How to protect yourself from mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes cause a lot of trouble not only to residents of private houses and lovers of nature walks, but also to residents of urban high-rise buildings. The problem of how to protect yourself from mosquitoes and protect yourself from their bites, which can cause allergic reactions in many of us, is familiar to almost everyone. You will learn about different ways to deal with flying insects from this article.

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Are mosquitoes dangerous?

Regarding whether small mosquitoes pose a threat to human health and whether it is worth using special methods to protect themselves from mosquitoes, there are 2 completely opposite opinions:

1. Supporters of one of them believe that these insects are the spread of a number of diseases and often call them "carriers of infection."
2. Others believe that this statement is erroneous, and mosquitoes cannot cause serious harm to humans, and painful bites and even a possible allergy are just minor troubles.

Important! We hasten to reassure you: unlike insects that live in the tropics and are carriers of malaria, mosquitoes in our latitudes are relatively safe and not able to infect you with any unpleasant diseases. Even scary-looking large mosquitoes with long legs, at the sight of which people prone to panic, shout “malaria” and run away, are practically harmless.

However, in any case, you should not tolerate the presence of mosquitoes. So that you can choose the best way to protect yourself from mosquitoes, check out some interesting facts about them:

1. Only the females of these insects bite - the protein contained in the blood of humans or animals is necessary for “mosquitoes” to lay eggs and reproduce offspring. Males, on the other hand, feed on plant nectar and are completely harmless.
2. The number of mosquitoes is not constant, their number directly depends on humidity: in the dry season they are less and on altitude - as a rule, mosquitoes do not occur above 1500 m above sea level.
3. The favorite habitats of bloodsuckers are valleys and lowlands, especially a lot of them around water bodies. They love dampness and warmth. In dry weather or heat, when the air temperature exceeds + 28 ° C, and humidity is below 80%, mosquitoes disappear.
4. Mosquitoes are especially annoying in the evening and at night, moreover, these twilight insects in search of prey can fly into the light. At other times of the day, their activity is weakened, especially under the influence of direct sunlight and wind.
5. Each person’s skin has its own unique smell and, oddly enough, not all of us are “attractive” to mosquitoes. Most often they are attracted by sweating people, since sweat contains lactic acid, which is loved by mosquitoes, and small children, because they have thin and delicate skin.

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What are the means to combat mosquitoes?

The easiest way to protect yourself from mosquitoes in the apartment is to install mosquito nets on the windows, you can attach gauze to the old frames. These measures are aimed at blocking the access of insects to residential premises. In case mosquitoes nevertheless appeared or annoy you in nature, use other methods.

Currently, there are many special tools available that will help you in solving the problem of how to protect yourself from mosquitoes. They are conditionally divided into 2 types:

• synthetic - currently more popular because of accessibility and ease of use;
• natural - absolutely safe for humans, as they do not contain chemicals.

The main synthetic products that are used most often include:

1. Fumigators.
2. Repellents.

Fumigators

These are special devices inside which there are bottles with liquid or replaceable plates saturated with an insecticide - poison deadly for mosquitoes. When you turn on the fumigator, the plate heats up, and the insecticide, evaporating, fills the air with substances that destroy insects.

In order to protect against mosquitoes, a bottle with a liquid filler is more convenient to use - it is designed for 30-45 nights, but you will have to change the plates daily.

Important! However, like any synthetic substances, fumigators are by no means harmless - after all, the harmful vapors that they secrete also breathe, in 12% of which this can cause allergies. Therefore, never place the device near the bed, and when the fumigator is on, be sure to leave the window open. If the house has a small child, buy special fumigators for babies with a minimum content of toxic substances, or choose another tool in order to protect yourself from mosquitoes.

Spirals

Spirals are a specific mosquito repellent. The edges need to be set on fire, the spiral will begin to smolder, and the smoke that is released in this case repels insects within 5-8 hours.

Important! Use spirals to protect yourself from mosquitoes in nature, otherwise you can be poisoned by caustic smoke.

Repellents

This group of synthetic products includes various ointments, gels, lotions, and aerosols containing diethyltoluamide (DETA) and designed to repel insects. Apply to exposed skin and provide protection against mosquitoes for 2-4 hours.

