Mosquito repellents can do a great job of keeping summer’s bugs at bay, but finding the right one for you and your family can take a bit of work. A mosquito repellent is a substance put on skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages mosquitoes from landing or crawling on that surface.

A female mosquito feeds on blood to acquire protein that allows the development of her eggs. When she bites, she releases saliva into the area where she is feeding. Her saliva contains proteins that may cause some people to have an allergic reaction, such as itchy red bumps and swollen hives.