Perhaps this summer's drought served as something of a blessing in disguise, since Houston didn't see nearly as many mosquitoes.

That is, until now. Recent rain left standing water and a breeding ground for those pesky and eager-to-propagate insects. It's impossible to spend any time outdoors — dining, exercising, walking the dog, or even running from the car to the front door — without getting bitten.

Luckily, the mosquito infestation should subside with cooler weather later this week. Here are a handful of helpful tips to last you until then.

1. Mosquito repellent

This is the first and most obvious solution, but mosquitoes have been so bad that area stores are having a hard time keeping enough repellent stocked on their shelves. Besides, spray-on repellent is so prone to repel me — by leaving a sticky film and an unappealing fragrance on my skin, or a lingering taste in my mouth — that it's sometimes easier to opt for welts.

But I tried Off! Unscented spray this morning, and had nary a nibble or unpleasant side effect during my hour outdoors.

2. Zappers & candles

There are a few ways to make a porch or backyard more bearable. Mosquito zappers look cool and work for slapstick segments in movies, and the profusion of options leads one to believe that the devices achieve some level of success.

Citronella candles work, too. Neither are very portable — unless you care to put an interesting spin on a tried-and-true Halloween costume.

3. Bat house

Harboring a little bat colony is a bit more of an investment and commitment, but well worth it — although perhaps not to the chiroptophobic, who may prefer painful and unsightly mosquito welts to the more unrealistic threat of rabies and vampire bat bites. One brown bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes in an hour, which could make a serious dent in that puddle's population.

4. Nets... or net clothing

A mosquito net is dramatic and effective. If you're on the go, and you don't mind looking overzealous, wear a head-cover or a full-out mosquito net jacket. Depending upon your vulnerability to mosquito allergies and your tolerance for making a spectacle of yourself in public, a beekeeper's suit could work, too.

5. Just stay inside

This too shall pass. It's pretty muggy out there anyway, and a cold front is set to roll in on Thursday night, so you'll be unmolested while out and about soon enough. In the meantime, visit the "Attack of the Bloodsuckers" exhibit at the Children's Museum of Houston to learn more about mosquitoes while simultaneously avoiding them.