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If the thick, hot and breezeless summer air isn't unpleasant enough, add some mosquitoes to the mix and you might never want to enjoy a backyard barbeque again. But before dousing yourself in smelly and expensive DEET, consider a chemical-free, mosquito-fighting weapon you probably already have: a fan.
According to Theodore G. Andreadis, chief medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the standard house fan effectively discourages mosquitoes from feeding. "If you circulate the air, a mosquito will definitely have a hard time landing on you," he said. A caveat: the fan won't be effective if it's sitting on the other side of the deck. Or, he said, "It's got to be a pretty strong fan."
Studies have shown that in addition to the making it harder for the insect to land, fans also dilute exhaled carbon dioxide, a chemical that attracts mosquitoes.
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