In reality, it’s not necessarily the “sweetness” of your blood that attracts mosquitoes - it’s often the carbon dioxide you’re exhaling that draws them in. However, mosquitoes can also be attracted to strong smells, like those found in perfumes, shampoos and body lotions. They may also be attracted to the smell of foods you’ve eaten - bananas, in particular, seem to have an attracting effect, while eating garlic acts like a natural repellent.

But if simply avoiding bananas and eating more garlic doesn’t seem to do the trick, why not build your own mosquito trap to help keep these buzzing bugs at bay? Here’s how to do it…

What You’ll Need:
Empty 2 liter soda bottle
Knife
2 cups of water
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 pinch of yeast
Black construction paper

Instructions:

Empty a two liter soda bottle and cut the top few inches off (cut right where the bottle begins to curve into the cylindrical bases). Set the top of the bottle aside, as you’ll need this in a later step.

Next, heat one cup of water on the stove until it’s nearly boiling. Mix in four tablespoons of brown sugar until they dissolve and then add the remaining water to bring the temperature of the mixture down. Once the mixture is cool enough to place in the bottle, mix in a pinch of yeast, which will generate the carbon dioxide that mimics human breathing, and pour the liquid into the bottom cylinder you created when you cut the top off the soda bottle.

Now, grab the top part of the bottle and invert it so that the narrow bottle neck is pointing down. Press the top part into the bottom cylinder with the liquid inside so that it forms a tight seal. The bottle neck shouldn’t touch the liquid in the base, but it should come close enough that any mosquitoes flying into the trap will drown in the liquid.

Finally, wrap your trap in black construction paper to help disguise it and lure in unsuspecting mosquitoes. Place your finished trap near standing water sources or near any other area with a heavy mosquito infestation. Be sure to check your trap at least every two weeks, as you’ll need to empty and replace the mixture to prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs in it.

Congratulations - for a few dollars and just a little bit of effort, you’ve built a mosquito trap that you can reuse over and over again in your ongoing fight against these irritating invaders. Hopefully, when you go back to check your trap, you’ll find plenty of dead mosquitoes inside, leaving your lawn, garden and other outdoor spaces pest-free!

In this article, let’s take a look at some of the different diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes, where these infections are most likely to occur and how you can protect yourself from these blood-thirsty pests.

Malaria

Mosquitoes (in this case, the genus Anopheles in particular) can carry parasites, which they pick up from one host and transmit to another as they feed. One such parasite is malaria, which is one of the leading causes of premature deaths around the world. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, as many as 2 million deaths each year can be attributed to mosquito-induced malaria!

And although malaria isn’t as common in the US as it is in other regions of the world, it’s wise to take a few precautions if you anticipate traveling through Sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia, where the disease is more prevalent. Taking prophylactic medications and sleeping under the cover of mosquito netting are two important steps you can take to protect yourself from this disease.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is classified as an acute viral hemorrhagic disease, with symptoms presenting as fever, nausea, body aches and more. It is primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito (although other species can carry the disease as well), and is found most frequently in the tropical regions of South America and Africa.

Although yellow fever can be extremely dangerous, a vaccine is widely available that prevents infection by this disease. Given the climatic conditions of the United States, it’s typically only recommended to those who will be traveling to regions of the world where yellow fever is more common. Once vaccinated, recipients can expect to be protected against yellow fever for up to 10 years.

Dengue Fever

Another viral disease that can be transmitted by mosquitoes is dengue fever, which is also transmitted by the Aedes genus of mosquito. In many ways, dengue fever is more dangerous than yellow fever, as there is no vaccine to prevent infection from the virus. Symptoms of dengue fever can include fever, headache and joint pains - in fact, the disease is often referred to as “breakbone fever” due to the excruciating body pains it can produce.

Because there is no vaccine that protects against dengue fever, preventing infection relies more on practicing personal safety measures, including the regular use of a mosquito repellant using DEET, employing mosquito netting over beds and wearing pants and long sleeved shirts to prevent exposing skin to mosquitoes.

If you live in the United States, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll come into contact with these diseases - the odds are pretty slim that the mosquito hovering annoyingly over your patio dinner plate will transmit anything more than an itchy red bump. However, if you plan to travel overseas to regions where these diseases are endemic, it’s worth taking the proper precaution to protect yourself from the threats these mosquitoes represent.

How do you know you have bed bugs? They can be hard to see, but feed by piercing the skin and sucking blood from their victim. During the day, they hide in the bed, sofa, or bedding. The victim typically wakes up covered in welts from the feeding. The welts are elongated and the long axis is along the arm or leg. Mosquitoes, on the other hand, leave more circular welts.

