Their resume only gets worse from there. The mosquito is the deadliest animal on the planet, killing more people than any other creature by spreading malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, Zika, chikungunya, and other diseases. In the contiguous U.S., West Nile is the leading mosquito-borne disease, sickening about 2,000 people and killing more than 130 every year.
Fortunately, protecting yourself doesn’t require surrendering your backyard—or spending the summer sealed indoors. It does require avoiding some surprisingly common mistakes. We asked mosquito experts what they never do during the summer, from overlooking tiny pools of standing water to relying on products that don’t actually work.
Louisa Messenger, a vector-borne disease researcher at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, points to a bottle cap that has rolled underneath a shrub and catches a little spray whenever the sprinklers run. It holds less than a milliliter of water, but that’s enough for certain daytime-biting mosquitoes to lay their eggs. “You would never find that, never in 1,000 years,” she says. “But your mosquitoes will find that.”
They never walk past a container without glancing inside
Once mosquito experts learn what a breeding spot looks like, they see them everywhere.
Where you live determines where else you need to look. In parts of Florida, some plants, like ornamental bromeliads, collect water in the cups of their leaves, allowing mosquitoes to breed several feet above the ground. Daniel Markowski, technical advisor with the American Mosquito Control Association, flags children’s toys—dump trucks, sand pails, plastic cups—and buried downspouts that aren’t draining properly. Mosquitoes can breed in the trapped water underground, then fly in and out through the top.
The habit follows Markowski everywhere. “Walking my dog down the street, I see something and think, ‘Oh, yeah, they need to empty that bird bath,’” he says. “You just can’t help but make a mental note of everywhere you see standing water.”
Do the same weekly sweep for flowerpot saucers, buckets, toys, tarps, and anything else that has collected water. Bartholomay’s rule is simple: “Just take away their habitat.”
They wouldn’t dare underestimate the power of a fan
One of Bartholomay’s favorite mosquito-fighting tools is low-tech: a fan. Mosquitoes are weak flyers, so even a modest breeze makes it harder for them to land. “You can make your own breeze with a fan,” she says.
The dawn-and-dusk rule most people think applies to mosquitoes isn’t comprehensive. The pests are also active midday.
Aedes mosquitoes can transmit dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya. These viruses aren’t endemic in the continental U.S., but travelers can bring them home after getting infected elsewhere. If a local Aedes mosquito bites an infected traveler while the virus is circulating in their blood, the mosquito can pick it up. After the virus multiplies inside the mosquito, it can spread dengue by biting someone else—starting a local chain of transmission.
They never assume a drought—or a desert—means no mosquitoes
Drought may knock back some mosquitoes, but it doesn’t get rid of all of them.
Moving to the desert doesn't guarantee an escape, either. Messenger lives in Las Vegas, where she hears from people who expected the heat and aridity to leave them mosquito-free. Instead, Southern Nevada has a significant mosquito problem, as do parts of Arizona and Utah.
When it comes to bug spray, mosquito experts worry less about the branding than the active ingredient and concentration.
They don’t rely on repellent alone
When mosquitoes are especially intense, the experts add a physical barrier. Markowski wears long pants and sleeves—even when it’s 95°F outside. “I know no one’s going to do it,” he says. “But I’m not getting bit.” Lightweight, loose-fitting fabrics make the strategy more realistic in summer.
Bartholomay goes further during fieldwork, wearing permethrin-treated clothing and, when mosquitoes are truly out of control, a net over her head—so she doesn’t end up “sucking mosquitoes into [her] nose holes.” Permethrin should be applied only to clothing and gear, never directly to skin, and always according to the label.
Citronella, lemongrass, cinnamon, and other botanical extracts may repel mosquitoes to some degree. But if the finished product isn’t EPA-registered, you might not know how well it works—or how long the protection lasts. “There’s nothing wrong with people using that,” Messenger says. “But I wouldn’t rely on it exclusively.”
They never count on a citronella candle
Asked what he would tell someone relying on citronella candles alone, Markowski doesn’t hesitate: “I’d say good luck.”
Wolff studies how mosquitoes hear, making her a good person to ask about ultrasonic repellents—small electronic devices, often sold as plug-ins or portable units, that claim to drive mosquitoes away by emitting high-frequency sounds humans can’t hear. Her verdict is straightforward: “So far, we haven’t found any evidence that mosquitoes respond to ultrasonic frequencies.”
Ultrasonic devices aren’t the only products that make mosquito experts skeptical. Markowski is similarly unimpressed by repellent bracelets, stickers, and passive patches, which release repellent from one small spot. At best, a bracelet protects the small area around your wrist. Your neck, legs, and ankles remain available—and mosquitoes are particularly drawn to feet and ankles, Wolff notes. When they’re out in force, socks and closed shoes offer considerably more coverage.
They never prop the back door open
He insists on intact, tight-fitting screens on windows, doors, and patio sliders. Otherwise, mosquitoes can get inside and feed on you while you sleep.
Everyone knows this rule, and almost nobody obeys it. Messenger included: “You’re not supposed to scratch them, but obviously I do.”
They never forget that pets are on the menu
Your pets have blood too, and mosquitoes know it.
The stakes are high for horses, too. West Nile virus kills an estimated 22% to 44% of horses diagnosed with it, while eastern equine encephalitis can kill more than 90% of horses without prior immunity. Vaccines for both are considered core vaccinations for horses.
They never surrender the summer to mosquitoes
Mosquito experts don’t spend the summer hiding indoors. Messenger considers it the best time of year. Markowski says he would never give up the outdoor activities he enjoys.
Experts also know that an immaculate yard can only get you so far. If a daytime-biting female mosquito can find water, sugar, a mate, and blood within about 100 meters, she has little reason to leave. The mosquito on your ankle is probably “homegrown,” as Messenger puts it—yours or your neighbor’s. Control what you can, then protect yourself from the rest.
Bartholomay wants that knowledge to feel empowering, not frightening. “Get outside, enjoy,” she says, “and don’t get bitten.”
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