No single solution works everywhere, but a combination of different ones will get rid of mosquitoes, or keep them from biting you, wherever you are. After reading and talking to people about what to do, I put together this collection of reviews and articles you won’t find anywhere else.

There are comparisons of mosquito traps and tips on the best way to use them, information on other ways to exterminate or repel mosquitoes, articles about mosquitoes’ life cycle – because they’re fun to study when you’re no longer swatting them – and there’s even a little section on whether we ought to save them. The surprising answer: Scientists say the ecosystem actually doesn’t need them. So you can get rid of them without guilt.

Mosquito traps fool skeeters into thinking they’ll find blood

A mosquito trap lures adult mosquitoes using eco-friendly techniques that mimic a mammal’s breath, then sucks them in with a fan to a container where they die naturally. The idea is brilliant, since it targets female mosquitoes while they’re still looking for blood, before they can lay eggs, so it breaks the breeding cycle.

But these traps have a reputation for breaking down, and some cost more to buy and operate than others. They all need to produce carbon dioxide to mimic what we exhale, but some make it with propane, while others use carbon dioxide directly. Read how they work, and find out which brands and models are reliable at controlling mosquitoes.

Natural enemies keep the population under control

Natural predators attack both adults and larvae. Some of the ones you may have heard of, like purple martins or bats, don’t feed on mosquitoes as much as people claim. Surprisingly, the smallest ones, that you can’t even see, do the job best.

Learn more about natural mosquito control solutions on our website, including information on Bti, the best and safest natural “predator” to kill larvae that we’ve found so far, and how you can use it to stop the larvae living in your water with Mosquito Dunks. There’s also an article on the future of natural mosquito control, as well as other current but controversial methods such as methoprene, an insect growth hormone, and the little fish called Gambusia.

Bug-resistant clothes or netting work anytime, anywhere

Whether you’re an ultra-light backpacker or an avid fisher or gardener, netting is a sure-fire way to keep mosquitoes off while you enjoy the outdoors. There are clothes, hammocks and sleeping bags to protect you day and night.

Screened tents let in cool breezes while keeping out skeeters and black flies. Choose between light-weight ones that pop up fast, or roomy ones big enough for a family.

Looking for something bigger? A large back-yard screen shelter can set up fast and cover a picnic table, or be more permanent and stay up all summer. Or if you just want to relax around a patio table without swatting all evening, an inexpensive umbrella net makes use of what you already have to create a mosquito-free haven.

Mosquito facts, trivia and more

Have you noticed mosquitoes with black and white stripes, out trying to bite you in the daytime? You probably saw one of the Asian tiger mosquitoes, which have become an invasive species in the United States.

Do you know where mosquitoes go in the winter? Why they buzz? It’s not just the sound of their wings beating against the air. Maybe you’ve wondered whether climate change will make them better or worse, or whether they sleep.

There are lots of facts to satisfy your curiosity, even including some about what mosquitoes are good for (not much!).

I hope you enjoy your visit!