Sven’s Summertime Safety: Our state bird, the mosquito

  • Published
  • By Andy Swenson
  • 319th Air Base Wing Safety Office
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Summer is here and more people are participating in outdoor activities. However, they are not alone.

There are a number of animals that are also out and about now that the temperatures are above freezing. If you have stepped foot outside this year you have likely come in contact with our state bird, the mosquito.

Although it isn't often referred to as a critter, nothing is as hated or feared like the skeeter of North Dakota.

Did you know mosquitoes are nectar feeders? Well, only the males that is. They collect nectar from the grass and plants. It is the female mosquito that kindly bites and draws our blood -- and boy they are good at what they do!

It seems as though no animal or insect can cause a seemingly sane person do insane things. Ever watched someone try to go medieval on a skeeter while driving?

Smacking the windows and swatting the air with anything that will fit in their hand, only to have the skeeter fly away to some unreachable corner of the car to await her next attack.

Meanwhile, this erratic behavior is witnessed by other cars in opposing lanes, causing them to take evasive action to avoid collision. The closeness of the call is determined by the number of fingers witnesses hold up as they pass by. Five fingers and they understand your situation. While one finger means ... we all know what that means.

Some people will advise you to eat garlic, burn citronella or slather on "Skin So Soft." Many products make the claim to deter the full on assault of the female mosquito.

The truth is that short of staying indoors or wearing a bee keeper's suit, there is no absolute answer.

What will generally work for a while is any product with DEET in it. And generally speaking, the more DEET in it, the better it works. This product isn't for everyone, so be careful when putting it on the young, the old or the expecting.

The only words of solace I can provide are to keep as much skin covered as possible, use cologne or perfume sparingly and use a repellant that works for you.

Oh yeah, and did I mention only the females bite? Just saying ...