Fight the Good Fight Against Mosquitoes

As long as there have been people in North America, there have been mosquitoes. So the annoying and potentially dangerous pests probably aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. But we can protect ourselves from them by following “3 D’s of Protection” recommended by the American Mosquito Control Association.

Dress: Try to wear long pants and long sleeves outdoors when practical, especially at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Also wear light colors and avoid tight clothes with a loose weave, which mosquitoes can bite through.

Drain: Mosquito larvae float atop still water to grow and hatch, so the key to prevention is eliminating standing water around your house and in your yard. Items that encourage water collection include roof gutters, pet water dishes, children’s toys, bird baths, pool covers, and tarps.

Defend: Three mosquito repellents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency are generally safe and effective – DEET, Picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Keep the following tips in mind when using repellents:

• Spray on exposed skin, not clothing.
• Apply sparingly and reapply as needed. (Saturation doesn’t increase effectiveness.)
• Keep away from eyes, nostrils and lips.
• Minimize use if pregnant or nursing.

7 Crazy Tricks for Food Storage

Use these storage tricks to get the most out of your food and make your life easier:

1. Check the edibility of your eggs by placing them in a bowl of cold water. Eggs that sink are fresh. Floating signifies that they are older, as moisture is lost through the porous shell over time.

2. Ripen fruit by placing it in a paper bag to trap the ethylene gas that helps it ripen.

3. Extend the life of tomatoes by storing them at room temperature instead of in the fridge, and place them stem-end down, to block air from entering and water from evaporating from the cut stem.

4. Include an orange peel or apple slice with your brown sugar to keep it from hardening. If it is already hardened, microwave it next to a small glass of water.

5. To make bananas last longer, separate them and wrap the stem in plastic wrap, which will block the release of ethylene and keep them from ripening too quickly.

6. Store plastic wrap in the refrigerator – chilled wrap is easier to handle.

7. Plastic wrap driving you nuts anyway? Instead, use a disposable shower cap to cover bowls of food.