Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Shutterstock/Business Insider
- Effective mosquito prevention requires a multi-pronged approach in which you remove breeding grounds, kill off adult insects, and deploy products that repel these dangerous pests.
- If you had to choose just one item for your anti-mosquito arsenal, a wise choice would be time-tested OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent with its 25% DEET concentration that wards off mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and more.
Mosquitoes don't like me much, and that's the only thing that I like about them. I can sit in the grass, dripping with sweat after a run, and get not a single bite. I can spend an entire summer afternoon outside mowing, grilling, or playing with my kids, and if I find even one itchy welt on my person, I'm surprised. My wife and kids, on the other hand, can't seem to get from the front door to the car without mosquitoes launching a full-scale banzai attack. Mosquitoes love their blood, an honor any of them would shed with alacrity were such possible.
So while the mosquitoes and I have achieved a detente, the fact that they have such a vendetta against my family makes us adversaries nonetheless. In peak mosquito season here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, they make a powerful adversary indeed. In fact, if I didn't use every single one of the tips and products featured here, our outdoor property would be effectively off-limits to the family from late April through late September, the mosquito season here near New York City.
Pernicious and unpleasant as mosquitoes may be, with some effort they can be bested. First, you need to prepare a mosquito-safe property. Above all else, that means eliminating standing water, the breeding ground for these insects. Even a tiny pool of still water - and I mean two ounces in the bottom of a planter or misplaced mug - can breed scores of skeeters. Check for water pooled in toys, flowerpots, buckets, the seats of chairs, backed-up gutters, and everywhere else.
The good news is that many mosquito species only travel a few dozen yards in search of food, so if you clear all the standing water from your yard, you will be in decent shape already. Female mosquitoes can live for nearly two months, though, so if the area is already infested, simply removing breeding grounds might be too little too late. That's why there are so many fine anti-mosquito products like we're talking about today.
And hey, some quick bits of trivia for you, and also the reason I singled out female mosquitoes: male mosquitoes usually live less than two weeks, and they don't bite. And when female mosquitoes do bite, it's not for their own nourishment. Contrary to popular belief, mosquitoes eat plant nectar, honey, or other sugary substances to feed themselves. The blood is used to help build up eggs prior to laying the next generation of bloodsuckers.
Here are our picks for the best mosquito repellent products you can buy in 2019:
- Best mosquito repellent overall: OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent
- Best repellent for yards: Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray Concentrate
- Best mosquito repellent wipes: Aunt Fannie's Mosquito Repellent Wipes
- Best bug zapper: Stinger Insect Zapper
- Best mosquito repellent candles: Light in the Dark Votive Citronella Candles
- Best mosquito traps for standing water: Summit Mosquito Dunks
- Best outdoor fan: Designer Aire Outdoor Standing Pedestal Fan
Updated on 04/29/2019 by Les Shu: Updated prices, links, formatting, and related outdoors gear guides.
Read on in the slides below to check out the best products for repelling mosquitoes.
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Find all the best offers at our Coupons page.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.