Give the Gift of Health: Thoughtful, Proven Ways to Protect Loved Ones from Mosquitoes.

It's that magical time of year again! A season dedicated to warmth, connection, and finding the perfect gift that truly shows you care. This year, let's look beyond the conventional and give the lasting gift of comfort and well-being. We’ve curated our 2025 Bite Back Gift Guide filled with thoughtful and sustainable solutions designed to keep your loved ones safe from itchy bites and mosquito-borne illness all year long. Get ready to ditch the ineffective gadgets and discover gifts that are proven to work!

Long-Sleeved Clothing: The Effortless Mosquito Barrier

• Perfect For: The stylish outdoor enthusiast, the avid gardener, or anyone who seems to attract every mosquito in the area. This gift offers an easy way to avoid itchy bites and stay safe from disease.
• Myth: Skintight clothing is just as protective as anything else. 
• Reality: Thin shirts offer a little barrier, allowing some species of mosquitoes to bite through it. Long-sleeved and loose-fitting clothing made of thicker, tightly woven material provides a reliable physical barrier, keeping mosquitoes from reaching the skin. Plus, it’s in fashion these days to wear oversized or less fitted clothing.
• Where to Get It: Look for outdoor apparel brands known for breathable, sun-protective fabrics. Sometimes you can score these brands at a good thrift shop.

California Native Plants: Nature's Ecosystem Against Mosquitoes

• Perfect For: Nature lovers, new plant parents, gardeners, and those looking for low-maintenance, beautiful outdoor gifts.
• Myth: Plants like citronella or lavender will repel mosquitoes from your entire yard. 
• Reality: While some plants may offer some minor, localized effect, they won't clear an entire area. California native plants offer a sustainable gift by creating a balanced ecosystem. They thrive with minimal water, helping to eliminate the stagnant water mosquitoes need to breed.
• Where to Get It: You can buy Native Plants from local nurseries specializing in California flora or from our partners, Theodore Payne Foundation and California Botanic Garden.

The Right Mosquito Repellent: The Invisible Mosquito Shield

• Perfect For: Anyone traveling to high-risk mosquito-borne disease areas, kids playing outside, or those who need maximum protection for exposed skin.
• Myth: All repellents are useless or too toxic to use. 
• Reality: While many folk remedies and unlisted ingredients fail, these EPA-recommended repellent active ingredients do work:
  • DEET
  • Picaridin
  • Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
  • IR3535
• Where to Get It: Find these effective repellents at most pharmacies, outdoor supply stores, and online retailers.

Yard Maintenance: Gifting Time and Protection from Mosquitoes

• Perfect For: Elderly relatives, new homeowners, busy working parents, or anyone who needs a helping hand to keep their property in top shape.
• Myth: Just spraying the yard once a month is enough to solve the mosquito problem. 
• Reality: Spraying only targets 50% of flying adult mosquitoes and provides a semi short-term fix. Gifting your time and attention to yard maintenance is a thoughtful, effective gift. Helping someone tip and toss sources of stagnant water (old tires, neglected buckets, clogged gutters) is the only way to eliminate the mosquito breeding grounds entirely.
• Where to Get It: This is the most personal gift! Simply create a thoughtful "Gift Certificate of Yard Maintenance" for your loved one.

EcoHealth Classroom Visit: Educating the Next Generation

• Perfect For: Teachers, educators, principals, parents, and community members who want to bring engaging, hands-on science education to local schools.
• Myth: Students don't benefit from dedicated instruction on public health and mosquito-borne disease. 
• Reality: Mosquitoes transmit dangerous diseases, even to children and understanding their life cycle is key to community disease prevention. Gifting our free EcoHealth education program is an impactful way to teach Pre-K through 12th-grade students about mosquitoes, public health, and the environment, complementing their science curriculum.
• Where to Get It: You can book a program for a local school or classroom on our website.

Our Mosquito Control Services: Empowering the Community

• Perfect For: Resident leaders, neighborhood associations, local officials, environmentalists, and activists looking to drive positive change in their area.
• Myth: Resident knowledge about mosquitoes isn’t important. 
• Reality: Community-wide success depends on educated, empowered individuals taking action against mosquitoes. Gifting any of our services helps improve quality of life by empowering residents, neighbors, and local leaders with the knowledge to reduce mosquito populations and prevent disease outbreaks through collaboration.
• Where to Get It: Book a service for your for someone who cares about their neighborhood or organization.

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For more information, please visit BiteBackChampion.org or visit our website.

District Mission: Providing the highest level of protection from vectors & vector-borne diseases in San Gabriel Valley.

🖋  Written by Ally Gaspar, Outreach Assistant