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Mosquitos – How To Keep Them Away & Treat Mosquito Bites

Posted on June 21, 2022
Prevent mosquito bites

Nothing ruins the fun of a beautiful summer day like coming back home covered in red itchy bumps, and less blood than you left with. Unfortunately, mosquitos can cast a shadow on your favourite outdoor activities of hiking, camping, gardening, or simply relaxing on your deck in the evenings.

Luckily, we’ve come up with the following list of tried-and-true methods for keeping mosquitos away and treating mosquito bites when they inevitably happen.

Understanding Mosquito Behaviour

First, it’s important to understand the likes and dislikes of these pests, as well as their habits and behaviours. We’re sure you’re already well aware of their love for blood, but did you know they’re also attracted to dark colours and carbon dioxide? These are used to find their targets, making it easier for them to see you in areas with low airflow or when you wear darker clothing.

These tiny bloodsuckers reproduce and multiply by laying their eggs in still water, particularly in shady areas with cool temperatures. This is why, as you’ve probably noticed, taking an evening walk by a lake or pond often ends in a feeding frenzy on your skin.

Keeping Your Property Clean

You can do a few things around your yard and house based on these behaviours to help keep mosquitos away. Start by removing or cleaning items that have collected water (such as old planters or plastic pools), making it more difficult for them to reproduce in your area.

Similar to another famous bloodsucker from Transylvania, these pests do not like sunlight, so keeping your yard tidy and your lawn trimmed is an excellent way of keeping shady areas to a minimum and mosquito bites at bay.

Using Naturally Repellant Plants

If you like to garden or decorate your yard with greenery, plenty of beautiful plants act as natural repellants for pests. One of the most commonly used is the Citronella plant, which you can buy at any local garden center. But if you don’t like the look or smell of Citronella, there are other options out there, including:

  • Marigolds
  • Catmint
  • Lavender
  • Rosemary
  • Basil
  • Mint
  • Sage
  • Bee Balm
  • These plants all have a strong scent that mosquitos and other pests do not like - but luckily, most people do. Planting some in your yard or keeping a planter on your deck will make your property look and smell nice while remaining pest-free.

    Treating mosquito bites
    Buying Repellant Products

    You can buy plenty of products at your at your local department store. These can range from your common bug sprays for your body and clothes to mosquito repellant tiki torches and lanterns for your yard. For the evenings, when the sun goes down, and the bugs come out, we recommend using mesh nets for your patio if possible and oscillating fans to increase airflow.

    Other products include pesticides designed to target and eliminate mosquito larvae, coils of incense, or candles that you can light on fire to repel pests. You can also find new machines like ThermacellTM on the market, which create an invisible shield around you by diffusing an insecticide into the area.

    Wearing The Proper Attire

    Protecting yourself can be as simple as dressing appropriately and using the right body products. As we mentioned, these bugs seek out dark colours, so wearing light-coloured clothes is a simple way to stay off their radar. Your clothes should also be loose-fitting, as the mosquito’s proboscis (that long, needle-like mouth) can still get to your skin if your clothes are too tight, leading to mosquito bites.

    Although certain plants and their scents repel these bugs, other floral scents can attract them. This is why we recommend using unscented products over fragrant body washes, perfumes, deodorants, and shampoos that might put you in the bloodsucker’s crosshairs.

    Mosquito bites
    Treating Mosquito Bites

    No matter the steps or precautions you take this summer, you’ll probably still fall victim to mosquito bites. Your skin will inevitably puff up where you were bit, turning pink and itchy – but luckily, there are steps you can take to treat these bites.

    Step 1: Avoid scratching the affected area so it doesn’t become infected.

    Step 2: Wash the area gently with soap and water, then use an icepack to reduce swelling and itchiness.

    Step 3: Create a paste with a tablespoon of baking soda and some water, leaving it on for 10-15 minutes before washing it off.

    Step 4: Use anti-inflammatory or anti-itch cream if necessary and wait for symptoms to recede - if your reaction is severe and symptoms get worse, please visit your healthcare provider.

    Seeking Professional Help

    If you’ve tried all of these methods and you’re still being swarmed by mosquitos when you go out into your yard, it might be time to seek help from a professional pest control service.

    If you think you have a mosquito infestation on your property in Calgary or Airdrie, contact us today for more information about our professional pest control services.