Most Anopheles mosquitoes are crepuscular (active at dusk or
dawn) or nocturnal (active at night). Some Anopheles mosquitoes
feed indoors (endophagic) while others feed outdoors (exophagic).
After blood feeding, some Anopheles mosquitoes prefer to rest
indoors (endophilic) while others prefer to rest outdoors (exophilic).
Biting by nocturnal, endophagic Anopheles mosquitoes can be
markedly reduced through the use of permethrin-saturated
mosquito net or through improved housing construction to prevent
mosquito entry (e.g. window screens). Endophilic mosquitoes are
readily controlled by indoor spraying of residual insecticides. In
contrast, exophagic/exophilic vectors are best controlled through
source reduction (destruction of the breeding sites)
What does all that mean to us, lonesome travelers, who wants to stay healthy?
1. Wear long sleeves, pants and a hat outdoors during peak bitting hours, dusk and dawn.
2. During dusk and dawn stay indoors with the window shut if possible. Read a book.
3. If your outdoors during peak hours, try to move to a location away from the mosquitos, such as a windy seaside or on top of roof café. Don't sit inland near the jungle, you will get bitten for sure!
4. Before sunset, close all the windows, and spray your room with house hold bug spray. Use under the bed and behind furniture (where they hide.) Also spray in the attached bath (they love water.) Once you've sprayed best to leave for an hour or two, when you return all the mossies be dead.
5. Always sleep under a mosquito net, even if you don't see them they might be sleeping, hidding and active later at night. Permethin will prevent small mosquito from squeezing through the holes of the net. If there are a lot of mosquito they will force their way through.
6. Try and pick accommodation that are located in a windy or dry place. Make sure a swamp is not beside your room!
7. Keep the fan set on high, this should scare some of them away.
8. Be careful in Cyber-Cafés, this is where mosquito love to hide, particularly when they first open in the morning!
How to Hang your Mosquito Net
In India often there are no hooks provided on the walls to attach the ends for the net. This is because the guesthouses don't want you to think there is a mosquito problem! So...
1. Get some elastic bands, connect three or four together and attach to the loop on the net corner. Then attach string or fishing line, even dental floss. Make sure you have some long lengths, the long the better. You can add alligatored clips to the ends.
The bands will prevent rips and make it easy to hang. String to odd angle across the room to get a good fit over your bed. Parts of doors are good, the edge of mirror and point that will hold the net up will work. Make it low enough so you can tuck the net under the mattress for a perfect mosquito net fit!
Malaria Map Risk During and after Monsoon (June-Nov.)
Other Things to know about Malaria
1. Some tourists have died from contracting Malaria in India, usually from not being diagnosed quickly enough or by a misdiagnoses.
2. Someone can die in two days after contracting Malaria, so time is very important.
3. Malaria can also be cured in two days.
4. Usually it takes weeks or months to fully recover from Malaria. It may reoccur.
5. If you ever have a fever, particularly one that comes and goes or a high fever, you need to get tested for Malaria. Even months after you've left India.
6. For best advice: consult a traveler doctor before you leave.
Are there any non-chemical product to keep mosquito's away?
There is a bug zapper light that can attracts mosquito in your room and zaps them! Also some high frequency sound can keep them away. As strong citronella patch from 3m company does some good job over your net.
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