Summer time is mosquito time, but simple steps around the home and yard can protect you from their itchy bites and diseases, such as West Nile and Zika viruses, which they spread. The Mississippi Department of Health advises:
Avoid shady or overgrown outdoor areas, and places where the ground stays moist or wet.
Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt.
Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or indoors where mosquitoes are present.
Use an insect repellent that contains DEET or another EPA-registered ingredient such as picaridin, permethrin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Repair failed septic systems, leaky water pipes and outside facets
Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.
Dispose of old tires, cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or other unused containers that can hold water.
Change water at least once a week in bird baths, wading pools and other water containers.
Cover trash containers to keep out rainwater.
Clean clogged roof gutters. Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with predatory fish.
Clean and chlorinate swimming pools.
Keep drains, ditches, and culverts free of grass clippings, weeds, and trash to drain water properly.
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