Mosquito Prevention

Control Mosquitoes in and around Your Home

Mosquitoes can lay eggs in small puddles or containers of water in and around your home. Mosquitoes breed and lay eggs in water - it takes as little as a teaspoon of water for breeding! One of the best ways to prevent mosquitoes at home is to check for, and remove, standing water at least once a week. Places to check for water include:

Buckets, watering cans, bottle caps or trash that may hold water
Corrugated pipes used for drainage
Potted plants
Bird baths and pet water bowls
Grills and patio furniture
Containers under the deck and/or porch
Garbage cans, recycle bins, and other barrels
Tires
Boats and boat covers

In addition to checking and dumping out standing water, you can also:

Use window and door screens instead of leaving them wide open
Use an outdoor insect spray to kill mosquitoes in dark, humid places, like in garages or sheds
Tightly cover water storage containers that are outdoors

Mosquito Control (pdf)

Mosquito Control - Spanish (pdf)

(Picture source: http://fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/your-field-guide-to-battle-mosquitoes/)

Use Insect Repellent

Wear insect repellent when outdoors; only use an EPA-registered repellent with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-methane-diol, or 2-undercanone. Always follow product label instructions

If you have a baby or young child, there are some important steps to remember, including:

Do NOT use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old
Do NOT use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-methane-diol on children young than 3 years old
Do NOT apply insect repellent onto a child's hands, eyes, mouth, or any cut or irritated skin
- Adults: spray onto your hands and then apply to a child's face

Treat Clothes and Gear

Treat clothing and camping gear with permethrin or you can buy pre-treated gear. Do NOT use permethrin directly on skin. Always follow product label instructions