While bedbugs have never been proven to spread diseases, they make life miserable for the people who live with them. They are spread in clothing, bedding, and beds. It is not necessary to discard all bedding and clothes when discovering a bed bug infestation, however.

One of the best things you can do to treat bed bugs is get professional help. These bugs are resistant to most pesticides. The pesticides currently labeled for bed bug use are only moderately effective. Routine bug bombs do not kill bed bugs. If you live in an apartment, contact the manager. The apartments adjacent to you are probably infested, too, and unless they are treated at the same time your apartment is, the bugs just run next door for the night.

Self treating bed bugs is difficult. There are, however, some things you can do. Wash your bedding and infested clothing in the hottest waster it can stand. Treat it with an approved pesticide before replacing it into the room that was treated. You can put bed bug proof covers on your mattresses and pillows. These are tightly woven fabric covers that keep the bed bugs from reaching you. Finally, you can find more information on treating bed bugs from your county extension agent.

Symptoms of Dengue Fever are much more serious than those of the West Nile virus which has drawn a lot of attention from U.S. media in recent years. While West Nile was responsible for some deaths, many of those infected never experienced symptoms or had symptoms no different than those of the common cold. Dengue Fever carries significantly more serious side-effects. Symptoms of Dengue Fever include a high fever, headaches, dizziness, loss of appetite. The fever can also result in a decrease in platelets and white blood cells. More serious cases of Dengue Fever include encephalitic occurrences (swelling of the brain), a weak pulse and low blood pressure.

While West Nile is commonly reported as being life-threatening, in truth, it is no more life-threatening than a common cold; fatal victims of the virus were usually elderly. Dengue is more life-threatening to younger, healthier people making it a mosquito-transmitted disease that should warrant more concern.

Dengue Fever is also known as “breakbone fever” since those infected report feeling intense pain in their bones and joints. Not everyone infected with Dengue Fever will experience such painful symptoms; some of those infected never even know they have it.

For now, it appears that Dengue Fever is only a concern to those in the southern parts of Florida. It is advisable to use a DEET-based mosquito repellent when venturing outdoors in the area. Mosquitoes carrying Dengue Fever were a fairly significant problem in the U.S. in the 1960s, but were eradicated by the pesticide DDT.

Bug Zappers

Everyone’s personal favorite: the fluorescent blue light that makes a charming little buzz-noise every time a mosquito flies towards his death. Every buzz you hear is one less bite you have to worry about, right? Wrong! Bug zappers have been shown to be wholly ineffective in lowering mosquito populations in any given area where they are used. For every zap you hear, there’s only about a 1-3% chance that it was a female mosquito responsible for producing the charming sound. The other 99%? Beetles, moths, and male mosquitoes (who don’t bite) among other random insects. People have been using this popular device for decades without realizing it’s doing them no good. In most cases, a bug zapper actually does more harm than good! How is this so? Because it is typically the only form of mosquito-bite prevention people use when outdoors during darker hours. This allows the mosquitoes to feast on DEET-free skin all night long.

Vitamin B

Whoever started the rumor that ingesting vitamin B supplements helps deter mosquitoes from biting you has a pretty active imagination. In truth, this claim has no validity. While the makers of vitamin supplements would like you to think otherwise, ingesting vitamin B supplements has been shown to have no effect on deterring mosquitoes. The same can be said for garlic supplements which also have a reputation for helping dissuade the pesky insects from biting.

DEET is not safe/Alternative all-natural products work just as well

There are a lot of companies that claim DEET is unsafe and that you should use their all-natural insect repellent instead. This is bogus advice. Not only is DEET perfectly safe, but it is by far the most effective way to prevent mosquito bites. Studies suggest that DEET can cause seizures in about one in 100 million users. In other words, your chances of having a health issue relating to DEET usage is not too much higher than your chances of keeling over dead before you finish reading this sentence.

First, it is useful to know when and where mosquitoes are likely to thrive. Mosquitoes can be found in warm months especially in areas with humid or wet climates. Typically, the closer you are to a forest or wildlife setting, the more likely it is mosquitoes will be present. Protecting against mosquitoes is especially important for summer camping trips.

If you choose not to use an insect repellent spray and prefer an all-natural approach to fending off pesky mosquitoes, you have plenty of options. The best thing you can do is wear long sleeves. Cover as much of your exposed skin as possible. Even in times of high temperatures, loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeved clothing is great for decreasing your exposure to mosquitoes.

Additionally, avoid wearing fragrances or scented lotions. The chemicals in these products attract mosquitoes. Also, since mosquitoes find their targets visually, wearing clothing that blends into the background can help make you less of a target.

Do not dwell around standing water; such places are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes. It is useful to note that mosquitoes tend to feed in the early morning and late evening hours. Avoid being outdoors during these times when possible.

