Mosquito repellents for the Texas summer that tested the best. Forget about the rest
Mosquitoes are summertime pests in Texas, but they pose a greater threat than itchy bites and discomfort.
On Friday, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced the first locally acquired malaria infection since 1994.
A warmer-than-normal winter combined with rain creates the perfect mosquito breeding grounds and experts are predicting an early, fierce mosquito season this year.
Here’s what to know about mosquito repellents for your home and outdoor gatherings.
What mosquito repellents don’t work?
Consumer Reports testers identified repellent options that don’t work as well as others and citronella candles were first on the list.
Testers found the candles to be inadequate at keeping away the pests and favored an oscillating pedestal fan instead.
The effectiveness of smoke-based repellents is dependent on how many candles there are and where they’re spaced.
Other repellents that didn’t test well in the Consumer Reports study include:
- Repellent wristbands
- Clip-on fan repellents
- Natural repellents
Which mosquito repellents tested best?
Pay attention to the product label when buying repellents.
Consumer Reports suggests buying repellents with 15-30% DEET, 20% picaridin or 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Both DEET and picaridin are chemical compounds used to repel biting pests such as mosquitoes and ticks. Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is also used to repel mosquitoes for up to six hours.
What are other repellent options?
Mosquitoes don’t like plants like citronella, geraniums, lemongrass, lavender, lantanas, rosemary and petunias, according to a report by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Similar to smoke-based repellents, the effectiveness of these plants is dependent on how many and where they’re spaced.
Blue light insect killers are also sold online and in grocery stores and have indoor and outdoor options. They come in the form of outdoor lamps, handheld wands the shape of tennis rackets and indoor plug-in lights.
However, these traps attract all bugs to its light and kill few mosquitoes, according to researchers at Iowa State University.
Traps that specifically target mosquitoes, ideally before they lay eggs, are the best ones, according to entomology experts.
The Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap, or AGO, mosquito trap developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically targets mosquito species.
The trap is a five gallon black bucket with water and a small packet of hay is added inside. Sticky paper on the side traps mosquitoes and prevents females from laying eggs.
The AGO trap can be bought online along with refillable sticky boards.
This story was originally published June 27, 2023 at 7:02 AM.
