Mosquitoes are a familiar summer pest. Many of us try to keep them away with bug spray, citronella candles and other methods. To protect the youngest members of your family from mosquitoes - especially those less than 6 months old - follow these tips:

Cover up! Dress baby in long sleeves and socks. Check socks for holes and make sure the socks always stay on the baby's feet. To keep socks from falling off, use a little bit of glue to seal the socks at the baby's ankles.

Whose baby is this?

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors such as blues and purples. Choose white socks or socks with patterns that don't show up against your baby's skin.

A little olive oil goes a long way. Rubbing the baby with a few drops of olive oil can help to keep mosquitoes away from your baby. Olive oil is effective because it prevents the mosquito from latching on. Make sure that you only apply a drop or two (no more than 10% of the baby's total body surface area) and wash your hands soon after.

Eliminate Standing water

Eliminate standing water in your yard. Mosquitoes can breed anywhere that there is standing water - even a bottle cap! To make sure mosquitoes don't have the chance to reproduce near your home, take all trash and recycling to the curb before the morning of your regularly scheduled pickup day. Every week or two, empty and scrub containers like wading pools, birdbaths and pet water dishes. Change the water in decorative ponds every couple of days.

Leftover rainwater is a mosquito magnet. Keep gutters clean to prevent mosquitoes from breeding there.

Pump it up! Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors such as blues and purples. Choose white socks or socks with patterns that don't show up against your baby's skin.

Tasty treat?

Some mosquitoes are known to eat natural body chemicals called lactic acids. This may help protect babies from getting bitten, so use a little bit of lotion on your baby's arms and legs if you can. The same thing works for adults too!

Cover up! Dress baby in long sleeves and socks. Check socks for holes and make sure the socks always stay on your baby's feet. To keep socks from falling off, use a little bit of glue to seal the socks at the baby's ankles.

Wear socks and shoes with no-see-um mesh netting in the toes and heels. These socks and shoes also have socks with patterns that don't show up against your baby's skin.

You can buy socks and shoes like this from catalogs, stores or online from platforms like sock ons

Tie socks to shoes

Avoid placing socks on baby's feet and then putting socks over the socks with shoes, because mosquitoes can bite through socks. To prevent this from happening: always wear socks with shoes, tie the socks so they stay firmly in place (the baby won't be able to pull them off), and make socks short enough so that shoes cover socks.

Avoid going outside with the baby in the evening or at dawn. These are peak mosquito hours when mosquitoes are most active. If you have to go out during these times, consider using a net tent on the baby's stroller (available from infant-products stores).

Mosquitoes cannot sting through the netting.

Baby socks work for adults, too. Keep socks with alpha-hydroxy acid in drawers to use if you get mosquito bites. (Choose socks without aloe if baby's skin is sensitive.) A small study showed that socks containing 20% alpha-hydroxy acid might be effective at preventing mosquitoes from biting.

Cover baby's stroller or carriage with mosquito netting. Make sure the netting hangs down to cover all sides and that it is loose enough that mosquitoes cannot get through. You could even place socks over the top of the netting so mosquitoes can't bite from below.

NOTE: The socks should not be touching the baby's skin.

If you have socks in your diaper bag, it's easy to apply socks quickly if an emergency arises. Carry socks with you at all times (it takes only a few seconds to put socks on), and use socks to protect yourself at any outdoor event where there is a concern about mosquitoes - picnics, sports games , fishing, etc.