Penn State Extension Delaware County

Warmer weather means more time outdoors—whether you're grilling with friends, gardening, or enjoying your backyard. But as temperatures rise, so does mosquito activity.

Here are a few simple ways to reduce mosquito bites around your home:

— Eliminate standing water. Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle. Check your property regularly for items that collect water, including buckets, toys, tarps, bird baths, rain barrels, and outdoor containers. 🦟

— Maintain water features. Clean and refill bird baths weekly, keep fountains and ponds circulating when possible, and cover rain barrels with fine-mesh screens. Water that cannot be emptied can be treated with Bti mosquito dunks, which target mosquito larvae without harming other animals when used as directed. 💧

— Enjoy screened spaces. Screened porches and enclosed tents help keep mosquitoes out during summer gatherings. Inspect screens annually and repair any holes. 🏡

— Use EPA-registered insect repellents. Products containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus can help protect against mosquitoes and may also reduce tick bites. Always follow label instructions.🧴

— Dress for protection. Loose-fitting, long sleeves and pants can provide an additional barrier against mosquitoes and ticks. 👕

— Stay informed. Monitor local public health updates about mosquito and tick activity in your area to help plan outdoor activities safely. 📍

With a few precautions, you can spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time swatting away unwanted pests.

Attention Delaware County gardeners: There is still time to enter your ornamental garden in the annual garden contest sponsored by Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Delaware County. All details on the contest found right here. Deadline to enter is 6/22/26.

Beech Leaf Disease is spreading rapidly in our region and poses a major threat to Pennsylvania's beech trees. Learn about identification and current management options.

Guide to Beech Leaf Disease for the Public Beech Leaf Disease is spreading rapidly in our region and poses a major threat to Pennsylvania's beech trees. Learn about identification and current management options.

Join the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Delaware County for a free mid-season vegetable garden check-up designed to help home gardeners keep their gardens healthy and productive throughout the growing season. Bring your vegetable garden questions, concerns, and challenges to this interactive program, where a panel of Master Gardeners will share practical tips, troubleshooting strategies, and research-based guidance on common insect, disease, and gardening issues frequently addressed through the Garden Hotline. Participants will learn how to identify and manage common garden problems while improving the health and yield of their backyard vegetable gardens. Register by 7/9/26:

Good Gardening Saturday: Mid-Season Vegetable Garden Checkup Learn how to identify and manage common vegetable garden diseases, insects, and wildlife issues while improving the health and productivity of your garden.

Explore the “hidden canopies” of underutilized trees and shrubs in this engaging webinar with Dr. Beth Brantley, research scientist and plant pathologist at the Bartlett Tree Research Lab. Discover how lesser-known woody species can enhance resilience, biodiversity, and sustainability in managed and natural landscapes. Learn practical strategies for selecting and integrating these plants into diversified production systems, with insights on food potential, pollinator support, climate adaptation, and multifunctional design. Ideal for professionals in horticulture, agriculture, and conservation, this session will expand your plant palette and inspire new approaches to landscape management.

Hidden Canopies: Exploring Underutilized Trees and Shrubs Explore underutilized trees and shrubs and learn practical strategies to enhance landscapes, support biodiversity, and promote sustainable production systems.

Have you ever eaten rhubarb? It is a nutrition powerhouse! Give this rhubarb recipe a try: https://extension.psu.edu/rhubarb-love-it-for-its-taste-eat-it-for-your-health

Nature Art Camp (Ages 7-10) Have fun with nature-based arts & crafts during this three-day morning camp at the historic Willows Mansion.

Learn what alpha-gal syndrome is and how it can cause allergic reactions to mammal-based foods and products in this virtual webinar. This live webinar is offered at no charge to participants. Registration is required and space is limited.

Biting Pests: Alpha-Gal Syndrome Learn about alpha-gal syndrome, also known as the "red meat allergy," including its connection to tick bites, management strategies, and ways to help prevent tick bites.

Juice-up your daily water intake with some amazing add-ins!
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