Rewritten by Joseph Garnett, Jr. - From the Archives
June 3, 2015
There are over 3,000 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world; about 175 species occur in the United States, according to the American Mosquito Control Association. Which ones are biting you?
Mosquitoes can be an annoying, serious problem in man's domain. They interfere with work and spoil hours of leisure time. Their attacks on farm animals can cause loss of weight and decreased milk production. Some mosquitoes are capable of transmitting diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue, filariasis and encephalitis [St. Louis encephalitis (SLE), Western Equine encephalitis (WEE), LaCrosse encephalitis (LAC), Japanese encephalitis (JE), Eastern Equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV)] to humans and animals.
If you love the in the outdoors, your motorhome or RV and hate mosquitoes, these tips provided by the AMCA can help prevent their itchy, annoying bites while you enjoy the luxuries of your RV lifestyle:
- Take precautions if you’ll be outside at dawn, dusk or after dark, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks to cover as much skin as possible, and apply bug repellant on any exposed skin.
- Dress in white or light-colored clothing, since mosquitoes appear to be attracted to dark colors.
- Use clothing, shoes and gear treated with permethrin, which lasts through multiple washings and effectively repels both mosquitoes and ticks.
- Avoid scented products like perfumes, fabric softeners and hairspray, which can draw mosquitoes.
- Use a mosquito coil, bug zapper and/or ThermaCELL® device to protect your campsite.
Lazydays photo.
- Choose a mosquito repellent that has been registered by the Environmental Protection
Agency. Registered products have been reviewed, approved, and pose minimal risk for human safety when used according to label directions. Four repellents that are approved and recommended are: - DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide)
- Picaridin (KBR 3023)
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-methane 3,8- diol, or PMD)
- IR3535
- Visit http://www.mosquito.org for more information on how to control mosquitoes.
Some people swear by home remedies like eating garlic, taking B-complex vitamins or drinking a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar each day to keep mosquitoes at bay, though controlled lab studies have not proven these measures to be effective mosquito repellants. What tips and tricks have worked best for you?
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