The City of Falls Church has posted a number of tips on how to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. I am discussing them in a six-part series.
I know my neighbor’s cat never forgets to spray, but that’s not we are talking about. That’s just stinky and unwelcome but will continue until the cat dies. You can’t break old habits when it comes to cats.
DEET is the common name of a chemical that is one of the most effective mosquito repellents ever invented. In fact, DEET has a much longer name but I have decided not to post it because it looked too highfalutin’ for me to include.
What to look for in a good repellent is something like 25% DEET. That will give you several hours of protection under normal circumstances. The lower the concentration, the less time it will be effective. That’s kind of common sense, I guess.
My only concern with DEET was the potential carcinogenic effects from slathering it on. A few years ago I was taking a trip to Thailand to become a Buddhist monk and was concerned about such things as dengue and malaria. Which of these would have the worst side effects, I wondered? I never did find out but I used my 100% DEET death liquid as necessary to keep the stings away.
Whatever product you use, be sure to use something and keep those suckers at bay.
Check in tomorrow to read about Tip #6: Useful at-Home Information.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
