Advice
How to avoid mosquito bites, at home and on holiday
You avoid mosquito bites in two ways: stop mosquitoes breeding and keep them out of the house with fly screens and a mosquito net, and protect the skin you leave uncovered with clothing and a mosquito repellent. A repellent protects your skin, but it does not get rid of the mosquitoes in your room. Below you can read what really helps at home, in the bedroom and in the garden, and what does not.
In this article
What actually helps against mosquitoes?
What really helps against mosquitoes is getting rid of standing water and keeping mosquitoes out with fly screens and a mosquito net: that deals with the mosquitoes themselves, while a mosquito repellent only protects your skin. Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water, such as plant pot saucers, gutters and water butts (source: RIVM, the Dutch public health institute). That way you remove the next generation, keep out the mosquitoes that are already around and avoid bites when you are outdoors anyway.
| Measure | Effect | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Emptying standing water, covering the water butt | fewer mosquitoes | no place for eggs and larvae, so fewer new mosquitoes |
| Fly screen on windows and doors | keeps mosquitoes out | mosquitoes stay outside, even with the window open |
| Mosquito net over the bed | keeps mosquitoes out | no bites while you sleep |
| Finding and swatting the mosquito | fewer mosquitoes | helps for that one mosquito in the room |
| Long sleeves and long trousers | skin protected | less exposed skin, especially at dusk |
| Mosquito repellent on the skin | skin protected | protects the skin you apply it to; does not get rid of mosquitoes |
How do you keep mosquitoes out of the bedroom?
Mosquitoes stay out of the bedroom if you keep them outside and find the ones that are already in before you go to sleep. Mosquitoes come in through open windows and doors in the evening and rest during the day in dark, quiet spots, such as behind curtains, under the bed, in a wardrobe or in a corner near the ceiling.
- Fly screen on the window: then you can sleep with the window open.
- Mosquito net over the bed: handy over a cot, and when you have no fly screen.
- Close doors and windows while the light is on: fewer mosquitoes come in during the evening.
- Look for the mosquito before you sleep: check walls, ceiling and curtains; a mosquito often sits still on a pale wall.
What attracts mosquitoes?
The carbon dioxide (CO2) in your breath, body heat and smells such as sweat (source: RIVM). According to RIVM, mosquitoes are not attracted to light: switching the light on does not draw mosquitoes in, but an open window does. Close up, they choose by the smell of your skin. That smell comes largely from the bacteria on your skin and differs from person to person (research by Wageningen University). Why that means some people get bitten more than others is explained in mosquito bites: why they itch and what helps.
Which smells do mosquitoes hate, and do home remedies work?
No smell or plant reliably keeps mosquitoes away in the house or garden. Citronella and catmint do have a small or short lived effect in research; for lavender, lemon with cloves and the citronella plant there is no known research showing that mosquitoes stay away because of them. The table shows what each one does and what is known.
| Home remedy | What it does | What is known |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender in a pot or on the windowsill | gives off a soft scent | no research known showing mosquitoes stay away because of it |
| Lemon studded with cloves | gives off a spicy scent | no research known |
| Citronella plant (scented geranium) | smells of lemon when you touch the leaves | no research known showing the plant itself keeps mosquitoes away |
| Catmint | gives off a scent | the scent compound in catmint (nepetalactone) kept mosquitoes away in laboratory tests (Iowa State University); no research is known on the plant in the house or garden |
| Citronella candle or oil burner | spreads a scent in a small circle | had only a small effect on the number of mosquitoes in a field trial (Journal of Vector Ecology, 2009); citronella evaporates quickly, so the effect does not last long (Malaria Journal, 2011) |
| Peppermint oil, tea tree oil or other essential oils | smell strongly | no research known; do not put them on your skin undiluted |
| Garlic | smells strongly | no research known that eating it or putting it out keeps mosquitoes away |
What does help is in the first table: get rid of standing water, use a fly screen and a mosquito net, and protect your skin.
Do plug in repellers, bug zappers or mosquito traps work?
A plug in repeller with an approved active substance works according to its own label: only in the room where it is, and only while it is switched on. Such a plug in is a biocidal product, so you use it exactly as the label says. A lamp that lures insects with light catches few mosquitoes, because according to RIVM mosquitoes are not attracted to light. A mosquito trap lures them with heat, smell or CO2; how many mosquitoes it catches in and around an ordinary home is not known to us from research. A fly screen and a mosquito net work without any active substance.
