A Mosquito-Free Summer

Enjoy your summer without bites.

Getting bitten in your tent, or in your garage, or outside on the patio – not the fun parts of summer. Be prepared this year with mosquito repellents to avoid these pesky insects.

Find what suits your needs.

Mosquitoes are able to pierce through your skin with a specialized organ called a proboscis. This is what allows them to draw the blood of you or your pet, which is an important nutrient source for female mosquitoes to reproduce.

Nonetheless, this behaviour is frustrating to us who want to enjoy our wonderful Alberta summers without itching constantly! This itching comes from the saliva of mosquitoes, to which our immune system quickly attempts to respond to. Our inflammation response creates the itchy, red, and swollen characteristics of bites – though a chemical called histamine. Everyone reacts differently to mosquito bites depending on the inner workings of their immune system.

You’ll find especially large quantities of mosquitoes in swamps, marshes, or wet terrain, where the bugs can lay their eggs.

A preliminary step to managing these pesky insects is to remove any still water from your area. A pond in your backyard can attract mosquitoes to your area. The same goes for birdbaths. If this is a part of your issue, try Summit Mosquito Dunks. This product will float and dissolve in water to kill off any mosquito larvae by using a special type of bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis. This species of bacteria only affects the larvae of some flying insects and will have no affect of humans.

You can also grow certain plants in your garden as a fantastic natural preventative measure. Fragrant plants and flowers like sage, rosemary, lemon grass, catmint, citronells, and lavender can overwhelm and repel bugs. These essential oils are found in products like Wilson’s Mosquito & Flying Insect Spray and Mosquito Shield Coils.

DEET is found in Mosquito Shield Combat Formula Spray and Doktor Doom Mosquito, Tick & Pesky Fly Repellent. It works by disrupting the sensory information of mosquitoes and similar insects. This can be applied directly to your clothes and skin to keep the bugs at bay.

By Julia Bowen