Those nasty blood-sucking mosquitoes are out in full force, leaving your arms and legs covered with tiny red — and itchy — welts.

According to "Prevention" magazine, the proteins left behind after these irritating insects drink their fill of your blood cause your immune system to attack by releasing histamines. These histamines cause the itching and swelling that can drive you crazy.

Of course the best way to avoid mosquito bites is to prevent them in the first place.

Considering the size of these miniscule nuisances, it’s hard to believe that they can be killers. But, according to the World Health Organization, mosquito bites result in the deaths of over 1 million people each year!

So it’s important to use a mosquito repellent when your venture outdoors says Jonathan Day PhD, a mosquito researcher and professor of medical entomology at the University of Florida.

Wear light clothing, remove standing water from your yard, avoid going out at certain times of the day and keep air circulating.

But if you do get attacked, here are some ways to reduce the itching and swelling:

1. Apply rubbing alcohol to the bite. Carry individually wrapped alphol wipes with you at all times to soothe and cool the itching.
2. Ice, baby, ice. Apply an ice cube or cold soda can to the area to provide relief.
3. Calamine lotion to the rescue. This tried-and-true first aid hack contains zinc oxide which has been long touted for its anti-itch properties.
4. Pop an oral antihistamine. Drugs like Benadryl, Claritin and Zyrtec turn off the body’s histamine response and can provide major relief. This is excellent if your whole body is a land mine or mosquito bites. Benadryl gel applied topically is also fast acting and efficient.
5. Baking soda to the rescue. Make a thick paste of ordinary baking soda and water and apply to the bites. You may also want to add baking soda to warm bath water and soak away the itch.