A mosquito bite will itch and annoy you for days
Mosquitoes can be a real problem in Cyprus. They bite you and your skin itches for days afterwards. Here’s some information to help you get rid of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water found in standing water or the septic tanks of drainage systems. If mosquitoes can get to the water the effects of the high temperatures mean they can breed within seven or eight days.
Stagnant water can also be found in flowerpots, pet food and water dishes, birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels and cans. The only way to keep mosquitoes away is to be vigilant and keep emptying or changing the water.
Ventilation pipes need to be protected with nets and septic tanks and absorption pits need to be fed with insecticide from time to time to kill off the mosquitoes that have already made their way in.
Don’t forget the outlets from your air conditioning systems. A piece of plastic netting scrunched up and fed into the pipe will allow the water to flow but stop large insects blocking the pipe and mosquitoes getting in.
Advice from the Cyprus Health Ministry
The Cyprus Health Ministry has given basic advice on how to avoid mosquito bites. This includes:
- Whenever outdoors wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers
- Place mosquito netting over infant buggies when outdoors
- Try to stay indoors at dawn, dusk and early evening which are peak mosquito biting times
- Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes can’t get in
- Drain standing water in outdoor areas
Some repellents you can try
Here are some mosquito repellents that are thought to be effective:
- Deet based sprays – but beware of the side effects
- Some essential oils such as Geranium Oil
- Mosquito milk from Cyprus pharmacies
- Automatic lemon room sprays
- Eat Marmite on your breakfast toast daily
The Moskeeter Eater
A solution we’ve tried is the Moskeeter Eater. It’s a small, simple electrical device for indoor or outdoor use that kills mosquitoes, sand flies and other flying things you don’t want around.
Find out more about Moskeeter Eater.
Interesting fact
Do you live in the Coral Bay area? Did you know that before Coral Bay was developed that it was a swamp.
Before development started mosquito eradication programmes drained the swamps – but the area will always be susceptible to mosquitoes.
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