Tonik Tips for Mosquito Season

That agonizing dive-bomber hum, that wispy tickle, the slap, the bump, the itch. Yes, it's skeeter time. Mosquitoes can carry diseases, but, more often, they just annoy us right out of our back yards or leave us with unpleasant reminders of a hike, a party or an afternoon of play. The most effective ways to beat these bugs are to keep them from breeding (rather than trying to kill the adult flying insects) and to stay indoors during their dusk-to-dawn prime time.

You may not think that you need health coverage to protect you from mosquito bites, but the pest is also a carrier of many diseases such as West Nile, and Malaria which can kill you if you don't get prompt attention. Make sure you have a quality health plan like Tonik from BCBS to protect you when the wrong bug bites you and puts a crimp in your lifestyle.

Here are a few tips to protect yourself.

1. Make water move. Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, so make sure that fountain and pond water circulates constantly and that swimming pool and spa water is treated and filtered. Pond fish eat mosquito larvae but miss those hiding in vegetation.

2. Dry out pools. A mosquito nursery needs surprisingly little water, so inspect your entire property weekly to eliminate even small pools of H2O: low spots in lawns, gutters, boat tarps, pool covers, watering cans, buckets, tire ruts in driveways, leaky outdoor faucets, discarded soda cans, tire swings, wheelbarrows, saucers under pots, birdbaths, wading pools, children's toys. Encourage your neighbors to do the same. Screen rain barrels and empty them every 10 days.

3. Be skeptical about traps. Studies have shown that bug-zappers, which kill flying insects with a light beam, attract more insects than they kill -- and kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes. Electrical and propane traps do catch mosquitoes, but no studies show they actually reduce users' chances of being bitten. Instructions for these pricey machines are to run them continually, even when you are not outdoors, and to set them far from the sitting area.

4. Use repellants with care. The most effective and long-lasting repellent ingredient still is DEET, according to recent tests by Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports magazine. Two others, oil of lemon eucalpytus and picaridin, worked less well and needed to be applied more often. All three are approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Environmental Protection Agency as safe if used according to label directions. The chemicals work by scent, so don't apply them under clothing. Long pants, sleeves and socks also help. Folklore offers other supposed repellants such as Avon Skin-So-Soft lotion, but tests don't support their effectiveness, still a bath with Skin So Soft isn't a bad idea after being bitten all over your extremities.

5. Keep bugs out of the house. Inspect window screens and door edges for holes and gaps. Install spring or pneumatic closers on screen doors. Don't leave patio doors open, even to carry food and dishes in and out. Mosquitoes become most active in late afternoon -- just when you are grilling.

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