The Washington State Department of Health have come out with an alert to be careful around mosquitoes especially in the Central Washington area where there have been a few West Nile Cases. Here are some tips from them to avoid mosquitoes.

Avoid mosquito bites:

• Use EPA-registered insect repellent when spending time in areas with mosquitos. Read the label and carefully follow instructions.

• Use screens on windows and doors, and repair holes in screens to keep mosquitos outside. Stay indoors at dawn and dusk, if possible, when mosquitoes are the most active.

• Cover up. Wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants, and a hat when going into areas with mosquitos.

• Treat clothing and gear with permethrin to kill or repel mosquitos.
  

Mosquitoes require water for their larvae, such as puddles that gather in tarps, old tires, buckets, and clogged roof gutters; removing such prime breeding habitat helps control mosquito populations. Take steps to remove mosquito habitat:

• First, identify sources of standing water such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, animal troughs, flowerpots, trash containers or other places where standing water may collect.

• Empty anything that holds standing water. If emptying is not possible, cover water sources or change water at least twice per week.