Aerosols can handle clothes, protective nets, tents, if you are outdoors. In this case, they can act for a month, but the main thing at the same time is not to wash the processed things.

Important! The main disadvantage of these agents is toxicity. When choosing a drug, keep in mind that repellents containing 30-35% diethyltoluamide are suitable for an adult, and 6-10% for children. When buying, carefully read the instructions. If the repellent is intended for the child, it should contain more oils and plant extracts, rather than chemical additives. Only with this approach, the use of these tools to solve the problem of how to protect yourself from mosquitoes is advisable.

Precautionary measures:

1. Strictly control the amount of substance used.
2. Distribute it on the skin evenly, do not exceed the norms specified in the instructions.
3. Do not use repellents more than 3 times a day.
4. Do not apply them to damaged skin if it has wounds, abrasions or scratches.
5. Upon returning home, be sure to wash the product with hot water and soap. Children should not handle it with their hands, because any attempt to rub their eyes or taste a specific substance can lead to irritation of the eyes, respiratory tract or poisoning of the substance.

Important! According to studies, 17% of DEET from the composition of the repellent enters the human blood, the consequences of its use can be delayed in time and completely unpredictable. Therefore, the substance is contraindicated in pregnant women, young children under 1 year old and people suffering from allergic reactions.

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What else will help protect against mosquitoes?

Modern manufacturers of insect control products in order to protect themselves from mosquitoes in nature, offer consumers the following groups of products:

1. Bracelets and patches. Their main function is repelling insects. Easy to use - put on a hand (bracelets), stick to the skin or attach to clothes (patches), recommended mainly for children.The composition of these products can include both chemicals and natural aromatic oils - lavender, peppermint, citronella, geranium.
2. Ultrasonic repellers. Several types are produced: appliances for the home - plugged into a power outlet, portable - in the form of key rings, universal - designed to protect people and animals from mosquitoes, ticks and other insects.
3. Mosquito traps. Principle of action: carbon dioxide is produced from propane. They lure mosquitoes, imitating human respiration, the smell of sweat and warmth. Getting into such a trap, mosquitoes disappear from dehydration during the day. Designed for installation in the country, in the garden, but there are models for the house.

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What folk remedies can I use?

At a time when special chemicals had not yet been produced, our ancestors successfully fought mosquitoes using their own recipes based on the use of plants that emit odors unpleasant for insects.

Although they are less reliable than modern synthetic products, they are absolutely safe for health. Their use is especially relevant if chemicals cause you allergies and the problem of how to protect yourself from mosquitoes seems insoluble.

We offer the following tips to deal with annoying insects:

1. Branches and flowers of elderberry, bird cherry, stalks of tomatoes with leaves have a specific smell that repels mosquitoes. Lay them out indoors or place them in a small vase or a jar of water and leave them in the room.
2. The aromas of herbs such as lavender, mint, chamomile, tansy, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, and calendula will protect against mosquitoes. You can drop them on your site or grind them, add them to a water bottle equipped with a sprayer and use as a spray.
3. Collect the stems, leaves and inflorescences of Caucasian chamomile (feverfew). Dry them, grind and fill aromatic bags with grass. Lay them out in different places in the apartment. In such a simple way, you can scare away not only mosquitoes, but also moths if you place the bags in a wardrobe.
4. To reliably protect yourself from mosquitoes, buy a ready-made pyrethrum powder in a pharmacy. Take strips of paper, grease them with paste and sprinkle with this powder. Let it dry and hang around the windows, above the front door - in all places from where insects can enter the house from the outside.
5. Decorate window sills with flowerpots with geranium flowers - beautiful-looking plants have a very pungent odor that can drive away not only mosquitoes, but also flies.
6. A great way to protect yourself from mosquitoes is decoctions of wheatgrass and wormwood. Grind a handful of wheatgrass or wormwood roots, pour 2 liters of water and boil several times so that the liquid acquires a light yellow color. Let it brew, after which you can wash yourself with the resulting broth and wipe the body with it before going out. Please note that these plants in high concentrations are quite toxic.

