Do Your Part from the Start!—Prevent and Protect Against Mosquitoes

Mosquito season is here. Prevent mosquitoes around your home and neighborhood and protect yourself from their bites by taking the following steps this spring, summer and fall:

Control mosquitoes in your yard:

• Eliminate standing water. Check your yard weekly for containers that are holding water.
• Treat standing water with a larvicide* if it cannot be eliminated.
• If mosquitoes are biting you may want to spray your yard with an insecticide*, particularly the places where mosquitoes like to hide, such as bushy green plants, ivy, other ground-covering plants and bamboo. (Insecticides are available at your hardware or home and garden stores.)
• Organize a neighborhood clean-up.

Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites:

• Wear insect repellent* containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535.
• Wear loose-fitting, light-colored long-sleeved shirts and pants.
• Keep doors and windows closed and make sure screens are in good repair.

*Use EPA-registered insecticides, larvicides and repellents. Follow label instructions.

Watch for the symptoms of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and West Nile virus. Symptoms of Zika include fever, rash, joint pain, muscle pain, headache and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms of West Nile virus range from mild (fever, headache, body aches or a skin rash on the upper body) to serious (high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, weakness, paralysis or coma).

If you think you have a mosquito-borne disease, consult your physician.

Preventing mosquitoes around your home and avoiding mosquito bites is not only good for your quality of life; it’s good for your health!

For more information, visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/health/fightthebite, call 703-246-8931 or email to [email protected]