Mosquito Prevention Tips for Camping
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How do I deal with mosquitoes on a camping trip?
Mosquitoes are a perennial foe for anyone camping during the summer. Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and out in the wild there is usually going to be some around. You can reduce the chance of mosquito problems if you take a couple of basic precautions:
1) Don't put your campsite immediately adjacent to any marsh, lakes, or big pools of water. That's where the mosquitoes breed, and it's where they're going to be out in full force. You should be about 100 yards away (that's how far mosquitoes can detect people - they can hone in on the carbon dioxide you breathe out).
2) Camp at an elevated location if you're in a mosquito-prone area. Height reduces the number of mosquitoes that will get to you because they have to fly up there, meaning there's more effort and less of them will do it. Similarly, a windy area is a good spot to keep them away from you. Wind makes it harder to fly.
3) You can bring a screen house with you if you want an area to sit in that will be bug-proof.
4) There are also some basic products you can use that will help you get rid of mosquitoes at your campsite:
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Stinger Electronic Bug Zapper - This is a good thing to have at your campsite, not just for mosquitoes, but for insect problems in general. You'll need something to hang it with, and you need to be nearby some trees to use it (because it can't be right next to your camp - it is a draw for insects). Bringing a bug zapper can both kill the mosquitoes and, more importantly, draw a bunch of them away from the area where people are at. This one is about $40 and available online here. |
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Natrapel Deet-Free Bug Repellant - This is a good mosquito repellant you can use on yourself. It keeps all kinds of bugs away, and the good thing about it is that it does not use DEET (diethyl-m-toluamide, an insecticide that is very effective, but there is a lot of evidence that DEET may be dangerous to people with repeated application). DEET is used in many brands of insect repellant, and it is probably worth the risk if you're in an area where malaria or other diseases are spread by mosquitoes, but natural options can work almost as well, so I would prefer that in North America. This costs around $8 and is available online here. |
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