Throw Away the Citronella: How to Naturally Repel California Mosquitoes

The daytime Aedes mosquito lays its eggs on the inner walls of small containers, just above the waterline. When you water your plants, the eggs are submerged and hatch instantly. To stop them naturally, you must remove the water.

• Empty the Saucers: Remove the plastic drip trays from underneath your outdoor potted plants. This is the #1 breeding ground for California mosquitoes.
• Scrub the Walls: It is not enough to just dump the water out of a dog bowl or birdbath. Aedes eggs stick to the plastic like glue and can survive drying out for over a year. You must use a stiff brush to physically scrub the sides of the container to dislodge the eggs.
• Check Hidden Debris: Check corrugated downspout extensions, old tires, children’s toys, and folds in thick plastic tarps.

If you have standing water that you cannot dump out (like a rain barrel, a fountain, a French drain, or a pond), you must treat it. Instead of pouring toxic chemicals into the water, use a completely natural biological control: BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis).

BTI is a naturally occurring soil bacterium. You can buy it in the form of “Mosquito Dunks” or “Mosquito Bits.” When placed in water, the bacteria multiply. Mosquito larvae eat the bacteria, which causes their stomachs to rupture.

The most effective, 100% natural mosquito repellent for a patio or deck is a simple oscillating fan.

Mosquitoes are incredibly weak flyers. They max out at about 1 to 1.5 mph. If you place a high-velocity oscillating floor fan on your patio aimed at your legs, it achieves two things simultaneously:

1. The wind physically overpowers their wings, making it impossible for them to land on you.
2. The fan completely scatters the concentrated plume of carbon dioxide and lactic acid your body emits, effectively making you “invisible” to their sensors.

If you need to apply a repellent to your skin but want to avoid DEET, do not rely on homemade essential oil concoctions, which are unregulated and often burn the skin. The CDC and EPA recommend two highly effective natural/plant-derived alternatives:

• Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE): A plant-based oil that has been refined to increase its concentration of PMD. It provides up to 6 hours of protection, rivaling low-concentration DEET. (Note: Pure, unrefined lemon eucalyptus essential oil is not the same thing and is not approved for disease prevention).
• Picaridin: While technically synthesized in a lab, Picaridin is modeled directly after the natural compounds found in the black pepper plant. It is odorless, non-greasy, won’t melt your plastics (like DEET does), and is widely considered the best modern repellent available.