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Drain and CoverVector-Borne Disease Surveillance CoordinatorWhether you’re staying at home or traveling abroad, preventing mosquito bites is the best way to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease. Mosquitoes can be found in many different environments and you may not always notice when you have been bitten. Mosquito activity in Florida can be year round. The following are some steps that can be taken to help prevent mosquito bites.DRAIN: water from garbage cans, house. Drain standing water fr …

Mitigating mosquitoes with Sarasota's expertsLearn how to manage mosquito bites and, among other lessons, whether to put sunscreen or bug repellent on first.by: Sten Spinella Staff WriterSarasota County is home to more than 30 species of mosquitoes, and 13 of Florida's 80-plus species of mosquitoes can carry dangerous diseases. Although there is no silver bullet to keep mosquitoes from biting, Sarasota health officials identified several measures people can take to keep themselves and their neig …

Shawn Clayton. Clayton and ClaytonReviewing the Efficacy of 20 Popular Natural Mosquito RepellentsMosquitoes can be a big problem for travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and even homeowners. Once they get settled, they breed very quickly. Killing insects that only live for a week or two may feel like rearranging chairs on a sinking ship. However, mosquitoes are not just an annoyance. Their bites can cause significant short-term discomfort, and spread diseases that could turn into chronic conditions. …

It's always you, isn't it? The person busy swatting away buzzing backyard mosquitoes or nursing an arm full of itchy red lumps after a weekend camping trip.You're not imagining it—mosquitoes really are attracted to some people more than others.Why do mosquitoes need blood?Only female mosquitoes bite. They do it for the nutrition contained in blood, which helps develop their eggs.Mosquitoes don't just get blood from people. They're actually far more likely to get it from biting animals, birds, fr …

When his mosquitoes refuse to feed, Willem Laursen dons a pair of pantyhose.“The smell [of feet] really attracts them,” says the Brandeis University biologist, who wraps his hosiery in a ring around the insects’ blood-filled feeding discs. “When you go outside, they go straight toward your ankles.”Wild mosquitoes may harbor a seemingly insatiable thirst for blood, but their lab-grown counterparts—taken out of their natural habitats and penned in teeny, artificially lit chambers—sometimes st …