Citronella candles are very useful when spending time outdoors in a static location. These work much more effectively than bug zappers which are pretty overrated as a mosquito repellent device.

The odds of receiving an illness such as the West Nile virus from a mosquito are very low. In general, the real threat of mosquito-borne diseases have been blown out of proportion by media outlets. However, although diseases transfered via mosquito bites are rare, they still happen. Consider that a person who receives 20 mosquito bites over the course of the summer is 10 times more likely to receive a mosquito borne illness than someone who is only bitten twice and you can see that taking some basic steps to prevent mosquito bites can prove fruitful.

The best way to treat mosquito bites is to avoid them! That means stay indoors as much as reasonably possible and when you do venture outside, cover your arms and legs with light fitting material. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t wear long pants and sleeves. If you insist on being outdoors with a considerable amount of skin exposed, use a mosquito repellent.

If these preventative measures don’t work and you’re left with a mosquito bite, there are some things you can do to mitigate the uncomfortable itching. Did you know that only female mosquitoes bite humans? They do this to get protein for making their eggs. When a mosquito bites you, she injects a saliva into your skin to help her intake blood more rapidly. It is this saliva that results in the familiar mosquito bump and subsequent itching; the human body is allergic to the saliva used by mosquitoes.

To alleviate this itching, try placing ice directly on the mosquito bite. Avoid itching the bump at all costs, doing so will only increase the histamines in the area which leads to more discomfort and potentially infection.

Antihistamine products can help decrease itching. These are recommended for use prior to bedtime. Do not take antihistamines during the waking hours as they can cause drowsiness.

Calamine lotion is also effective in treating mosquito bites. For that matter, any anti-itch cream will prove effective in treating mosquito bites.

Keep areas of skin with mosquito bites clean by washing with an anti-bacterial soap. Rubbing a bar of soap over the site of the bite can also help sooth itching.

While mosquito bites are a nuisance, they very rarely result in any serious medical problem. Chances are itching will be your primary gripe regarding a mosquito bite, but if the area experiences swelling or development of a rash, it could be signs of a serious reaction. If you experience difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately.

In Islamic legend, Allah sent mosquitoes to punish Nimrod.  According to the legend, a mosquito entered Nimrod’s head, and the constant humming of the mosquito was so disturbing that Nimrod ordered one of his guard to strike his head with a stick.  Eventually, the guard hits him so hard that his head splits open, and the mosquito escapes into the world.

A Tuscarora legend recounts the tale of the origins of mosquitoes as well.  In this legend, the mosquito is a giant, so large he blocks out the sun from the sky.  He would eat one or two people at a time for his meals.  Despite their best efforts, the warriors were unable to kill this great beast.  The medicine men of the tribe prayed with their chief that the great creator would show them how to overcome this monster.  Their prayers and chants were heard by Bat and Spider, who came to help.  Bat planned to battle the monster until it died, while Spider spun a web to catch Mosquito.

Overhearing this plan, Mosquito decided to run away, fearful that he wouldn’t be able to best Bat in battle.  He flew so fast that he couldn’t be seen.  All that could be heard was the buzzing of his wings as he flew.  But Bat was also fast, and he chased Mosquito.  As Bat began to overcome Mosquito, Mosquito glanced back, only to fly directly into Spider’s web, where he was caught fast and destroyed.  As the blood of the dying Mosquito flew in splatters in all directions, from each drop of blood was born a small mosquito, one with sharp stingers.  These thousand sons of Mosquito still bite us today, and still must continue to elude Spider, who still spins a web to stop them, and Bat, who still hunts for them in the night.

Finally, Aesop tells the tale of a fox that crossed a river, only to find itself tangled up in a bush, unable to move.  Seeing the predicament the fox was in, a group of mosquitoes decided to take advantage of the situation.  They settled down upon him and began to dine on Fox’s blood.

A hedgehog strolls up and takes pity upon the poor fox.  The hedgehog offers to drive away all of the mosquitoes that are biting the fox.  The fox thanks the hedgehog for his offer but declines.  When the hedgehog asks why, the fox says that the mosquitoes have already had all they could eat and that he fears if they’re driven away, more will come to take their place and, because of their voracious appetite, he will be bled to death.

Although these stories don’t offer any concrete advice on how to rid yourself of the pesky nuisances that are mosquitoes, they do provide an interesting background glance into the colorful history of the mosquito.

Mosquitoes reproduce by laying eggs, usually in areas of standard water.  They may lay eggs individually, as the Anopheles and Aedes genera do, or they may lay eggs close together so that the sticky eggs form a raft of 100 eggs or more, as Culex and Culiseta mosquitoes do.  Additionally, the Aedes female lays her eggs on damp soil, where they will await rising flood waters before hatching.  Most mosquitoes lay their eggs at night and adult females can lay eggs about every three days.  In 48 hours, most eggs will hatch to reveal the larva inside.

