How To Avoid Being Bitten By Mosquitoes

Mozzie Madness: Protect Your Family, Mamas!

Have you noticed how many mosquitoes there are in Dubai this year, mamas!? There’s nothing that ruins an evening bbq or sunset walk more than swatting them away every 5 seconds and being covered in bites. And it’s not just when the sun goes down, I’m squishing a mozzie right now in broad daylight and it seems to have feasted on one of my family members recently (so gross!).  On a mission to rid ourselves of these pesky invaders, I’ve done a little research on ways to keep the suckers at bay – naturally and not.  Good luck!

Get Planting

First up, if you have a garden or even space for window boxes or pots, plant up lavender, lemongrass, citronella, marigolds and basil. Mosquitoes hate the smell of all of them (I’m planning on creating a jungle of all aforementioned plants ASAP!). And with lemongrass all you need to do is get the fresh sticks that you’d usually cook with and push them into the earth -they’ll root and then shoot with gorgeous leaves (thanks for the tip neighbor!).

Get Rid Of All Standing Water

And make it really difficult for them to lay their eggs (sorry mozzies!). I’m talking puddles, plant pots, anything where water can stay still.

Invest In Products That Work

There’s no use in slapping on lotions that do nothing but make you smell weird. All the mamas I’ve spoken to swear by the anti-mosquito plug-ins that you just plug into your wall and leave to release their mozzie repelling scent (available in most supermarkets).

And then there are the wrist-bands which are apparently fab for the kids (and Deet-free, too). Buy them in Adventure HQ or on Amazon and get your family banded up! Personally, I love the Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent, which is all natural but still packs a punch and wards off all those buzzing pests with a natural blend of rosemary, lemongrass, citronella oil and other essential oils. Or try patches (Spinneys do a Tiger Balm version that’s said to be great) and Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard that comes in various creams and sprays, including one with anti-itch included (perfect if you are COVERED in bites… I speak from experience). If you visit the Avon website they can put you in touch with a rep in Dubai.

Oh, and if you’re not a fan of slathering yourself in creams and sprays then take a bath with a few drops of citronella and lavender oils mixed into the water (mmm, baths… I wish I had time for those…).

Eat & Drink Well

My grandma always used to say that eating lots of garlic (preferably raw) helps keep bugs at bay (just make sure to have a pack of gum with you too – you don’t want to repel all your friends and fam!). And my mum swears by tonic water which contains quinine… sounds like a great excuse for a large G&T!

Get Fanning

Whether in the bedroom or outside while you eat, direct a fan towards the ground (mosquitoes tend to fly low – hence all the ankle bites) and they’ll hate all that wind.

Put A Shrimp (& A Sprig) On The Barbie

Yeah, I know, if you’re anything like me, then the thought of being outdoors being swarmed by mosquitoes at night isn’t that appealing. But these balmy evenings are too good to miss, so get a good old fashioned charcoal barbie lit, throw on a few sprigs of rosemary and watch as the bugs buzz off (makes for good flavour when grilling your meat too!). Then sit back in the middle of a citronella candle circle and enjoy!

And finally…Call The Municipality

If you think that your area is particularly badly affected then call the Dubai Municipality and they’ll come and spray. Visit dm.gov.ae for deets.