With the warmer weather comes more outdoor activities. But along with those outdoor activities come some unwanted pests that can really be a bother during your summer evening get-togethers. Just like we enjoy warmer weather, so do mosquitoes, and if you’re not careful, they’ll leave you itching and miserable after they bite you.

Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying, they can also spread diseases like the West Nile Virus. This virus can cause symptoms as mild as flu-like symptoms, but may also cause convulsions, paralysis, and even death in rare circumstances.

Of course, there are products on the market to deter these pesky nibblers, but some of these products have chemicals that can be harmful and have been linked to some serious health issues. So next time you’re planning some outdoor fun, you might want to consider trying one of the following methods to keep these little pests at bay.

1. DIY Repellent Oil – Instead of covering your body with products full of chemicals, why not try a natural essential oil instead? Just mix 30 drops of lavender essential oil with two tablespoons of olive oil and apply it to exposed skin. Mosquitoes hate lavender and it will leave your skin smelling amazing.

2. Plant Herbs – Humans love the smells of herbs like lemongrass, lavender, basil, and rosemary, bot mosquitoes hate them. You can grow any of these plants in pots and place them around your yard or even inside your home to repel mosquitoes. Basil leaves are even known to kill the larvae of mosquitoes. Lay a few rosemary leaves on the hot coals of your grill to keep mosquitoes at bay.

3. Homemade Citronella Candles – Most people know that citronella is a natural mosquito repellant. One of the best ways to use it is in the form of a candle. The strong smell that comes out of the candle will run off mosquitoes and often many other unwelcome bugs as well.

4. Eat Garlic – Vampires might not be the only blood-sucking creature that doesn’t like the pungent smell of garlic. Smearing garlic oil on your skin is an easy way to deter the insects away from your body. If you prefer to not off put humans too, you can incorporate more garlic in your cooking or take garlic oil capsules. Garlic, which is rich in sulfur, causes a smell to be emitted from your body that you might not be able to detect, but mosquitoes can, and they don’t like it.

5. Dry Ice – Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide that we emit when we exhale. You can fool them by placing a container of dry ice at a distance from your gathering. Mosquitoes will flock to it because dry ice also emits carbon dioxide. Be sure the container with dry ice has a lid so when the mosquitoes start to add up, you can trap them.

6. Lemon and Cloves – Citrus is no-no for mosquitoes, but for even better results, add a few cloves into the mix. Simply cut a lemon in half and press five or six cloves on each surface. Place the lemon and cloves on a tray next to where you’d like to be free from mosquitoes.

7. Vanilla Spritz – While we may think vanilla smells amazing, most bugs don’t like it at all. Just add one tablespoon of pure vanilla to a cup of water and spray the mixture to exposed skin to keep mosquitoes, black flies, and ticks from biting you.

8. Coffee Grounds – Mosquitoes are drawn to stagnant water where they lay their eggs. An effective way to control the population of mosquitoes is by killing their eggs. To kill the eggs just sprinkle coffee grounds anywhere that you see stagnant water. This will force the eggs to rise up to the surface and they will die from lack of oxygen.

9. Baby Oil – There are lots of advantages to using baby oil to repel mosquitoes. It makes your skin soft and smelling amazing, but it will also make it harder for mosquitoes to bite. They don’t like the smell, but the slickness of your skin can also make it harder for them to land and bite. But be sure to avoid direct sunlight while wearing baby oil or you could burn.

10. Apple Cider Vinegar Drink – Apple cider vinegar might not taste great, but it makes an incredible mosquito repellant. Just mix one or two tablespoons of the vinegar in 16 ounces of water and drink up. If you need to reduce the bitterness a bit, just add a bit of honey to the mixture. Your body will emit a smell after drinking it that you won’t notice, but mosquitoes will.

11. Red Cedar Mulch – Red cedar not only makes your garden look more attractive, but it will also run off mosquitoes. The wood has insect repelling properties, so just boil a few chips in water and spray the liquid around your garden and yard.

12. Mosquito Eating Plants – If you’ve tried everything else above, don’t give up yet. Try planting some carnivorous plants around your garden and let them take care of mosquitoes for you. Butterwort, Pitcher Plant, and Venus Flytrap are just a few plants that will happily dine on mosquitoes instead of letting the mosquitoes dine on you.

We hope this list helps you to enjoy a safe and mosquito-free summer!