I was compensated for this article as part of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. All opinions are my own.

There are many things I love about summer—sunny days, lots of fresh produce, and fun at the beach. While this is generally a relaxing time, there is one issue that truly concerns me: Zika-infected mosquitos! I hate bugs and bug bites, of course, but what used to be a minor annoyance could now be a life changing nightmare.

Ever since I first heard the scary stats and warnings coming out of South America, I have been scared to death that it will spread north. Since mosquitos are everywhere and we’re all at risk for being bitten, it’s especially important to focus on prevention (for the whole family, not just women of childbearing age)!

There is a lot of panic surrounding Zika and like most threats, a lot of misinformation has been circulating. One reliable source is RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment). They’ve created Debug the Myths, a website designed to answer common questions about pesticides and the role pesticides play in protecting families, homes, and communities from harmful and damaging pests.

How can we prevent Zika? Here are 4 easy things RISE suggests:

1. Put up personal barriers

The #1 thing we should be doing is regularly using EPA-approved repellent on exposed skin. Wearing light-colored clothing and repellent-treated clothing can help, as can covering up with long sleeves/pants. While many mosquitoes are particularly active during dawn and dusk hours, Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit the Zika virus, bite all day long, and can bite up to 12 people during that time so we must always be aware.

2. Reinforce your home

Make sure the screens on your windows and doors are in good repair and don’t have any holes. Using the A/C during warm weather is preferable to outside exposure, but if you must open a window, make sure it has a screen.

3. Eliminate standing water

Think a tiny bit can’t hurt? Guess again! Aedes mosquitoes can breed in a capful of water. Just imagine what a larger source can lead to! Survey your home for possible areas of water collection—tire swings, buckets, clogged rain gutters, birdbaths, pet bowls, toys, flowerpots, etc. Consider covering or draining swimming pools during the off season.

4. Clean the Yard

Make sure your yard is regularly mowed and maintained. If you’ll be out of town for extended periods of time, make sure someone else can keep up with the lawn.  Not only is tall, wet grass unsightly, overgrowth provides mosquitoes an ideal spot to breed and live.

Another way that RISE suggests keeping communities safe is to make sure that neighborhood leaders have measures in place to help prevent mosquitoes. An integrated management plan should include larvae treatments which are applied directly to water sources to stop larvae from becoming adult mosquitoes and/or utilizing localized treatments to reduce the flying mosquito population.

My fear about Zika will probably never go away, but being able to take preventative measures helps me to feel less powerless. Want to learn more about this important topic? Visit Debug the Myths and join us for the #AtoZika Twitter party on Tuesday, June 28 at 9:00PM EST.