Where do mosquitoes lay their eggs, and how do you deal with the larvae?
Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water: plant pot saucers, gutters, water butts, buckets, watering cans and tarpaulins that hold water (source: RIVM). The larvae and pupae live in the water. This is how you get rid of them:
- Check your garden or balcony for standing water about once a week (RIVM).
- Empty saucers, buckets and watering cans, and tip water off tarpaulins.
- Clear the gutters regularly so the water drains away.
- Close the water butt with a lid or fine mesh.
- Change water that has to stay, such as in a bird bath, every week: then mosquitoes get no chance to grow from egg to adult (RIVM).
- If you have a pond, keep the water healthy so that animals that eat mosquito larvae live in it, such as water beetles, dragonfly larvae, fish and amphibians; a fountain stops mosquitoes laying eggs on the water (RIVM).
How fast do mosquitoes breed?
Mosquitoes breed fast: from egg to adult mosquito takes about two weeks on average (source: MuggenSurveillance.be, run by Sciensano and the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium). A mosquito goes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. A female needs blood to lay eggs (RIVM) and lays them on standing water. That is why one forgotten bucket of rainwater is enough for a new batch of mosquitoes.
How long does a mosquito live?
An adult mosquito usually lives two to four weeks (source: MuggenSurveillance.be). Mosquitoes that spend the winter as adults live longer: they wait out the winter in houses, cellars and sheds and become active again in spring. A mosquito in your bedroom can therefore stay for days or even weeks if you do not find it.
When are mosquitoes active, and where do they go in winter?
Most mosquitoes are around from June to August; in autumn they go into winter mode. Some species spend the winter as eggs, others as larvae and others as adult mosquitoes in houses and cellars (source: MuggenSurveillance.be).
| Months | What you notice |
|---|---|
| December to February | overwintering mosquitoes in the cellar, shed or loft; they hardly bite |
| March and April | the first mosquitoes in warm weather |
| May | numbers rise; time to clear away standing water |
| June to August | peak season |
| September and October | still mosquitoes in warm weather, then they go into winter mode |
| November | mosquitoes look for a place to spend the winter |
Do all mosquitoes bite?
Not all mosquitoes bite: only the females do, because they need blood to lay eggs (source: RIVM). Males do not bite. Small black flies around your houseplants are not mosquitoes but fungus gnats, which do not bite; if you see them in the kitchen or bathroom, read about small black flies in the house.
Are midges mosquitoes?
Midges are not mosquitoes: they are a different, smaller insect. The tiny black "midges" people find indoors are usually fungus gnats or other small flies, and they do not bite; see small black flies in the house. Biting midges outdoors, for example in the Scottish summer, are a different insect again, and our mosquito spray's label does not mention them.
Are mosquitoes in the UK dangerous?
Mosquitoes in the UK are usually not dangerous: bites from our common mosquitoes itch and disturb your sleep, but they are rarely dangerous. The Asian tiger mosquito can transmit diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika; it is not established in the UK, and UKHSA monitors for it at ports and along major roads. How to recognise a tiger mosquito and where to report it is explained in tiger mosquito: how to recognise it. If a bite is bothering you, read about mosquito bites and what helps.
At what age can children use mosquito repellent?
The age at which children can use mosquito repellent depends on the product: the label says from what age you can use it and how often a day. Our spray can be used from 1 year; for children under 12 an adult applies it, and not on the child's hands. For children under 1 year, a mosquito net over the cot and light clothing over arms and legs help. For any other product, follow its label or ask a pharmacist.
How do you protect your skin from mosquito bites?
You protect your skin from mosquito bites with clothing over as much skin as possible, and a mosquito repellent on the skin that stays uncovered. The NHS advises covering exposed skin and using an insect repellent. Wear long sleeves, long trousers and socks, especially at dusk. On the skin that stays uncovered, apply a mosquito repellent spray for your skin, as the label says, and reapply after swimming or heavy sweating. Our Super Ninja Mosquito and Tick Repellent contains 20% IR3535 and can be used from age 1. Remember: a repellent protects your skin, but it does not make your room mosquito free.
Authorisation number in the UK: UK-2020-1247. Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
Sources: NHS (insect bites and stings); UKHSA (invasive mosquito surveillance); RIVM, Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (mosquitoes); MuggenSurveillance.be, Sciensano and Institute of Tropical Medicine (life cycle); Wageningen University (skin smell).
