still, don’t lose hope just yet as there are also several things that you can do to repel these insects or reduce their numbers.
Use Mosquito Repellents
There are some types of odors that repel mosquitoes. Citronella, for instance, is very popular. Some citronella formulations can be placed on clothes. So, if you’re having kids that like to play outside, put a few drops of citronella on their outfits so that mosquitoes will stay away from them. There are also citronella candles or oils for burning, as well as mosquito coils. In addition to citronella, there are other oils that you can use. There’s eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender and many others. Sometimes, oils are stronger if mixed together. You can do some research about which combinations work best and find out how to make them.
Apart from oils, there are also repellents that are sprayed or applied onto skin, which are actually more effective. Most of these will contain N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide in different concentrations, as well as diethyl carbate, diethyl phthalate, ethyl hexanediol. In case you like hiking, fend off mosquitoes using permethrin-treated clothing, which also wards off ticks.
Use Mosquito Traps
Yes, you can trap mosquitoes so that they won’t be able to breed. There are some 
common things that are actually effective at attracting and trapping mosquitoes. One example is beer. Just leave a glass of beer out, and the mosquitoes will flock to it. They lay their eggs there, and their larvae will drown in the beer. There are also certain types of chemical solutions that can be used to trap and kill mosquitoes. But these may not yet be widely available. In general, these solutions could either be in liquid or solid form. If it’s in solid form, like in small pellets or powder, you’ll need to mix it with water. The water or solution is then placed in a container outdoors. Like beer, it will attract and kill mosquitoes and their larvae.
Some traps are a bit more high tech, like those that use heat sources and carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes are attracted by the carbon dioxide that humans exhale. So, these traps use this compound to attract the insects, while the heat source will easily kill them once they get near.
Claire Clarke writes for a number of pest control companies. She also blogs for Insight Pest Solutions, a company that can help out those having mosquito, wasp, roach, termite, and other pest problems.
