Protection from Mosquitoes

General Guidelines

Mosquitoes need standing water to lay their eggs.

• Look for anything that can hold water for more than 3 days.
• Dump and drain the water once a week.
• Empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw away all items that hold water.
• Tightly cover water storage containers, so that mosquitoes can’t get inside to lay eggs.
• Rain barrels must be tightly sealed at all entrances with 1/16thinch wire mesh and checked regularly.
• Check inside and outside your home.

Outdoor Checklist

Prevent instances of standing water by checking the following:

• Potted plant saucers, decorative pots
• Buckets and other containers
• Trash cans, trash can lids
• Recyclables, recycle collection bins
• Fountains, birdbaths, ponds
• Water bowls for pets
• Animal water troughs
• Bromeliads and other plants that naturally collect and hold water
• Leaky hoses, sprinklers, faucets
• Rain barrels, cisterns, homemade water collection and storage containers
• Items stored outside around your home or yard or place in a
  sheltered area
• Tires, miscellaneous items or junk
• Outdoor toys, tire swings, basketball hoop bases
• Lilly pots, water gardens
• Swimming pool, spa
• Watering cans
• Lawn ornaments, lawn furniture
• Wheelbarrows
• Covers or tarps on boats, cars, or recreational vehicles
• Tree holes and low areas with persistent puddling
• Rain gutters, yard drains, French drains
• Street gutters, pot holes

General Tips

• Always follow the product label instructions for repellent.
• Reapply insect repellent as directed.
• Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
• If you are also using sunscreen apply sunscreen first and insect repellent
  second.

Babies & Children

• Always follow instructions when applying insect repellent to children.
• Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
• Do not apply insect repellent onto a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, and cut or irritated skin.
• Adults should spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face.
• Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or paramenthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years old.
• Natural insect repellents (repellents not registered with EPA)
• We do not know the effectiveness of non-EPA registered insect repellents, including some natural repellents.
• To protect yourself against diseases spread by mosquitoes, CDC and EPA recommend using an EPA-registered insect repellent.
• Choosing an EPA-registered repellent ensures the EPA has evaluated the product for effectiveness.