Aside from rain showers and storms, little else can ruin a summer day outdoors quite like mosquitoes. If the itchy welts they leave you with aren't bad enough, the fact that they can transmit serious and even life-threatening diseases makes protecting yourselves from them all the more important. 

Besides staying indoors during mosquito season, the best way to protect yourself from mosquitoes is to use insect repellent. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing repellents that contain DEET, picardin, IR3535, oil of eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (also called PMD) or 2-undecanone. Always read label instructions and use insect repellents as directed. Tip: If you are using sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first, then the insect repellent, the CDC advises. 

Around your home, you can keep mosquitoes from becoming a nuisance by having plants on your patio or in your garden or yard that will deter them from getting close. Mosquitoes are attracted by certain smells, but they are repelled by others. They find us because they are attracted by the carbon dioxide we exhale with each breath, Mass Audubon reports. But some smells have an opposite effect, and that includes the smells of some plants and herbs. 

The most well-known mosquito-repelling plant is citronella, and there are two different citronella plants that are sometimes held up as mosquito deterrents: citronella grass and citronella geranium. The more well-known is citronella grass, which is also called mosquito grass or lemongrass. It's the oil from the grass that is said to have the mosquito-repelling properties, but studies into its effectiveness have had mixed results, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources reports. Citronella oil is also what is used in some insect repellents, and it's what gives citronella candles and other products their fragrance.

Citronella geranium is a flowering plant, not a grass. While it may be pretty to look at and give off a strong fragrance, studies haven't shown that it is particularly effective at warding off mosquitoes, according to University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The common denominator among the plants that are said to be effective at mosquito control is a strong fragrance, so many of the other plants on the list should come as no surprise. Herbs like fennel, rosemary, basil, sage, mint and lemon thyme are all said to be effective, Treehugger reports.

A fragrant plant we tend to love but mosquitoes will avoid is lavender. And catnip —a favorite of our pet cats — is not a favorite of mosquitoes. 

Growing these mosquito-repelling plants will add beauty and fragrance to your yard, but getting them to ward off the bugs might require another step. Treehugger suggests pulling off a few leaves and crushing them in your hands, then rubbing the released oils on your hands and skin. And a final word on these plant repellents: They will not be as effective as conventional insect repellents. 

You can also win the war on mosquitoes in your yard with a well-placed fan. Ever notice how the bugs don't bite as much on a windy day? That's because mosquitoes aren't strong flyers and don't do well in windy conditions.

Another way to ensure mosquitoes aren't too much of a nuisance in your yard is to attract animals that feast on them, such as bats and dragonflies. Our local bat species primarily eat insects, and some bats might consume as many as 1,000 mosquitoes an hour, Treehugger reports. Want to see bats in your yard? Consider installing a bat box.

Dragonflies can be big mosquito eaters too, eating upwards of 100 a day, Treehugger reports. The best way to attract dragonflies to your yard is to provide a water source like a small pond. (Note: Mosquitoes breed in water, so you can add tablets containing the larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, or Bti, to any water features in your yard.) You can also add native plants to your landscape because these will mimic their natural habitat and also provide spots for them to perch. 

Beyond repelling mosquitoes from your personal space, there are a few other steps you can take to limit their population in your yard. For starters, make sure your yard isn't inadvertently a breeding ground for mosquitoes. They breed in water, so take a close look around your yard to make sure you don't have standing water anywhere, the Illinois Department of Public Health advises. If you have birdbaths and pet bowls outside, change the water regularly — daily for pets — to ensure mosquito eggs don't hatch. In addition, make sure you have tight-fitting lids on your garbage cans, rain barrels and fire pits and barrels.

Regularly cutting your grass helps too. Mosquitoes will rest in shady spots in tall grass and vegetation when it's hot during the day, so keeping your grass cut short and removing weeds can also help keep mosquitoes out of your yard, IDPH advises.