Are mosquitoes a buzzing nuisance in your beautiful Bali home? More than just an annoyance, they can carry diseases like Malaria, Dengue Fever, and Chikungunya. While most of the 2,700 mosquito species are harmless, the Anopheles, Aedes aegypti, and Aedes albopictus species should be taken seriously. Fortunately, Malaria isn’t a concern in Bali, but Dengue fever is on the rise, making preventative measures crucial. Understanding mosquito behavior and implementing effective strategies can significantly reduce the risk of bites and disease.
Understanding the Enemy: The Dengue Mosquito
The dengue mosquito, often identified by its striped legs, has unique habits:
- Indoor Living: They prefer to live and bite indoors.
- Swift Movement: They are fast and difficult to catch.
- Hiding Spots: They like to hide under furniture, often biting around the feet and ankles.
- Painless Bites: Bites are often painless, leading people to mistake them for sandfly bites.
- Daytime Biting: Dengue mosquitoes primarily bite during the day.
- Short Flight Range: They don’t fly far so eliminating breeding grounds is very effective.
- Unique Breeding: They don’t breed in swamps or drains but rather in standing water.
- Attraction: They are drawn to carbon dioxide, body odors, movement, and the heat of warm bodies.
Fortifying Your Bali Home Against Mosquitoes
Here are several actionable steps to help you protect yourself in your home:
- Install Fly Screens: Make your home mosquito-proof by installing fly screens on windows and doors.
- Choose a design that complements your home’s aesthetics.
- Consider metal mesh for durability and easy cleaning.
- Eliminate Standing Water: Regularly inspect your property and remove any standing water, even small drops, as these can become breeding grounds for mosquitos.
- Avoid Stagnant Water: Do not live close to stagnant pools and areas with even small amounts of water.
- Natural Predators: Use fish and frogs in water features to consume mosquito larvae, or add “Abate” to standing water to kill larvae without harming fish.
- Seal Access Points: Close off access points to wells, water tanks, toilet cisterns, drains, and septics.
- Plant Mosquito-Repelling Plants: Consider planting Liligundi (Vitex Trifolia), which is known to repel mosquitoes. This plant is also used to make mosquito repelling incense.
- Use Yellow Light Bulbs: Install yellow light bulbs for external areas, as yellow light does not attract mosquitoes as much as white light.
- Regular Fogging: Have your property fogged during the wet season, but ensure that the correct chemicals are used.
- Keep Chit Chats Around: In your house, do not harm chit chats, as they eat mosquitoes.
Personal Protection Measures
In addition to property measures, consider these personal protection strategies:
- Insect Repellent: Use an effective insect repellent like Autan fluid.
- Keep Fans On: Mosquitoes are not strong fliers, so having a fan near you can keep them away.
- Protective Clothing: Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers, especially during dawn and dusk.
- Sleep Under a Sheet: It’s a barrier against mosquitos.
- Shower Regularly: Especially before dusk, as mosquitoes are attracted to sweat.
Other Options and What to Avoid
- Various products like calamine lotion, citronella oil, mosquito coils, and plug-in mosquito pads are available. Some are more effective than others.
- Ultrasonic devices have been proven ineffective.
- Fly zappers kill more beneficial insects than mosquitoes, so using them is not advised.
Living with Mosquitoes
While complete eradication might be challenging, implementing these measures can significantly reduce mosquito populations around your Bali home. Learning to coexist while minimizing the risks is a sensible approach. If you do get bitten, a balm like Tiger Balm can help relieve itching and swelling.
By integrating these strategies into your home’s design and maintenance, you can enjoy the beauty of Bali while safeguarding against the nuisance and dangers of mosquitoes.
