Mosquitoes.com Provides On-Line Relief

To Rescue Your Friends and Family This Summer

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OFF!® Biting Insect Center via
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Dr. Jonathan Day, a leading mosquito and disease expert from the University of Florida, was on hand with research scientists from the OFF! Biting Insect Center to witness activation of the website and the subsequent arrest of a man-sized mosquito.

Braving a cage filled with hundreds of hungry mosquitoes, Dr. Day was the first to click onto mosquitoes.com which Day pronounced as "the country's first web site devoted solely to helping people -- especially moms and families -- hone their defensive strategies against summer 'vampires.' Mosquitoes.com is non-technical, consumer friendly and very informative."

Dr. Day, who contributed extensively to the website, also demonstrated his latest repellent test results on what works and what doesn't. His efforts last year helped set the record straight on backyard bug zappers, which, despite their ambiguous and misleading packaging, are completely ineffective against mosquitoes. This year, he reveals his latest findings on two Avon® products and a host of other ineffective repellent imposters.

Dr. Maude Meier, manager of the unique OFF!® Biting Insect Center that hatches over 150,000 mosquitoes weekly, demonstrated sure-fire ways to mosquito-proof your yard. "People often unknowingly attract thousands more mosquitoes to their own backyards based on the things they do or don't do," explains Meier.

Touching on everything from people's landscaping choices to un-kept lawns and murky wading pools, Meier outlined strategies to get the whole family involved in do-it-yourself mosquito-proofing. Mosquitoes.com features an interactive backyard, where visitors can point their mouse on various objects and learn tips on how to prevent their yards from becoming mosquito breeding havens.

The new website provides families with a wealth of tips that are tailor-made for the outdoor activities people love including backyard barbecues, camping, fishing, hiking and other family fun. Dr. Day says choosing a protection strategy appropriate to the specific activity can make or break hours of outdoor enjoyment. And, just before prime summer camp season, parents can learn special mosquito-proofing and summer safety tips for kids from leading New York pediatrician Dr. Paula Elbirt. Elbirt also hosts her own website dr.paula.com, one of the country's most popular sources for advice on kids' health.

Because mosquito biting can have serious effects on adults and children, mosquitoes.com features essential information regarding insect transmitted diseases by Dr. Day, who plays a pivotal role in tracking and communications during encephalitis alerts in Florida like the one in Orlando in 1997.

Visitors to mosquitoes.com can also earn their Master of Mosquitoes degree and discover if they are more of a target than others. The site's Mosquito Magnetism survey automatically scores how high visitors rank on the mosquitoes' menus.

Mosquitoes.com is a creation of the makers of OFF!® the insect repellent leader, as part of its consumer and professional education mandate.

Avon® Skin-So-Soft® and Bug Guard are registered trademarks of Avon Products, Inc.

OFF!® is a trademark of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

CONTACT: Holly Beetham, 905-281-2424, ext. 2296, or Jessica Parker, 905-281-2424, ext. 2216, both of Rapp Collins, for OFF!® Biting Insect Center