We’re finally getting some much-needed rain, but all the puddles left behind can only mean one thing: mosquitoes. Mosquitoes breed prolifically in stagnant water, and they have ideal conditions right now – it’s warm, wet and muggy. They’re hatching daily and making a beeline for their first meal, aka us.
As a result, you may be facing an influx of bites in the night. Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale, and while we’re snug as a bug, we’re at our most vulnerable.
But is there anything we can do to stop ourselves from becoming a late-night snack? Turns out, there is. I spoke to Adam Hart, professor of conservation ecology at the University of Gloucestershire and a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, to find out the small changes we can make to stop these pesky bites, and the one defence that's overrated.
5 small changes you can make
Wear loose-fitting pyjamas
‘Covering exposed skin is one of the simplest ways to reduce bites, and loose-fitting clothing is preferable,’ says Professor Hart. ‘Mosquitoes can sometimes bite through thin material if it is held tightly against the skin, so loose, long-sleeved pyjamas provide a better physical barrier.’
Wearing a pair of thin pyjamas isn’t enough. You need loose fitting pyjamas to put as much space between your skin and the material as possible. Ideally, you’d want a thicker material so it’s less penetrable for mosquitoes – once the temperature drops, flannel would be ideal.
Check out the best cooling pyjamas, as tested by the GHI.
Use an oscillating fan
Mosquitoes are famously bad flyers. Their tiny wings coupled with their comparably massive bodies means they spend a lot of energy hovering around. Because of this, they prefer not to fly in high winds, which means your electric fan is your new best friend.
Professor Hart continues: ‘Moving air can interfere with mosquitoes locating and approaching us and disperses some of the odour and carbon dioxide cues they use to find a host. There is experimental evidence that wind substantially reduces mosquito host-finding, so having a fan moving air across the bed could help.’
Keep the fan oscillating for the best range of defence, but take care not to aim it directly at your face – this can dehydrate you via your nose, eyes and mouth, leading to headaches, a sore throat and flu-like symptoms.
Shower before bed
‘Mosquitoes certainly respond to chemicals associated with our skin, and sweating changes the combination of odours and moisture around us,’ advises Professor Hart. ‘Showering after you've been hot and sweaty may therefore reduce some of those cues temporarily.’
However, Professor Hart stresses that this isn’t a proven mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes will still bite freshly washed skin. But showering before bed will reduce the attractants in the short term, so it’s worth doing if you’re particularly sweaty. Likewise, freshly changed bedsheets could have an impact on this, too.
Make best use of insect repellent
Yes, you can apply insect repellent before you sleep! In fact, it’s one of Professor Hart’s top tips, but you need to apply it right:
‘Repellents need to be applied evenly to exposed skin according to the instructions. Don't apply repellent underneath clothing. If you're using a spray near your face, spray it on to your hands first rather than directly at your face, avoiding the eyes and mouth.
‘It's very easy to cover most of yourself but leave small areas exposed around ankles, wrists or the neckline. Mosquitoes only need a small area of accessible skin, so good coverage is more useful than simply applying a large amount of repellent to one part of the body.’
Fit insect screens
‘Stop them getting into the bedroom in the first place,’ says Professor Hart. ‘Window and door screens are extremely useful where practical. If mosquitoes are regularly getting into a bedroom, work out where they're entering rather than relying entirely on repellents once they're inside.’
Mosquitoes can’t fly through the fine mesh of an insect screen, which makes them ideal to fit over any windows you like to keep open at night. For the same reason, nets fitted around your bed are handy for stopping any that somehow make it through.
‘A bed net is extremely effective when used properly, particularly when travelling. It needs to be intact and tucked in securely, and you shouldn't sleep pressed against the net because mosquitoes may still be able to bite through it.’
Don’t bother with...
Scented deterrents
While you might have read up about natural oils and fragrances that can deter mosquitoes, Professor Hart is adamant that this is not an effective solution in the bedroom.
‘Some plant essential oils, including lavender, have shown mosquito-repellent properties under experimental conditions, but that doesn't mean a lavender pillow spray or ordinary diffuser will provide meaningful protection through the night. Concentration, formulation and how the product is applied all matter enormously.
‘So, I think the overall message is that the slightly boring measures are generally the best ones: stop mosquitoes getting into the bedroom, cover skin, use a fan and apply a proven repellent properly. Those will be much more dependable than trying to make the bedroom smell of something mosquitoes supposedly dislike!’
And that’s all there is to it. If you find mosquitoes are making a meal of you at night, a couple of barriers and a good repellent are all you need to save your skin.
