Mosquitoes are a nuisance, not only because of the discomfort caused, but also because they are carriers of many diseases, some of which are fatal.

Mosquitoes are a nuisance, not just because of the discomfort and annoying itching accompanied by every bite, but also because they are carriers of many dangerous diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and West Nile virus, some of which can be fatal. In addition, your pet too can fall prey to diseases caused by mosquito bites.

Prevention is better thanand with more than a million people dying from Malaria each year, not to mention millions other who develop this disease, it is best to do all you can to preventmosquitoes from biting you.

Here's what you can do:

Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water, which hatch in 7 to 10 days. A single mosquito lays around 250 eggs, so if you have standing water in or around your home, you're going to be in trouble! So, here's what you can do:

Take a good look around your house. Do you have any stagnant water? Before saying no, stop and think about that flower vase - how long has it been since you changed the water? Or, the large flat bowl in your house with petals looks lovely, but it could be a breeding pool formosquitoes. Although you don't need to get rid of all your miniature water bodies, you do need to change the water at least once a week.

Keep your home as clean as possible. Don't leave clothes hanging around too long - either wash them, or put them back in your cupboard. Hang as few clothes as possible outside on hooks.

Make sure all your windows have mosquito nets on them. If you have a long panel of windows, you could cover just one or two windows, and leave only those windows open in the evenings.

Remember that mosquitoes mostly start entering houses during sunset, so if you take a few precautions even just during this time of the day, you will substantially reduce the number ofmosquitoes entering your house. However, this is not going to help with those mosquitoes already inside your house.

An air-conditioned environment repels mosquitoes.

Similarly, having the fan blowing hard reduces the chances of mosquitoes flying around.

Mosquito repellents that are made of chemicals, are toxic and should be used with caution. Instead of using a mosquito repellent on your child, consider getting a table fan and aiming the wind at your child, so he gets a peaceful, undisturbed sleep.

Avoid letting your baby sleep in a room with a mosquito repellent burning. Instead, cover his crib well with a mosquito net. First, shoo away anymosquitoes that might be lurking around your child's crib, and then cover it with the net. Tuck the net tight into your baby's mattress so nomosquitoes are able to get in. Your child will then enjoy a good night's sleep, without the aid of toxic repellents. Similarly, wherever possible, try and use a mosquito netting around your bed instead of lighting a repellent. Some repellents are not very effective, with the result that you get bitten anyway. In addition,mosquitoes gradually develop immunity to the repellents, and stronger ones will be needed later on.