With summer in full swing, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is issuing some guidelines on how to keep mosquitoes at bay.
The department said the insects are dangerous because they can transmit diseases like West Nile Virus to both people and animals.
Jennifer Holton is the communications director for MDARD.
She said residents can prevent mosquitos from laying their eggs by emptying any sites of standing water around their homes.
"Like buckets that might have water and planters that don't have plants in them, even kiddie pools. Those can give remove their ability to breathe," she said.
Holton encourages residents to unclog their gutters and change the water in their pets’ animal bowls, buckets, and troughs.
Holton adds it’s important to wash hands after applying the repellant.
A full list of EPA approved insect repellents is available on the EPA's website.