I love summer. I’ll take a hot, humid, sweat in the shade day, over a frigid, blustery, freeze your cheeks, snow so deep it falls into your boots with white-knuckle driving blizzard day—anytime!

One of the few things I hate about summer—is mosquitoes!

Did you know there are over 3500 species of mosquitoes, but only 100 go after humans and only the females bite? The blood they suck from us is used to nourish their eggs with protein.

I often wondered if mosquitoes were eradicated from the world, would it upset the balance of nature? I did some investigating, and this is what I found.

Their uses:

1. They act as pollinators, especially for a certain species of orchid.

2. They are food for insect-eating critters.

That’s pretty much it. It is thought that the orchid would eventually be taken care of by other pollinators, so it wouldn’t go extinct. And, since the insect is so tiny, the predators probably expend more energy catching and eating a mosquito. This questions their food value.

In Time magazine I read about a research company from the UK that is releasing genetically modified male mosquitoes in Florida. These males then mate with the local female mosquitoes, who then lay protein-deficient eggs. When hatched, the gene kills immature females. I like the idea, but many Floridians are fearful of “unintended effects on residents and their environment.”

However, I wonder how much damage pesticides do to our environment? Which, incidentally, mosquitoes have, lately, shown some immunity.

The UK company is zeroing in on the Aedes aegypti, which is the nasty one that can spread the diseases—Zika, dengue viruses, malaria, chikungunya, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, West Nile virus, and Yellow Fever virus. These killers account for more than 1 million deaths worldwide annually.

Until mosquitoes see their doom, we have to do our part in keeping their numbers down.

Natural Methods to eliminate mosquitoes:

1. Don’t allow standing water. Clogged gutters can be a breeding haven for mosquitoes. Change bird bath water at least every 2 days. After it rains, check for water in pails and pots.

2. Keep screens on windows.

3. Cover your skin when mosquitoes are active. I like a breezy day to garden. The almost weightless insect gets blown away.

4. Apply natural repellents to the skin, like products with oil of lemon with eucalyptus or Picaridin. Picaridin was developed from a plant extract of the genus Piper—the same genus from which table pepper is made. It is EPA approved and has no odor or greasy feeling, like DEET products. I have used “Skin so Soft” from Avon, which worked well for me, but is oily. Word of caution if you use it—Don’t go fishing! You won’t even get a bite (personal experience). In the movies, wearing garlic wards off vampires, but in the real world it can discourage the blood-sucking mosquito.

5. Encourage Mother Nature’s critters to do their thing—Birds (especially Barn Swallows and Purple Martins), dragonflies, bats, salamanders, lizards, frogs and toads—they love a meal of mosquitoes. I have a pair of Barn Swallows that build their mud nest every year below my deck. Yes, they are messy, but observing them in the evening flying around my yard, catching mosquitoes and other insects, I forgive them of their bad habits.

6. Of course, there’s always the “bug zappers” and equivalent. Some people think they attract more bugs than they eliminate, which questions their benefit. But I delight in that “ZAP!” signaling another insect, hopefully mosquito, has bit the dust.

7. When sitting on your patio, try a citronella candle. Also, a “mosquito plant” placed next to you may deter the mosquito (some people say the plant is ineffective).

DEET products, although not natural, are approved by the EPA and are very effective.

If you do get bitten, here’s some treatments:

1. Smear aloe vera gel on the bite.

2. A freshly cut onion applied to the bite for a few minutes may relieve the itching.

3. Rub vinegar onto the bite. Do this before scratching the bite or you’ll be suffering from pain instead of itchiness!

4. Make a paste of baking soda and water. Spread on the bite. Wash the paste off in 10 minutes.

5. Apply lemon or lime juice (like #3, do this before scratching the bite).

6. Apply garlic to the bite, if you don’t mind the smell.

7. Daub on a drop of raw honey.

8. A soothing ice pack will help.

9. Make a paste of oatmeal and water, and cover the bite for 10 minutes.

10.   Good ole’ Calamine lotion is always helpful.

Until mosquitoes are eradicated from the world, we will have to do our best to avoid their nasty bite and keep their numbers down.

Have a “slap-happy” summer!