There Are Some Natural Ways To Keep The Mosquitoes From Biting

DENVER (CBS4) - It's that time of year once again -- mosquitoes are back in Colorado and they're out for blood.

"After the heavy rains like we've experienced followed by hot days, we're definitely going to experience a higher population of mosquitoes," said Kerra Jones, communications coordinator for Denver Environmental Health.

Environmental health experts are advising the public to take extra precaution when enjoying the outdoors this summer. Some recommendations include staying indoors during dawn and dusk, wearing long sleeves and pants and using insect repellents.

"Also, eliminate standing water near your home," Jones said. "Like birdbaths and gutters."

However, some families do not like using chemicals to deter the pesky insects.

"To me the natural approach is wind," Brandon Engle of Denver said. "Mosquitoes aren't very strong. If you can create some kind of air flow to keep them away, that's the easiest thing to do and probably the purest."

Engle, who survived the West Nile virus two years ago, also uses household items to avoid getting mosquito bites.

"We'll use dryer sheets if we go camping," Engle said. "I think it works. You can rub them on, you can put them in your pocket, you can keep them around you and I don't think it's brand specific."

If bitten by a mosquito, Engle's 13-year-old son Cole said dish detergent is a good remedy.

"I found that dish soap on it actually stops the itching a lot," he said. "It doesn't reduce the swelling, but it definitely stops it from itching for a while."

Denver's Environmental Health office does monitor mosquito activity in more than 60 locations across the city. They were set to begin some trappings this week, but weather conditions delayed their plans to next week.

For more information on Denver mosquito control visit: denvergov.org/environmentalhealth.

Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team in 2012 as the morning reporter, covering national stories like the Aurora Theater Shooting and devastating Colorado wildfires. She now reports for CBS4 News at 10 and is always open to story ideas. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KellyCBS4.