It’s a scenario most Texans can relate to. After a long, rainy winter, you step outside to balmy weather, chirping birds, and spring flowers. As images of picnics, pool parties, and woodland hikes run through your mind, you suddenly hear it: a buzzing near your ear. Before you have a chance to slap it away, a dozen mosquitoes take turns dive bombing your exposed skin.
Don’t let mosquitoes ruin your summer. Besides being an annoyance, mosquitoes can spread diseases, such as West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, dengue fever, Chikungunya, and Zika. Being proactive now may save you and your loved ones from health complications in the future.
Learn how to properly protect yourself and your property with these tips from Harris County Public Health.
Personal Protection
• When outdoors, use an EPA-registered insect repellent containing the active ingredient
• DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, or 2-undecanone. Follow product
• instructions.
• If possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Mosquito-Proof Your Property
• Remove/empty containers that can hold water such as tires, flowerpots and toys.
• Change water in birdbaths and pet water bowls every 3 to 5 days.
• Keep rain gutters clear of debris.
• Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside. Use air
• conditioning, if possible.