During the larval stage, the mosquitoes will grow and molt their skin, becoming larger with each molting.  The larvae live in water, but come to the surface to breathe, using a siphon tube to hang from the water’s surface and to breathe through.  To grow, they eat organic material and micro-organisms in the water.  When the larva molt for the fourth time, the mosquitoes enter the pupal stage.  Mosquito larvae are frequently called wigglers or wrigglers.  The length of this stage depends primarily on the water temperature – typically, it will vary from one to two weeks.

During the pupal – or tumbler – stage, the mosquito rests.  In about two days, the pupae will split its skin and emerge as an adult.  During this stage, the pupae doesn’t eat, instead saving it’s strength for its third and final transformation.

The final stage of life for the mosquito is the adult phase.  The mosquito will be moist when it emerges from its pupal skin and will spend some time sitting on the surface of the water.  During this time, it will spread its wings so that they can dry and all of its various parts will harden.

If you’ve ever been bitten by a mosquito, it was a female.  Only the females bite because they need the blood to help them produce their eggs.  Males prefer to take their meals by sipping the nectar of flowers.  The most aggressive biters are from the Aedes and Culex genera.  And although Aedes mosquitoes usually don’t enter the house, Culex mosquitoes have no such qualms.

How quickly the entire life cycle of an individual mosquito is accomplished depends on a number of factors, including the particular species and environmental circumstances.  Heat plays an important role, with higher temperatures leading to less time spent in each of the first three stages.

In addition, there are a number of different ways to thwart the mosquito life cycle if you’re attempting to get rid of mosquitoes.  The best methods attack the eggs and larva and don’t allow the insects to mature and reproduce.  It also helps to reduce potential mosquito breeding sites at your home or office.  If there’s standing water anywhere on or near your property, remove it or see that it’s treated with the necessary chemicals to kill any mosquito eggs that are hanging around.

The first genus to look at is the Aedes mosquitoes.  Because they need flood waters for their eggs to hatch, these mosquitoes are often called floodwater mosquitoes.  They have pointed abdomens and are capable of traveling considerable distances from their breeding sites – in fact, these strong fliers have been known to fly up to 75 miles.  Their “prey” of choice is mammals, and they have a particular fondness for humans.  The mosquito that causes yellow fever, Aedes aegypti, belongs to this genus, as does the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus.

As humans have moved throughout the world, they’ve brought the Aedes mosquito with them – it can now be found on every continent, except Antarctica.  In fact, the most invasive mosquito in the world is the Asian tiger mosquito.  Not only do Aedes mosquitoes carry yellow fever, they also carry dengue fever, as well as human lymphatic filariasis.

The next genus is the Anopheles mosquito.  You’ll find these mosquitoes breeding in clean fresh water, such as lakes, although they can live in both fresh and salt water.  Different species of this genus have differing preferences as to plant life and shade.  Their abdomens resemble those of the Aedes mosquito, and these small mosquitoes have black and white stripes on their legs and body.  The mosquito that spreads malaria to humans, the Anopheles quadrimaculatus, is part of this genus.  The mosquito that transmits the most deadly form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, is the Anoepheles gambiae mosquito.

In standing water, you’ll find members of the genus Culex.  Unlike the previous two classes, these mosquitoes have blunt tips on their abdomens.  Although the bite of the Culex mosquito is painful, most generally prefer to bite birds rather than humans.  Their lives are short, lasting only a few weeks each summer and they don’t fly well, leading to their preference to stay put in standing water.  Culex pipiens – or the northern house mosquito – is a part of this genus.  A number of diseases are spread by the genus Culex, including filariasis, avian malaria, West Nile Virus, Japanese encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis.

One key difference among the three genera is the type of water they need for breeding. The Aedes mosquito needs flood water, while the Anopheles mosquito needs oxygenated water that’s relatively still, like a pond.  The water can’t be moving too much, but it must be “alive,” with plants and animals that produce oxygen.  The Culex mosquito is the one you’ll find in bits of water in discarded tires or in the drip tray of the plant you’ve watered too much.  They need stagnant water that isn’t “alive” and contains no algae, plants or animals to keep the water oxygenated in order to thrive.

As our world changes, so too do the habitats of mosquitoes.  One cause for concern is that many winters no longer have cold enough temperatures that are sufficiently sustained to kill off the adult population of the previous year.  In addition, Aedes mosquitoes are moving north as they adapt to cooler temperatures and some of their eggs can even survive despite temperatures that are below freezing.  As the climate continues to warm, this could lead to a boom in future mosquito populations and a corresponding rise in mosquito-borne diseases.