Family Resources

Controlling mosquitoes is a shared responsibility. On this page, find resources to learn more about mosquitoes and how to protect your loved ones from mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases.

A guide for parents about mosquitoes, emphasizing safety and the insect's significant impact on life in the San Gabriel Valley.
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How to Prevent Bites at School

A cartoon girl with long blonde hair is walking, wearing a purple hoodie, blue jeans, and pink shoes.

Mosquitoes in SoCal enjoy indoor and outdoor spaces. Your child's classroom may be visited by mosquitoes during the day. Prevent bites:

  • Apply repellent on exposed skin- Use a repellent that protects for the duration of the school day (6+ hours)
    • Check with your pediatrician before applying repellent on your child​
  • Dress in loose, long sleeves and pants to cover as much skin as possible
  • Avoid repellent stickers, patches, or bracelets. These have not been shown to be effective methods for preventing mosquito bites.
The image depicts a stylized representation of a virus, featuring a yellow sphere with spike-like projections.

Vector-Borne Disease Information

Mosquitoes can spread diseases when they bite. For information on disease symptoms,  local disease updates, and/or prevention methods, visit the following websites: 

Travel Tips

Traveling soon? Here are some quick tips for an enjoyable and bite-free trip:​

A bottle of mosquito repellent, featuring a warning sign against mosquitos, indicating it's designed to keep them away.
  1. Purchase repellent in the United States, BEFORE you go. Look for a repellent containing 20% concentration or higher of 1 active ingredient on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved list of safe and effective insect repellents:
    • DEET
    • Picaridin
    • Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
    • IR3535​
  2. Check the CDC's Travel Notices webpage for specific location recommendations.
  3. Wear repellent during your trip, as recommended on the product label.
  4. Wear repellent once you return home. This prevents mosquitoes from biting you and spreading any diseases you may have acquired during your trip.  See the link below for guidelines upon returning from an elevated disease risk area.​

For more travel information, visit the CDC's "Preventing Mosquito Bites While Traveling" page.