If you’ve managed to go your whole life without an itchy clump of mosquito bites on various parts of your body, we would like to hereby salute you as the winner of the outdoors. But for the rest of us, mosquito bites are just an unfortunate reality of spending time in the outdoors especially when camping near lakes or other bodies of water. Although mosquitoes breed primarily in still or slow moving water, wherever humans are, they’re bound to be buzzing around.
So we all know that a good insect repellent shower is the number one way to deter the little buggers. However, there’s more to it than just liberally spraying and calling it good. If you really want to keep mosquitoes away, here are a few things you should know.
1. Humans Smell Delicious
Mosquitoes are attracted to just about every chemical compound that humans emit, including ammonia, phenols, and even carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide you breathe out as much as 75 feet away, which means they’re coming for you, even when you don’t see them. Since there’s not much you can do to stop your body from producing these compounds, a good repellent is necessary.
Instead of being called ‘repellent’, bug spray should actually be called something more like ‘scrambler’ or ‘confuser’, because that’s exactly what bug repellent does. The repellent masks human chemical compounds by creating a layer of vapor over your skin and clothing. Because vapors tend to dissipate eventually, relatively frequent reapplication is necessary, especially when it’s hot outside.
2. Timing is Everything
There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes, and not all of them feed on the blood of mammals. But for the ones that do, the optimum time to mount your defense is slightly before dusk, when all vampires begin to awaken from their slumber to feed. However, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear while the sun shines high in the sky. It’s a good idea to use a repellent any time you’re recreating in the outdoors, but especially important from the twilight hour until dawn. Parking under a fan or in the direct path of wind is a great way to keep mosquitoes at bay regardless of the time of day, since mosquitoes are not very strong fliers.
3. Follow the Directions
It’s easy to be overly ambitious when it comes to warding away those nasty little insects, but it is crucial that you follow the instructions printed for the particular repellent you’re using. Products like DEET are highly effective against mosquitoes, but can also cause skin irritations and rashes when used incorrectly. DEET should never be used on children 2 years of age and younger; a concentration no higher than 10 percent should be used on children aged 3-13. Take care to never get DEET in open wounds, eyes, or any mucous membranes, as it is toxic when ingested.
Related articles: 3 Natural Ways to Repel Mosquitoes When Camping, Rid Your Yard of Mosquitoes Without Pesticides, 5 Plants Mosquitoes Hate
Featured Image from Syed Ali/Unsplash
