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Few people like the itching cause by mosquito bites. Thankfully, there are many ways to repel these blood hungry flies.

First, it is helpful to know a little bit about mosquitoes. A mosquito is a true fly. The eggs are usually laid on or in water, and the larvae are water dwellers. When they emerge as adults, the males are harmless, but the females require blood in order to have enough protein to produce the eggs for the next generation.

Since they may need to bite many hosts in order to get enough blood for reproduction, they can pick up parasites and viruses that are potentially deadly to any other animal they bite. However, in order to bite the warm-blooded prey, they must be able to find the prey.

They are surprisingly well adapted to this, being able to detect the carbon dioxide breathed out by all animals, the heat of their bodies, the moisture they expel with each breath and on the surface of the skin or hide, and since most animals metabolize at least some sugar, sweet scents as well. They are also drawn to dark colors such as those common to many animals.

To repel them, the first step is then to minimize this. Nothing can be done about the carbon dioxide or moisture, and body heat is hard to mask. However, wearing light colored clothing and not wearing or consuming sweet items are a step in the right direction.

Note that mosquitoes appear to be especially drawn to scents such as produced by the consumption of bananas. Going into the outdoors where there are mosquitoes, it is then not a good idea to eat bananas before or during the trip. Repelling them and attracting them at the same time is rather senseless.

For actual repellents, many people opt for liquids or sprays containing N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, commonly known as DEET. This chemical has several drawbacks, not the least of which is that it can cause harm to the person using it, and it usually has an unpleasant aroma. Getting some in the eyes is an experiment in stinging agony.

Other people use products such as Avon's "Skin So Soft", or fabric softener sheets. These are safer and the aroma is much easier to deal with, and they do work, but these are still not natural repellents. There are still many natural repellents that can be used for mosquitoes.

Garlic

People who have spent a lot of time in the outdoors have usually discovered that eating raw garlic the day before going out causes fewer mosquitoes to bite them. Garlic is one of the most effective natural insect repellents known. Raw garlic,

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