Avoid Mosquito Bites |
Use
Insect Repellent
on
exposed skin when you go outdoors. Use an EPA-registered
insect repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin
or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Even a short time being
outdoors can be long enough to get a mosquito bite.
For details on when and how to apply repellent, see
Insect Repellent
Use and Safety in our Questions
and Answers pages. See also Using
Insect Repellent Safely from the EPA.
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Get
double protection: wear long sleeves during
peak mosquito biting hours, and spray repellent
directly onto your clothes. |
Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites
When weather permits, wear long-sleeves,
long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may
bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes
with repellent containing permethrin or another
EPA-registered repellent will give extra protection.
Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly
to skin. Do not spray repellent on the skin under
your clothing. |
Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours
The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times
for many species of mosquitoes. Take extra
care to use repellent and protective clothing during
evening and early morning -- or consider avoiding
outdoor activities during these times. |
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Mosquito-Proof Your Home |
Drain standing water from around your home |
Drain Standing Water
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water.Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water. Need examples? Learn more on the Prevention of West Nile Virus Question and Answer page. |
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Install or Repair Screens
Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors whose screens might be in bad shape. |
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Help Your Community |
Report Dead Birds to Local Authorities
Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. Over 130 species of birds are known to have been infected with West Nile virus, though not all infected birds will die. It's important to remember that birds die from many other causes besides West Nile virus.
By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, you can play an important role in monitoring West Nile virus. State and local agencies have different policies for collecting and testing birds, so check the Links to State and Local Government Sites page to find information about reporting dead birds in your area. Click here for more info about reporting dead birds and dealing with bird carcasses. |
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Mosquito Control Programs
Check with local health authorities to see
if there is an organized mosquito control program
in your area. If no program exists, work with your
local
government officials to establish a program.
The American
Mosquito Control Association can provide advice,
and their book Organization for Mosquito Control
is a useful reference.
A
report overview of Public
Health Confronts the Mosquito: Sustainable State
and Local Mosquito Control Programs by the Association
of State and Territorial Health Officials is located
on this website, including "what
you can do" about mosquito control. The
entire final report from the Mosquito
Control Collaborative is also online.
More questions about mosquito control? A source for information about pesticides and repellents is the National Pesticide Information Center, which also operates a toll-free information line: 1-800-858-7378 (check their Web site for hours). |
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Clean Up
Mosquito breeding sites can be anywhere. Neighborhood clean up days can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers from vacant lots and parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards free of standing water. Mosquitoes don't care about fences, so it's important to control breeding sites throughout the neighborhood. |
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Find out more about local prevention efforts
Find state and local West Nile virus information and contacts on the Links to State and Local Government Sites page. |