Main Content:
Controlling
Mosquitoes
How to Prevent Mosquito Bites
- Wear light colored clothing with long sleeves and pants
- Repair tears in window screens
- Limit time outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active
- Do not wear perfume outdoors
- Insect repellants containing DEET are effective at reducing bites from mosquitoes (Carefully read and follow all directions on the label before use.)
- Do not use DEET on infants under two years of age, pregnant women, or children's bedding or clothing
How to Reduce Mosquito Breeding Grounds
- Properly dispose of old tires
- Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, and other water-holding containers
- Make sure roof gutters drain properly
- Change water in birdbaths, pet bowls, and wading pools at least twice a week
- Turn over plastic wading pools, buckets, etc.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools
- Drain water from pool covers
Further Study:
- Iowa Department of Public Health
http://www.idph.state.ia.us
- University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory
http://www.uhl.uiowa.edu/services/wnv/index.xml
Mosquito-Borne Diseases - Centers for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile
Fight the Bite! - National Pesticide Information Center
http://npic.orst.edu/wnv/introduction.htm


