It's that time of the year again - the sun is out and we're all ready to soak up some rays. But there's one thing that could put a damper on our fun: the return of the dreaded mosquito season.

We all know that mosquitoes love standing water, and boy did we get plenty of that with all the storms we had this year. So, unfortunately, we can expect a surge in mosquito populations as a result. These pesky bugs love to breed in stagnant water, so keep an eye out for any unmaintained pools or buckets around your yard.

On the other hand, we need to be careful of those invasive species of mosquitoes that could cause some serious issues. The aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus mosquitoes are known to spread diseases like Zika and dengue, so let's make sure to get rid of any standing water around our homes

"The best way to prevent diseases that are spread by mosquitoes is to protect yourself from mosquito bites: use mosquito repellent on clothes and exposed skin when going outdoors (especially at dawn and dusk), and wear long sleeves and pants for extra protection."

- California Department of Public Health

Read more from the Los Angeles Times

Of course, don't forget to protect yourself by grabbing some mosquito repellent from Murphy's Naturals! With some luck and a little bit of prevention, we can keep these bugs at bay and enjoy a fun and mosquito-free summer.

Genevieve Guenther