Personal Protection

City of Greater Shepparton

URL: http://www.greatershepparton.com.au/residents/health/mosquito/mosquitoprotection/

Personal protection and household hints

Advice on personal protective measures and control of mosquitoes around the home/environment.

Where possible avoid using aftershaves and perfumes as these attract mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours and are more active at dawn and dusk, so where possible wear light coloured, long loose clothing during these times.
Use a repellent which contains Picardin or N, N-Diethyl-M-Toluamide (DEET), preferably in a cream or gel base.
Use ‘knockdown' sprays, coils and vaporising devices to kill or repel mosquitoes around the home.

Clean up around your house; dispose of tins, tyres, bottles, buckets and other rubbish which may hold water, overturn boats to prevent pooling of water.
Keep drains and roof guttering free of leaves and debris.
Empty children's wading pools weekly.
Install and maintain flywire screens on all windows and doors.
Exclude mosquitoes from water tanks and septic systems by ensuring that they have close fitting tops, lids, covers and that all inlet and outlet pipes are screened.
Stock fish in garden ponds and operate water features regularly to inhibit mosquito breeding.
If your pond is not stocked with fish or water plants, a small amount of kerosene or paraffin oil poured onto the water surface will inhibit mosquito breeding. *Note - Kerosene and paraffin oil may kill fish and plants.
Regularly change the water in vases, bird baths and pets bowls.
Place sand in pot-plant saucers to absorb excess water.
Chemical barrier treatments applied to exterior walls and eaves can reduce mosquito populations around the home.