While some mosquitoes like to bite during the day, the vast majority of mosquitoes are most active during crepuscular hours (dusk and dawn). If you must be out during this time, take steps to protect yourself by wearing loose-fitting clothes that cover your arms and legs and apply a CDC-approved insect repellent. 

 The style, color, fit, and material of our clothing can offer more (or less) protection against biting insects like mosquitoes. 

Material:

The mouthpart of a mosquito, called the proboscis, is incredibly thin, flexible, and surprisingly long - around 2mm, or 1/8 of an inch! It can easily navigate between fibers and through tight layers to still reach our skin. Material like spandex, denim, mesh, and more offer very little protection against bites. Consider additional layers as a way to reduce bites through thin layers of clothing, or using repellents.  

Colors:

Mosquitoes have very poor eyesight, instead relying on other senses to find prey. Darker colors are easier for a mosquito to pinpoint by sight. But dark colors also retain more heat, which mosquitoes also sense. 

Fit: 

Loose-fitting garments offer more resistance to mosquito bites and can be cooler on a hot day. When clothes hang further from the body, like wide-leg pants or an oversized top, mosquitoes may bite through fabric but are far less likely to reach our bodies. 

Compare the clothes of these characters below in regard to preventing mosquito bites:

 

 

 Insect repellants are a great tool to minimize bites. However, they are only one step to take in prevention. 

Understanding how different repellants work is important in deciding on your prevention method.

 

DEET: Disrupts the mosquito's sensory receptors found on it's antennae, and masking the pheromones from our body. This makes it more difficult for a mosquito to find us.

Picaridin: Disrupts the mosquito's sensory receptors found on it's antennae, as well as forms a vapor barrier to deter mosquitoes from landing on the skin.

IR3535: Tricks mosquitoes into refusing to land on a host, possibly due to the mosquito's sense of smell. However, the smell is often considered pleasant to humans. 

Up-to-date guidance from the CDC about safe and proper use of approved insect repellents.

No method of bite prevention will work against 100% of all bites, despite reducing your risk greatly. 

 What is likely the most important step in prevention against bug bites, particularly mosquito bites, is source reduction. If you can remove or prevent where mosquitoes would normally lay their eggs then you can stop mosquitoes before they ever have a chance to bite. 

Mosquito eggs, larvae, and pupae develop in water.  Depending on the species, this could be in containers, water-holding plants, ponds, drains, or more. Once they mature into adults, they fly off and can become a biting nuisance or disease risk. 

Check around your property for areas that may allow mosquitoes to lay eggs and either remove the potential source, remove the water, or use EPA-recommended treatment methods such as BTI to prevent larval development.