How to fend off mosquitoes

To get rid of mosquitoes, experts first advise homeowners to get rid of standing water on their property.

They say to look out for water pooling inside gutters, where leaves have built up, near leaky sprinklers, on top of tarps and in flower pots or buckets. Mosquitoes don’t need much water to lay their eggs, so try to be thorough.

“It’s actually pretty sneaky,” said Jen Wall Forrester, MD, division director of infectious diseases and professor of internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine. “It’s really hard to get rid of all the water in your yard."

Her advice on fending off mosquitoes was recently featured in the New York Times.

Experts also recommend applying bug spray liberally and covering up exposed skin when outdoors.

Tight or thin clothing, such as leggings and linen pants, can make a person an easy target because mosquitoes can bite through them, said Wall Forrester.

Experts also suggest protecting the home and yard by making sure window screens don't have holes in them and hanging a mosquito coil outside.

Click here to read the complete New York Times article.

Feature image at top: Two mosquitoes on a piece of netting. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand