Insect repellents can keep biting mosquitoes at bay but they’ve got to be used correctly. Dr Cameron Webb (NSW Health Pathology/University of Sydney))

The best (and worst) ways to beat mosquito bites

First one, then another. Bite! Slap! Bite! Before you know it, mosquitoes are descending from the skies to disrupt your backyard summer soiree. How can such a tiny, fragile insect cause so much pain, suffering and annoyance?

Notwithstanding the death and disease that mosquito-borne pathogens cause around the world, the annoyance caused by mosquito bites can be seriously disruptive (and yes, they might bite you more than your friends). The reactions to bites can be severe, and when swarms of mosquitoes swell in the suburbs, the impacts can be substantial.

It may be impossible to stop mosquitoes flying in from local bushland or wetland areas. The mosquitoes breeding in your neighbours’ yard won’t have much trouble flying over the fence either, and while local authorities may instigate control programs and new technologies are deployed to reduce, replace or wipe out local mosquito populations, there is still plenty you can do to beat the bite of mosquitoes yourself.

Here’s how you can build a mosquito-free zone around your friends and family.

Read the full article by Dr Cameron Webb on The Converstation's website here: http://theconversation.com/the-best-and-worst-ways-to-beat-mosquito-bites-70274