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Issue Date: June 14, 2009
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5 things
you need to
know about |
Avoiding bug bites
1. Wear loose, light-colored clothing. Some mosquitoes are attracted to dark hues of colors such as red and blue, says Joe Conlon, technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association.
2. Put your wardrobe to work. Garments pre-treated with the insecticide permethrin offer effective protection against mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, fleas and ants, says Marion Ehrich, professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Virginia Tech.
3. Match DEET strength to activity. The higher the percentage of DEET -- the active ingredient in most insect repellents -- the more hours of protection against mosquitoes, biting flies, chiggers, fleas and ticks, Conlon says. A concentration of 5% to 10% lasts about 90 minutes; a 35% concentration protects for four hours under ideal conditions (i.e., you're not sweating or swimming).
4. Try alternative repellents. Oil of lemon eucalyptus delivers about the same level of mosquito protection for the same length of time as low concentrations of DEET, Conlon says. A formulation of 40% or greater works against ticks.
5. Blow them away. Mosquitoes are less active in windy conditions, so you are less likely to get bitten on a breezy day, says Michael Potter, a University of Kentucky entomologist.
-- Mary Forsell
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