Jul 17, 2010

It’s important to keep oneself protected against mosquitoes

feasting mosquito

Mosquito season is in full swing and, as a non-fan of bad smelling and potentially toxic commercial skeeter-repelling products, I’ve found myself, along with my family, hiding indoors at dusk. Peak feasting hours. We live in a heavily wooded neighborhood with streams and ponds. A mosquito’s dream world. When we first moved here, my husband and I swore aliens were in our midst—an eery, other-worldly baritone hum accompanied by a slow-flashing light around 1 or 2AM, disturbing our sleep just enough to make us think we were dreaming. “Did you hear that weird sound last night?” Craig asked one morning. “You heard it, too?” Eventually, we found out that it was a mosquito-control spraying truck.

While it’s important to keep oneself protected against mosquitoes, which can transmit serious disease such as West Nile virus, malaria, and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), I can’t help but wonder… How safe are these products that we spray on our children from head-to-toe? Are there natural measures one can take to reduce mosquito population, deter them from gnawing on your arm, and possibly even keep their annoying buzz at a distance? And one question that has been nagging at my 8-year old: “Why does the world need mosquitoes?” These are just some of the questions I will address in this series about mosquitoes, which will also include my family’s first-hand experience with natural solutions. Hopefully the information will help you to navigate through the rest of your summer with fewer mosquito bites and less reliance on chemical-ridden repellents.

Full article here: Warning: Fending Off Mosquitoes May be Harmful to Your Health « I Count for myEARTH

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