5 D's of Home and Yard Mosquito Control

5 D's of Mosquito Control 1. Daypart 2. Draft 3. Drainage 4. Dress 5. DEET (or other EPA-registered insect repellent) Details: 1. Avoid being outdoors from early evening through mid- morning, when mosquitoes are most active.1 2. Run a rotating fan (or even a simple box fan would help) in the area you'll be occupying. Mosquitoes are relatively weak flyers and the breeze disperses your body odor and temperature (both of which help mosquitoes to hone in on us).? • A fan can also help protect kenneled pets, since mosquitoes can carry potentially fatal dog and cat heartworm. 3. Don't allow stagnant water to accumulate in gutters, garbage cans, flower pots, buckets, discarded tires, etc. • Change water in bird baths and kiddie swimming pools at least twice weekly and pet bowls daily. • Repair damaged window and door screens. • Keep lawn mowed short and don't overwater. 4. Wear socks and loose, light colored, long sleeve shirt and long pants. 5. Apply just enough DEET (or other EPA-registered insect repellent) liquid, lotion, spray, towlette or roll-on to cover your skin and/or on top of clothing (Read your product's directions before use.) • Rather than killing mosquitoes, DEET corrupts their odor receptors, making you more difficult to locate.5 • Depending on the percentage of DEET in your product, protection lasts between 2-12 hours. • Never apply DEET over cuts, wounds or skin irritations. • Avoid applying to hands, eyes or mouth of children. (DEET is EPA approved for use with children of all ages.) • When coming indoors, wash hands and treated areas with soap and water and launder clothes before rewearing. • Don't spray aerosol or pump products in closed areas or directly to face. Spray on hands first and then rub onto face. • If accidental ingestion occurs, call poison control at 800-222-1222 or your physician. • If you're averse to applying repellent directly to the skin, wearing permethrin-treated clothing is a CDC approved option for humans and pets!6 Don't let mosquitoes prevent you from enjoying the outdoors. Just remember and practice your 5 D's! Sources: 1. http://www.nola.gov/mosquito/mosquitoes/tips-for-home-mosquito-control/ 2. http://nytimes.com/2013/07/16/science/a-low-tech-mosquito-deterrent.html 3. https://health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/mosquitoes_and_disease_faq.htm 4. http://www2.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet 5. http://phys.org/news/2011-09-deet-insects.html 6. http://www.cdc.gov/features/StopMosquitoes For additional wellness Health tips and information, visit FloridaHealth.com Florida .com