The best ways to keep from being bitten by mosquitoes or ticks during the summer are by being aware of the areas in which they prefer to spend their time, avoiding or protecting yourself when you are in those areas, and making the area around your home and yard unattractive by getting rid of habitats in which they like to live and breed.

There are a number of repellent products on the market that will help to keep both mosquitoes and ticks away from you, but there are also other ways you can protect yourself and your family from getting bite by mosquitoes or ticks.


 

Mosquitoes

Let’s start with mosquitoes. One of the greatest attractants for mosquitoes is standing water. This could be anything from a swimming pool to a long-standing puddle. So follow the advice of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to keep your property from attracting this biting bug:

• Eliminate standing water in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other container where mosquitoes can breed.
• Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
• Drain or fill temporary pools of water with dirt.
• Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating. Even small baby/wading pools that are too small for treatment and circulation systems will attract mosquitoes, so these should be drained and refilled regularly
• To keep mosquitoes from coming into your home:
  • Cover all gaps in walls, doors, and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering.
  • Make sure window and door screens are in good working order.
  • Completely cover baby carriers and beds with netting.

• In addition to using mosquito repellent products to keep from being bitten, you can:
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks to limit exposed skin.
  • Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps in your clothing where mosquitoes can get to your skin.
  • Stay indoors at sunrise, sunset, and early in the evening when mosquitoes are most active.

 

Ticks

Depending on where you live, your home and property may or may not be directly exposed to ticks. The closer you are to wooded, forested, or high-grass areas and wildlife habitats, particularly deer, the more likely you are to be susceptible to tick bites around your home and property.

Around your home and property, following both EPA recommendations and those of the National Pesticide Information Center can go a long way toward keeping ticks from biting:

• If you live in these areas near wildlife, woods, or untended grasses, it is best to keep your yard from attracting ticks closer to your home – keep leaf litter at a minimum, mow your yard regularly, and mow any tall grass or brush that may serve as tick habitat.
• Do not put out salt licks or feed to attract deer and wildlife, instead put up barriers to keep animals off your property, as they can carry ticks with them.
• If further tick control around your home is necessary, you may also consider treating your yard with pesticides designed to control ticks. Always read and follow label directions.

 

In known tick areas:

• Keep ticks away from exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and high boots.
• Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps in your clothing where ticks can get in.
• Wear light-colored clothing to be able to see ticks more easily.
• Reduce time spent in potentially tick-infested habitats such as tall grass and shrubs.
• Walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with adjacent vegetation.