Mosquito Magnets: Are you always the one to get bitten? Some people attract mosquitoes more than others due to factors out of our control, like blood type (some research shows mosquitoes prefer Type O) and the amount and balance of chemicals you emit from your body naturally when you sweat (creating a sweet perfume mosquitoes love).
Mosquito bites can infect people and animals with a variety of diseases, including malaria, West Nile virus, Zika, and chikungunya. In Texas, mosquito bites are usually not deadly, but they can still be dangerous and important to take seriously because they can make you sick, trigger allergic reactions, and lead to infections from scratching.
How to Prevent Mosquitoes from Breeding and Biting
The pleasant summer rains we’re getting in the San Antonio area this year are causing an unpleasant explosion of the mosquito population. Learning how to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and biting people or pets is vitally important. Here are ways to help fight the bite:
The 4Ds:
Dusk and Dawn: Stay indoors or cover up during early morning and early evening hours, when mosquitoes are the most active.
Drain: Mosquitoes breed in still water! Drain any sources of standing water, especially after a rain from:
- Flower/plant pots
- Pet water bowls or bird baths
- Fountains with still water
- Kids’ toys
- Old tires
- Rain gutters
- Open trash bins
Dress: Wear lightweight, light-colored, and long-sleeved clothing anytime you have to be outside. Spray clothing with insect repellent, because mosquitoes can and will bite through clothing.
Defend/DEET: Spray yourself and your children with an Environmental Protection Agency EPA-registered insect repellent. DEET is the gold standard and is recommended for longer outdoor adventures, such as hiking or camping. Insect repellents with 20%-30% DEET can provide protection from mosquitoes and ticks for 4-8 hours. Find other EPA-registered insect repellents based on the protection level you need with the EPA search tool.
Avoid using unregistered essential oils for mosquito bite prevention in general, but lemon eucalyptus oil can provide up to 6 hours of protection when formulated at 30%. Other effective ingredients to look for in insect repellent include CDC-recommended IR3535 and Picaridin. Citronella candles work only for a very limited time and within a very limited range, so use them only as a backup.
Natural Methods to Fight the Bite
You can defend your home from mosquitoes in other ways, too. Here are some helpful suggestions to reduce the mosquito population or keep them from getting into your home:
- Fix any torn door or window screens.
- Keep doors closed except for entering and leaving the house.
- Use pesticide products, like mosquito dunks, that contain Bti (a bacteria found in soils) to kill off mosquito, black fly, and fungus gnat larvae. Btis are safe for people, birds, bees, fish, and pets, according to the EPA.
- Longer-term solutions include planting gardens to attract bats, birds, lizards, frogs, and dragonflies, for example, that feed on mosquitoes. Here are some ways to attract beneficial creatures that eat mosquitoes or their larvae:
- Plant flowers in your neighborhood that attract dragonflies, such as the common wildflower known as the Black-eyed Susan or yellow coneflower.
- Hang nesting boxes or bird feeders in your yard to bring more birds around (and keep cats inside).
- Hang a bat box on your patio or nearby trees to attract bats.
- Build a bat garden to attract moths and other insects bats like to eat besides mosquitoes, and hang a bat house (you can buy one online or build one).
Protect Your Pets
Mosquitoes can cause skin allergies or, most importantly, heartworm in pets, so protecting them is very important. Most preventive steps you take to protect humans, such as getting rid of standing water and staying indoors during sunrise and sunset, help keep pets safe, too.
It’s also essential to keep your pets on year-round heartworm prevention to protect against fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. Do not use human mosquito repellent on animals. Talk to your vet about what protection is right for your pet.
We wish you a safe, fun, and mosquito-free summer!
Sources
- The Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Mosquito-Borne Diseases. Texas DSHS. DSHS.Texas.gov/Disease-Surveillance-Epidemiology-Section/Zoonosis-Control/Mosquito-Borne-Diseases. 6/4/2026.
- Koffler, S. (2023, September 5). Insect-Borne Illness More Common This Summer. University Health. UniversityHealth.com/Blog/Insect-Borne-Illness. 6/7/2026.
- Wagner, B. (2024, August 27). West Nile Virus: Prevention, Symptoms & Treatment. University Health. UniversityHealth.com/Blog/West-Nile. 6/8/2026.
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2025, November 19). West Nile Virus Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment. CDC. CDC.gov/West-Nile-Virus/Symptoms-Diagnosis-Treatment/Index.html. 6/5/2026.
- World Health Organization (WHO) Diseases carried by mosquitoes in the USA and abroad| OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 6/4/2026.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2026, May 27). Mosquito Control. EPA. EPA.gov/MosquitoControl. 6/5/2026.
- Vance, M. (2026, May 21). Texas Plants That Attract Dragonflies And Reduce Mosquito Activity. Positive Bloom. PositiveBloom.com/Texas-Plants-That-Attract-Dragonflies-and- Reduce-Mosquito-Activity. 6/8/2026.
- Bat Conservation International. Guide to Gardening for Bats. Bat Conservation International. BatCon.org/WP-Content/Uploads/2022/04/Guide-to-Gardening-for-Bats.pdf. 6/8/2026.
- National Wildlife Federation (NWF). How to Build a Bat House. NWF. NWF.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Habitat-Essentials/Build-a-Bat-House. 6/7/2026.