Don't Let Mosquitoes Take the Fun Out of Summer

Keep Your Family Safe From Biting Bugs and the Diseases They Carry

ST. LOUIS -- When the weather's just right for enjoying the backyard, the last thing you want is to have your good time spoiled by pesky insects. Fortunately, there are many preventative measures you can take to protect family and friends from mosquitoes and other biting bugs.

Keep Bugs at Bay 
Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or traveling to exotic locales, use a personal insect repellent as your main line of defense against biting bugs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using a repellent when spending time outdoors as a highly effective way to minimize risk of contracting West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses.

When you're choosing a repellent, consider the length of time you plan to stay outdoors. DEET-based repellents, such as Unscented Backwoods Cutter® and Cutter® All Family® products, are recommended for those who plan to spend longer periods of time outdoors in more heavily infested conditions. Other options for families are oil of lemon eucalyptus, found in Cutter® Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent, and geraniol-based products, such as Cutter® Natural Insect Repellent.

Also, treat your lawn with an all-purpose, EPA-registered lawn spray labeled for use against mosquitoes. Cutter® Backyard™ Bug Control Spray Concentrate, for example, creates a barrier against biting bugs in your lawn for up to 8 weeks of control. Spray over the entire yard, including ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers, for up to two months of residual protection from mosquitoes.

Last, use an area repellent around your patio, deck or campsite to create a zone of mosquito protection while you're spending time outdoors. Easy-to-use, all-weather citronella products, such as Cutter® CitroGuard® American Holiday Triple Wick Candle, use the natural repelling properties of citronella oil to repel mosquitoes and other flying bugs for up to 40 hours.

Control Mosquitoes 
In addition to effective treatment on your skin and clothing and around your home, limiting mosquito activity around your lawn can also decrease your exposure:

• Remove the places mosquitoes breed. At least once a week, empty water from flower pots, bird baths, barrels and pet dishes. Empty and change water in fountains, bird baths, wading pools, rain barrels and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
• Cover swimming pools, and make sure you're not allowing water to collect on the top of your swimming pool cover. Clean out leaves or debris from rain gutters.
• Avoid overwatering your lawn – your grass should be getting about 1 inch of water per week from a combination of rain and watering. If your lawn is still soggy several hours after watering or if water is pooling on the surface, you have too much moisture.

Mosquito-Borne DiseasesNot only are mosquitoes pesky, but they can also be dangerous. Mosquito-borne diseases affect millions of people each year worldwide, and they're generally at their peak during the summer months. Keep an eye out for reports of several mosquito-borne diseases on the rise in recent years:

• West Nile virus is the most commonly reported mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Although only one in five people who contract the virus develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches or vomiting, the virus can cause serious neurological illnesses that can be fatal, such as encephalitis or meningitis. Experts expect the virus to remain a domestic health concern for years to come.
• Although Dengue fever is primarily thought to be a tropical disease, occasional cases have been detected in southern states, including Texas and Florida, in recent years. As many as 400 million people are infected with dengue fever in the tropics and subtropics annually. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache behind the eyes, rash and muscle pain.
• If you're planning to travel outside of the United States this summer, be aware of the risk of mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus. Previously only found in Africa and Asia and most recently in the Caribbean, the virus has been confirmed in several U.S. states among recent travelers to those regions. The painful chikungunya (pronounced chik-en-gun-ye) virus causes fever, joint pain and swelling, headache or rash, according to the CDC. The chikungunya virus is highly uncomfortable but not deadly.