Perhaps the best defense against mosquitoes is bug spray. Three types that work:
DEET is the most effective repellent—it’s in many bug sprays, such as Off! Conlon recommends spray with a concentration of 25 to 35 percent (marked on the bottle): “Any less and it won’t work well, but protection begins to level off around 35 percent.”
Conlon says that outside the United States, the most popular mosquito repellent is picaridin, a synthetic derivative of pepper plants. One advantage: It doesn’t smell as strongly as some DEET sprays.
For a more natural repellent, try a spray made with oil of lemon eucalyptus, the only plant-derived mosquito repellent recommended by the CDC.