While being out in nature is mostly great, mosquitos can turn any trip sour, here are the 5 best tips for repelling them. Following these tips can help make your trip even more enjoyable and free from distractions from the outdoors.
- Wear Protective Clothing
One of the best ways to cut down on mosquito bites is to limit the surface area they can bite. You can do this by wearing long sleeves and long pants. There are also some lines of clothing that are made with mosquito repellent in the fabric. Mosquitos are also attracted to darker clothing, so make sure you are wearing light clothing that is the proper weight for the weather you are in. If necessary, an area with a large population of mosquitos could warrant wearing a head net. Looking like a beekeeper is well worth keeping buzzing mosquitos out of your ears and face. Clothing in many ways can be better than bug spray because it does not wear off as most sprays do. Next time you go camping make sure your clothing is suitable to repel mosquitos.
- Stay Away From Standing Water
Mosquitos lay their eggs in stagnant and standing water, so stay far away. Picking a dry campsite is imperative to keep away these pesky insects. Water flows downhill so gaining some elevation can help you keep clear of still water. Limiting open water containers around camp is also a big way to cut down on mosquitos. If you have buckets or open canteens left out overnight this can attract mosquitos to spawn there. If it rains make sure you get rid of water that pools on top of your tent and try your best to find overhead cover and keep all of your belongings dry. Bringing tarps and other kinds of groundcover to use while it is raining helps keep you, your belongings, and the ground around you dry and without those standing water pools.
- Limit Light Usage
Mosquitos are very attracted to light sources like lanterns and flashlights so try to limit their use at night. When using a light source at night for whatever reason stay away from your open tent doors so you do not attract the insects inside. It can be hard if not impossible to not use light sources at night, so limiting their use can be difficult. Just make sure your tent is closed securely before turning on the flashlight outside. Also, limiting light use can help to reduce light pollution while camping and can help you to keep enjoying the great night views of constellations and planets. Using one at a time both limits mosquitos and light pollution, bonus points for keeping nature like you left it.
- Build A Fire
While flashlights and lanterns attract mosquitos, fires actually repel them. Make sure you are stocked up on lighters and matches so you can build one easily. This is another situation where having a dry campsite can come in handy because you’ll need kindling for a fire. Positioning your tent close enough to reap the repellent qualities of fire, but far away enough that you are not in danger of getting caught up in the blaze is most important here. Make sure your campsite is planned out so that you are maximizing your repellent power.
Mosquitos really are one of the worst parts of a camping trip so investing in repelling them can make your trip significantly better. Follow these five tips, along with whichever ones you already use so you can get the most out of the great outdoors.