PREVENTING MOSQUITO BITES
 Most of the Malaria carrying mosquitoes are active during dawn and dusk hours, but few of the species may seek hosts during the day. The Dengue carrying mosquitoes however are active from dawn to dusk. As mosquitoes lay their eggs in contaminated and non-flowing water, emptying buckets and all those places where water is collected is important to avoid a mosquito colony from breeding.
Below are other common factors that can attract the mosquitoes to land on the human skin and bite:
 Carbon Dioxide – When human bodies are active and exercising, they give out more carbon dioxide, which immediately attracts mosquitoes. Another source of carbon dioxide could be a burning candle or even a camp fire. A person that sleeps in a room with no exhaust fan or ventilation will attract mosquitoes very quickly due to accumulation of carbon dioxide.
 Lactic Acid – The human body releases more lactic acid after having a meal of chemical-laden foods with preservatives/extra salt and/or high potassium and of course after a physical workout. Your body that is chemically fed becomes acidic and that attracts mosquitoes more than alkaline bodies. Powdered milk tend to be acidic than breast milk. Meat eaters are more acidic than vegetarians.
 Fragrances – Many insects, especially mosquitoes, are drawn to fragrances that come from perfumes, moist products (such as hair products, sunscreens, etc.) and floral scents when added to chemical-based products like fabric softeners, toilet soap/bars and detergents. Mosquitoes are also attracted to “vegetable” cooking oils and hair oil. Virgin coconut oils are natural oils and are safe from attracting mosquitoes.
 Clothing – Mosquitoes generally get attracted to dark-colored apparels as most of the
mosquito species know they can hide and camouflage themselves in dark backgrounds. It is better to avoid colored clothing.
 Skin Temperature – Generally, mosquitoes like warm and moist bodies.
Moisture – Sweating can increase the humidity around the body attracting insects, including mosquitoes and they often follow people during and after physical workouts.
These are some tips that can decrease the potency of repellents: One is the use of chemical-based sunscreen lotions and moisturizers. The moisture on the skin that follows sweating or swimming can also bring down the potency of a repellent. Repellents may face evaporation because of wind or heat. A traveler has to take into consideration all these factors in order to keep repellents active. In short you must have a safe and effective repellent that can be applied liberally all day long (BGone Insect Repellent).
People who go on tours or even environmental tours might require full protection of natural and organic insect repellents (BGone spray and Bgone Lotion). Sleeping in specially designed mosquito nets, preferably sprayed with natural insect repellents (BGone Liquid Concentrate) is considered to be a very effective way in protecting from mosquito and other insect bites. If you live or plan to live in a malaria and/or dengue endemic area, the objective should be mosquito bite prevention.
Reference : A Guide for Travellers to Malaria Endemic Regions of the World By Pellegrini Kitara-Okot
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