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July 30, 2010 | Comments: 1

The Buzz on Mosquitoes

It's peak mosquito season in many parts of the country. Here's a survival guide.

When a mosquito lands on your skin, it injects its saliva, which contains a protein that keeps your blood from coagulating and triggers an immune response, resulting in an itchy red welt. Only female mosquitoes “bite” because they need the blood for reproducing.

Why do mosquitoes seem to prefer certain people?

Mosquitoes have fine-tuned sensors that allow them to detect exhaled carbon dioxide up to 100 feet away. Closer up, they are attracted to hundreds of other chemicals we secrete, as well as heat from our bodies and movement. Everyone produces the same chemicals, but different proportions of them may make a person more, or less, appealing. And different mosquito species are attracted to different chemicals. Some compounds actually conceal us from mosquitoes—and people who produce more of them are naturally better shielded.

How concerned should you be about West Nile virus?

West Nile virus, which is spread by mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds, first appeared in the U.S. in 1999. But even in areas where the virus is reported, your risk of becoming infected is very small. Moreover, fewer than 1% of infected people will develop the severe form of the disease involving inflammation of the brain or spinal cord. About 20% develop only flu-like symptoms; up to 80% don’t get sick at all.

How can you avoid getting bitten?

Wear long sleeves, pants, and socks. When mosquitoes are out (they are most active at dawn and dusk and after it rains), use a repellent containing DEET. For ordinary purposes, 10% to 30% DEET concentration is adequate. Another effective repellent is picaridin. You can also spray clothes (not skin) with permethrin, or wear permethrin-treated garments. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is as effective as low concentration DEET, but other botanical preparations provide very limited, if any, protection. Citronella candles probably offer no more protection than any candle smoke. 

To control mosquitoes around your home: Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so remove (or empty) anything in your yard that can collect water, such as hollow logs, unused flower pots, and pet dishes. Clean out clogged rain gutters. Drill holes in the bottom of outside garbage or recycling containers. Make sure screens on windows and doors fit tightly and have no holes. Try yellow “bug lights” on decks and porches; they attract fewer mosquitoes than regular lights.  

To treat an itchy mosquito bite:

Apply ice, and try not to scratch. Ammonium solutions (in many after-bite products) provide some relief. Calamine lotion or hydro­cortisone cream may also help. If you are sensitive to mosquitoes, taking antihistamines before you go out may lessen reactions to stings. Everyone seems to have a favorite home remedy—vinegar, Vicks VapoRub, lemon juice, lavender oil, toothpaste, or a baking soda or meat tenderizer paste. There’s no science behind them, but some may have anti-inflammatory or other soothing effects.

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