City Cast Philly logo
Advertisement image

Mosquito-Free Summer Tips

Posted on August 23, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Brittany Valentine

Brittany Valentine

Citronella is natural insect-repellent. (Kcris Ramos/Getty Images)

Citronella is natural insect-repellent. (Kcris Ramos/Getty Images)

Don't let blood-thirsty mosquitoes spoil your summer fun. Here are some tips to keep them at bay:

  • Stay indoors: Mosquitoes are most active from dusk to dawn, so try to limit your outdoor time during these hours. If you must be outside, cover up and/or apply mosquito repellent to exposed skin.
  • Burn citronella, lemon, or peppermint candles to deter mosquitoes, flies, and ticks from crashing your party uninvited 🕯️
  • Plant marigold, thyme, basil, catnip, bee balm, mint, lavender, and eucalyptus in your outdoor garden. Mosquitoes hate these smells.
  • Mosquitoes love standing water, it’s where they lay eggs. Dump out any standing water from storage vessels, fish ponds, bird baths, clogged gutters, inflatable pools, and empty flower pots 💧
see more:outdoors

Share article

Hey Philly

Stay connected to City Cast Philly and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.
Advertisement image

Urban Almanac

See All
Urban AlmanacSeptember 17, 2024

When Will We Start To See Philly’s Fall Colors?

The fall foliage in Philly and the rest of Pennsylvania is beautiful. But when is the best time to see it?

Students walking on Locust Walk at the University of Pennsylvania, underneath trees with leaves of orange, yellow, and green.
Urban AlmanacAugust 20, 2024

How to Make Your Own Air Purifier

Air purifiers can be expensive, but you can make your own at home with a few simple items. What an inexpensive and easy way to ensure you...

The components of a homemade air purifier.
Urban AlmanacAugust 13, 2024

How Turning Out the Lights Can Prevent Bird Deaths

The “Lights Out Philly” initiative looks to reduce the number of birds that die from striking glass windows and buildings during migratio...

Philly at nighttime.
Urban AlmanacJuly 30, 2024

How Philly’s Public Green Space Measures Up Nationally

In 2024, Philly scored a 57.5 on the Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore index. Access was a strength, while investment was a liability.

Volunteers tend to a park.
Urban AlmanacJuly 16, 2024

How Beavers Went from Eradication to Abundance in Pennsylvania

Have you ever seen a beaver in Philadelphia?

A close-up photo of a beaver.
Urban AlmanacJuly 2, 2024

How the Urban Heat Island Effect Impacts Philly

This summer has already shattered temperature records across the country. Here’s why it’s extra hot in Philadelphia.

A dog walking underneath a fire hydrant spraying water.
Urban AlmanacJune 25, 2024

Free Sunscreen Now Available in PA State Parks

Pennsylvania has expanded its free sunscreen program this season to 52 of its 124 state parks.

A sign giving directions at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center.
Urban AlmanacMay 14, 2024

What Makes Rocks in the Wissahickon Sparkle

Throughout my many hiking ventures in Northwest Philly's Wissahickon Valley Park, I always seem to admire shiny rocks along the trails an...

A river runs through tree-emblazoned scene of shiny rocks.