Tips and tricks to keep mosquitoes away this summer

Pesky mosquitoes are enough to ruin the best summer days, and during warm weather or when near boggy waters, it may feel impossible to keep them at bay.

From changing your environment to changing your clothes, here are some tips and tricks for defending against mosquitoes from entomologist Taz Stuart.

Check the mosquito forecast

Mosquito brand OFF! has created a website that forecasts the level of mosquito activity in Canada. To use this website, type in the location you’re looking for the forecast for and search. The results will vary from low, to medium to high, depending on the mosquito population that week.

“All across Canada there’s a model that gives an idea of [what] the mosquito population or the mosquito pressure could be when you’re going to cottage country or in your own backyard,” Stuart told CTVNews.ca in an interview on Friday. “So it’s very, very important. You can take that pre-look and it gives you a seven-day window of what mosquito populations may be like.”

Stuart said telltale indicators of where mosquito populations will land often have a lot to do with precipitation levels and heat.

“So let’s say you get two inches of rain and it’s 35-degrees (Celcius), you know there’s going to be a rapid increase in mosquito populations out there,” he said.

Keep conditions dry

Because most mosquitoes lay their eggs in or near stagnant water, it is important to keep nearby conditions dry.

“Dump it, drain it, spill it, cover it. Any standing water can produce mosquitoes,” Stuart said. “So cleaning those, removing or at least dumping your bird bath, making sure you’re filling holes that may have water in your backyard.”

Protect yourself

Perhaps one of the most common ways to keep the bloodsuckers away is by using mosquito repellant. Stuart said that one of the main ingredients in a spray is DEET, which can last up to six hours in a repellant.

In addition, he stated the importance of re-applying and layering up, especially when the sun is going down, as that is when mosquitoes are at their busiest. This could include wearing pants, long sleeve shirts, hats, or even mosquito netting to add extra protection against the bugs.

“If you go jump in a pool, you need to do the reapplication which is key, or if you’re running around and sweating, that decreases the effectiveness,” he said. “So it’s really important to re-apply but not crazily.”