11 Proven Ways to Prevent Painfully Itchy Mosquito Bites All Summer Long

Almost any breeze—anything above 1 MPH—makes it very difficult for mosquitoes to fly, says Jonathan Day, Ph.D., a mosquito expert and professor of medical entomology at the University of Florida. If you can pick a breezy spot for your summer outing, that can help prevent mosquito bites.

Plug-in fans are also a great deterrent, he adds. Just keep the flow of air directed at the lower half of your body; mosquitoes tend to fly very close to the ground to avoid wind, so directing the fan’s force downward will block their approach.

Natural wind or a fan will work much more in your favor than those fancy, ultrasonic devices and apps marketed as mosquito repellants—some of which claim to mimic the sound of dragonflies. “They don’t work at all,” Day says.

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