For centuries people have been trying to invent new chemicals to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects. Unfortunately no effective oral mosquito repellent has yet been found so instead there are a number of different repellents available to rub into the skin. These repellents fall into one of two categories, synthetic and natural.

No repellent is 100% effective but the most effective synthetic repellent seems to be DEET and the most effective natural repellant seems to be cintronella. Both of these produces are looked at in future pages.

The mosquitoes natural environment is stagnant water such as swamps and roadside ditches. They don't breed in larger lakes and ponds as fish and dragonflies will eat the larvae and pupae. Stagnant pools should be drained of water where possible as should any other small pools of water, e.g. gutters, birdbaths etc. Garden ponds should be stocked with fish as they will prevent mosquiotes from breeding there.

Aedes dorsalis

Picture taken from http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegal/diptera/culicidae/ae-dorsalis-f.html