Mosquito Information

Common mosquito sources around your home including standing water in fountains, ponds, birdbaths, clogged gutters, neglected pools, lawn furniture, toys, long grass, tires, pet dishes, and plant pots and saucers.

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Mosquito Bite Prevention for Travelers

Mosquitoes spread many types of viruses and parasites that can cause diseases like chikungunya, dengue, Zika, and malaria. If you are traveling to an area where malaria is found, talk to your healthcare provider about malaria prevention medication that may be available.

Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites. Here’s how:

Keep mosquitoes out of your hotel room or lodging

Choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows and doors.
Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside or in a room that is not well screened. Mosquitoes can live indoors and will bite at any time, day or night.
- Buy a bed net at your local outdoor store or online before traveling overseas.
- Choose a WHOPES-approved bed net (like Pramax*): compact, white, rectangular, with 156 holes per square inch, and long enough to tuck under the mattress.
- Permethrin-treated bed nets provide more protection than untreated nets.
  - Permethrin is an insecticide that kills mosquitoes and other insects.
  - Do not wash bed nets or expose them to sunlight. This will break down the insecticide more quickly.
- For more information on bed nets: www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/itn.html

Cover up!

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Treat clothes with permethrin or another Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insecticide for extra protection.

Use only an EPA-registered insect repellent

When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Consider bringing insect repellent with you.
Always follow the product label instructions.
Reapply insect repellent as directed.
- Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
- If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
The effectiveness of non-EPA registered insect repellents, including some natural repellents, is not known.
To protect yourself against diseases like chikungunya, dengue, and Zika, CDC and EPA recommend using an EPA-registered insect repellent.
For more information: www2.epa.gov/insect-repellents

CDC

February 18, 2016

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Mosquito Bite Prevention for Travelers

Use an insect repellent with one of the following active ingredients:

Active ingredient	Some brand name examples*
Higher percentages of active ingredient provide longer protection	(Insect repellents may be sold under different brand names overseas.)
DEET	Off!, Cutter, Sawyer, Ultrathon
Picaridin, also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin	Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, Autan (outside the United States)
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)	Repel
IR3535	Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Expedition, SkinSmart

If you are travelling with a baby or child:

Always follow instructions when applying insect repellent to children.
Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months of age.
Instead, dress infants or small children in clothing that covers arms and legs, or cover the crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito netting.
- Adults: Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face. Do not apply insect repellent to a child’s hands, mouth, cut or irritated skin.
Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years of age.

Treat clothing and gear

Use permethrin to treat clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, tents) or purchase permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Read product information to find out how long the protection will last.
If treating items yourself, always follow the product instructions.
Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.

* The use of commercial names is to provide information about products; it does not represent an endorsement of these products by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

www.cdc.gov/features/StopMosquitoes

Mosquito Myths

Among the many misconceptions:

Bug zappers are effective against mosquitoes. Bug zappers do not control mosquitoes and can reduce the populations of beneficial insects.
Electronic repellers keep mosquitoes away. No, they don't; save your money.
Residential vegetation can produce mosquitoes. They may be resting in the vegetation, but standing water is required to "produce" mosquitoes.
Bats, owls and other birds can control mosquitoes. Although they may include mosquitoes in their diet, they do not consume enough mosquitoes to make an appreciable difference in their populations.
Some mosquitoes can be two inches long. They don't get that big. What you may have seen is a crane fly.
Mosquitoes nest in vegetation. Mosquitoes do not nest.
Spraying for adults is the best method of mosquito control. Adulticiding is the least efficient method. Eliminating mosquitoes before they become adults is preferable.
Mosquitoes can transmit AIDS. False.
The citrosa plant repels mosquitoes. Although citrosa oil (citronella) has been used widely as a mosquito repellent, the undisturbed plant itself does not release these oils and is thus not effective as a repellent.

Tips on Repellent Use

Always read label directions carefully for the approved usage before you apply a repellent. Some repellents are not suitable for children.
Products with concentrations of up to 30 percent DEET are generally recommended. Other US Environmental Protection Agency-approved repellents contain picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. These products are generally available at local pharmacies. Look for active ingredients to be listed on the product label.
Apply insect repellent to exposed skin, or onto clothing, but not under clothing.
In protecting children, read label instructions to be sure the repellent is age-appropriate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under the age of three years. DEET is not recommended on children younger than two months old.
Avoid applying repellents to the hands of children. Adults should apply repellent first to their own hands and then transfer it to the child’s skin and clothing.
For more information on what repellent is right for you, consider using the Environmental Protection Agency's search tool to help you choose skin-applied repellent products.
If additional protection is necessary, apply a permethrin repellent directly to your clothing. Again, always follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Common Mosquito Sources Around Your Home

Common sources of standing water:

Also check:

Mosquito Bite Prevention for Travelers

Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites. Here’s how:

Keep mosquitoes out of your hotel room or lodging

Cover up!

Use only an EPA-registered insect repellent

Mosquito Bite Prevention for Travelers

Use an insect repellent with one of the following active ingredients:

If you are travelling with a baby or child:

Treat clothing and gear