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How to protect yourself from mosquitoes in nature?

If you are going to have a good time in the lap of nature, there is a possibility that your impressions of the rest will be ruined due to the invasion of harmful insects.

To protect yourself from mosquitoes in nature, adopt the following simple tips:

1. Choose places to relax away from marshy terrain and stagnant water, as many mosquitoes always live there. Then there will be much less bloodsuckers and the fight against mosquitoes will not take away all your free time.
2. The best way to protect yourself from flying insects is with tight, closed clothes, a hood or a scarf. But for hot weather, such a suit will not work, because you risk getting a heat stroke. It is believed that mosquitoes are attracted to all bright colors, especially blue. At the same time, insects do not like yellow color and are absolutely indifferent to white. So the outfit must be considered in advance. Then it will be much easier for you to protect yourself from mosquitoes.
3. Preparing to go outdoors, refuse to use perfumes and, especially, any hair styling products. Mosquitoes are attracted by substances with pungent odors - perfumes, eau de toilette, deodorants and hair sprays.
4. Try a few days before the proposed event to eat 2-3 feathers or a clove of garlic daily. Insects do not like this smell, but keep in mind that such a strong aroma may not appeal to your friends, unless, of course, you are not going to relax alone.
5. The use of vitamin B1 at 100 mg per day will help protect against mosquitoes at least a few days before going out into the wild. As a result of taking the vitamin, the skin begins to emit a specific odor that repels insects, but is absolutely imperceptible to other people.
6. Mosquitoes hate the smell of vanillin. Take a bag, dissolve it in 100 g of warm water, pour part of the product into a bottle with a spray bottle and sprinkle plenty of clothing. Spread on exposed skin with the remaining solution. So that it is better absorbed, before use, you can mix the product with baby cream and apply to the body. This method is great to protect small children from mosquitoes.
7. Squeeze out the liquid from the peel of a lemon or an orange and smear it - the smell of citrus should scare away insects for some time.
8. A modern tool that will help solve the problem of how to protect yourself from mosquitoes in nature is a portable, self-spraying repeller designed specifically for outdoor enthusiasts. It can be attached to clothes, the substance emits an unpleasant odor for insects and, thus, creates a kind of “protective cloud” around a person. It is not recommended to use it continuously for more than 4 hours.
9. If mosquitoes annoy you, look for a rowan or bird cherry near the resting place. Narrow the leaves, grind them and rub the skin - this will help protect against mosquitoes.
10. Smoke repelling insects is sometimes effective, but only as long as it goes in your direction. To increase the effect on mosquitoes, throw juniper twigs, pine cones, wormwood, nettle or drizzle aromatic oils into the fire.
11. The following recipe will help protect against mosquitoes in nature: pour 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil, cloves, tea tree, geranium in 1 glass of water and spread on exposed areas of the body. Essential substances are highly concentrated, therefore it is necessary to dilute them with water, otherwise you risk getting allergies and even skin burns under the influence of sunlight.
12. 2 tbsp clove buds pour 50 ml of hot water. Allow to infuse and lubricate exposed areas of the body.
13. You can pour cloves or anise seeds with alcohol - this will enhance its aroma and this mixture will act for a longer time.

Important! Before using essential oils on your skin to protect yourself from mosquitoes, make sure they are not allergic to you. Make a sensitivity test: apply a drop of oil to a small area of ​​the skin - on the inside of the elbow or on the wrist. If after some time the irritation does not appear - you can safely use the selected drugs.

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What if mosquitoes do bite?

If you deliberately did not use the ways in which you can protect yourself from mosquitoes, or if for some reason they did not help you and you did not manage to avoid bites, proceed as follows:

1. Wipe the bite area with an aqueous solution of salt or soda.
2. Treat with antiallergic ointment.
3. Take an antihistamine.
4. Apply ice or a cold compress.

Important! If the swelling does not decrease within a few days, the itching does not go away, pustules appear on the skin or an increase in body temperature is observed, be sure to consult a doctor.

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Now you know almost all the ways to protect yourself from mosquitoes, not only in the house, but also in nature.Have a nice time!