The mosquito is a nefarious pest, feeding like a vampire on our blood and giving us malaria, encephalitis, and infections. They bite us and leave a welt that stings and itches for hours. I've spent a lot of time in the islands of Southeast Asia, so I've spent a lot of time fighting these dangerous insects. Just how do we combat them? Here are the 5 best ways I've found to fight back at Mosquitoes in a natural chemical-free way.
1 - Spinning Fan Blades. The only real way to kill mosquitoes is with a fan. The wind currents disturb mosquitoes, since they can only fly in still air, preferably around stagnant water. They try to fly behind the blades and get chopped up in the fan. The lucky ones just escape and leave you alone, as long as you have that artificial air current on your side. The fan is the only truly effective method I've found to beat mosquitoes, so it's right at the top of the list.
2 Lemons - Some people like citronella candles, but I've found that fresh lemons work better. Cut up a dozen fresh lemons and place them at the windows or in your bathroom around the sink. Lemon grass will do the trick too. The acidic smell will drive most mosquitoes away. Use this in combination with your fan, and you've really made a safe haven for yourself.
3 Eucalyptus Oil and Deet repel mosquitoes. This includes Vicks ® vapor rub. Apply it to your arms, chest and upper back. If you're wearing shorts, don't forget your legs. Chemical free Deet is also a natural insect repellent. Apply a small amount to your skin and clothing, and the insects should stay away from you, at least for a short time.
4 Mosquito Net. No, this won't kill them, but a good mosquito net will keep the buggers away. If all else fails, put one of these around your area. Some people use large nets for outdoor patios, and others use them around their beds at night. A good mosquito net around your bed can look attractive and do the job of keeping you safe from night bites.
5 Vitamin B1. Taking this vitamin during the summer months will help make you less appetizing to the small blood suckers. It's 50% effective, depending on the rest of your diet. Some think that garlic helps.
Bonus tip: Frogs and Lizards make great pets, and they'll eat those mosquitoes for you. Geckos are especially good at it. When I stayed in the islands, there were about 30 geckos scampering around the ceiling, and I welcomed them.(right photo: gecko on the ceiling in Bangkok)
Note: A bug light (or bug zapper) won't kill mosquitoes, as they aren't attracted to light. They go for the CO2 our bodies produce. I have seen wide "tennis racket" zappers that work, if you are skilled enough to swat the pests in the air.
For the past 100 years many odd zappers have been manufactured, in our battle against bugs.
But we had it all along: a common house fan will kill or scare away most mosquitoes.
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