I thought it was important on this website to include some information on how to avoid getting bitten to begin with as it is obviously better to not get bitten than to have to deal with the bite!
The following is a compilation of what I found from a variety of sources online. Make up your own mind.
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Wear a mosquito repellent that contains Deet, although you never apply this product to children under 2 months old. In addition, keep the percentage to 10% or less when applying to children. Deet with a low percentage rate needs to be applied every 2 hours, whereas higher percentages (30% or more) can last up to five hours.
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Get rid of all standing water around your home. Look for planters, barrels, buckets, cups or other material that may be around your house and get rid of them. Mosquito larvae breed in standing water. Drain ponds or pools or spray larvae killer in order to eliminate mosquito larvae before they become adults.
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Stay in after dusk. Mosquitoes are most active after dusk. If you must go out in the late afternoon or evening, burn candles with citronella or use outdoor lanterns specifically made to protect against insects.
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Wear long sleeves and pants. Dress appropriately to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Cover as much exposed skin as possible in order to avoid mosquito bites.
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Repair all holes or cracks where mosquitoes might enter your home. Be sure your screens are in good repair. Close all doors immediately upon entering your house as well. In addition, check your clothing before entering your home to be sure you are not carrying mosquitoes inside your home. In addition, consider mosquito netting on your porch or patio.
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Grow plants that repel mosquitoes. Basil, rosemary, citronella plants, lemongrass, marigolds, garlic and catnip will all work as mosquito repellents.
How to Avoid Mosquito Bites
Nobody cares for mosquitoes, perhaps because they seem to serve no useful function for humans. For most mosquito species, the female draws food for her developing eggs by inserting her proboscis into the flesh of a mammal or reptile and drawing blood. Unfortunately the mosquito's bite also brings along discomfort, pain, and sometimes disease, or even an allergic reaction in a growing number of cases. Diseases spread by the mosquito are numerous in certain areas and include millions of deaths by malaria each year, as well as recent outbreaks of the West Nile Virus. Not all mosquito species transmit disease to humans, but because they're so small it is difficult to easily tell which species is in your vicinity. Bite prevention is the best cure, so in other words, deter the mosquito before it bites you.
Step 1
Kill the mosquito by grabbing it out of the air. Unless you practice this a great deal, you will find it hard to accomplish and the air of your moving hand gives the mosquito plenty of warning, and can even blow it out of your grasp.
Step 2
Kill the mosquito with a mosquito squatter. The squatter, usually made of a thicker metal or plastic, is mounted on the end of a springy wire, dramatically increasing your chances of hitting a stationary mosquito by increasing the momentum of the swat. You can also use your hand in a similar flipping motion.
Step 3
Kill the flying mosquito with a double-handed clap. Using two hands is more effective than one, as the air coming from each hand will blow the mosquito into the opposing palm.
Step 4
If all these techniques are not working, you may want to give it another try by catching the mosquito with a transparent cup. Slowly place a cup (preferably a hard material) over the mosquito and then slide some paper underneath this cup. This gives you control over the mosquito and can provide you with a more pacifistic approach, instead of just killing the mosquito.
To Prevent Many Mosquito Bites
Step 1
Wear mosquito repellent. Use insect repellent on uncovered skin surfaces when outdoors, especially during the day. When using sunscreen, apply it before insect repellent.
- Repellents containing 30% to 50% DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) are recommended for adults and children over 2 months of age and effective for several hours. Repellents with lower amounts of DEET offer shorter-term protection and must be applied more often.
- Repellents containing up to 15% picaridin, which must be applied often, are available in the US. Repellents with higher concentrations of picaridin may be available in some regions outside the US.
- Protect infants less than 2 months of age by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.
- Experiment with non chemical solutions such as Citronella (natural plant oil). As with any product, their effectiveness depends on the situation, your own skin chemistry, and the exact type of mosquito you are dealing with. Also tea tree oil and taking vitamin B supplements really helps.
Step 2
Wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
- Clothing may also be sprayed with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent for greater protection. (Remember: don't use permethrin on skin.)
Step 3
Avoid areas prone to mosquito infestations. Mosquitoes are often attracted to water, especially standing water.
Step 4
Don't waste money on an electric hanging bug "zapper." These have been shown to kill many bugs very effectively but generally the bugs killed are the non-harmful ones. Plus, the noise they generate tends to be obnoxious. Mosquitos can be more effectively killed by one of the dedicated machines that use heat and carbon dioxide to attract the mosquitos and then entrap or kill them using nets, containers or chemicals.
Step 5
Sleep with a mosquito net over your bed, but check for holes regularly.