Travel

How to Keep the Insects Away When Camping

Group of kids with mom sitting by the fire and drinking tea in autumn forest, hike at weekend

Are you trying to get outside more but hate being bothered by bugs and pests? Unfortunately, insects are a part of nature that you can’t eliminate, but you can prepare yourself so you’re safe and protected from them while you’re outdoors. Here are a few tips to help you keep insects away when camping. 

Bring Insect Repellent

First, one of the best ways to keep insects away while camping is to bring insect repellent. Insect repellant is generally a spray or cream that you can apply to your skin to keep from getting bitten by bugs. Insect repellant can affect the smell and taste senses of insects, preventing them from finding or biting your skin. 

Most insect repellents only last for a determined amount of time, so you’ll need to reapply throughout your camping trip. You can also make homemade, natural insect repellent if you aren’t a fan of the chemicals included in the store-bought brands. Just be aware that not all insect repellent recipes are created equally. Some may be more effective than others. 

Cover Up

Next, you can keep the insects away by covering up. This means that you should wear long pants and long sleeves when you’re camping outdoors. It is also a good idea to wear thick socks with your hiking shoes. Even though you might feel hot and sweaty while you’re covered up, it will keep you much safer from insects. 

This is important as some bugs carry harmful infections and diseases. For example, mosquitos carry many diseases that can cause severe illness, birth defects, and even death. Some ticks are known to carry diseases like Lyme disease. You should also make sure that you keep your camping space well covered. For example, keep your tent zipped up at all times. You can also use a mosquito net if necessary to protect you from getting bug bites while sleeping.

Treat Your Clothes

Finally, if you’re really worried about insects while camping, try treating your clothes before your trip to give you an added measure of protection. Different clothing treatment products contain permethrin, which is a pesticide that can kill bugs and keep them at bay. Some permethrin products can be used to spray down your clothes before your trip. Other products can actually be washed into your clothes when they’re going through the clothes washer cycle. If used according to safety instructions, permethrin will have no harmful side effects on you as you wear your treated clothes. This will help you to keep the bugs away while you’re camping.

So, if you want to keep the insects away from you while you’re enjoying the outdoors, remember these tips. You should bring insect repellent, cover up with long clothing, and treat your clothes beforehand. These tips can help you to avoid harmful insects and bug bites that can badly affect your health.

Did you enjoy reading this article? Here’s more to read: Insects and Other Things You Should Leave Alone in Your Garden