A camping trip can help you eliminate stress and escape the busy city life. In today’s time, more and more people participate in outdoor activities. Camping is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. The thought of being in a secluded area can help you get refreshed.
However, it is inevitable to encounter pesky insects when you are out in the wilderness. You can be joined by bugs, mosquitoes, critters, and ticks. They can make your camping experience uncomfortable. With this, it is pertinent to devise ways on how to prevent them from coming in contact with you.
In this article, we shall be identifying the common insects you encounter when camping. Moreover, we will discuss activities you can to fully equip yourself with ways on how you can stay away from them as well as find out the effectiveness of insect repellent.
Insects You May Encounter
As you venture out in the wilderness for a camping trip, you may encounter pesky insects. They can bite and sting your skin which provides discomfort.
Fortunately, you can utilize several ways to prevent them from coming in contact with you. Discussed below are the most common insects you can encounter when camping. Moreover, we shall provide you tips on how you can protect yourself from them.
Mosquitoes
Among the most usual insects, you encounter while camping is mosquitoes. These bloodsucking insects may bring dangerous and life-threatening diseases such as Malaria.
Most mosquitoes, nevertheless, do not carry viruses or diseases. However, if you get bit by a mosquito, you may experience inflamed and itchy skin. Most of the time, painful bumps may appear around the bitten area.
With this, it is important to prevent getting bitten by one. You may use all-natural mosquito control like citronella and wear loose and light clothing. You should also stay away on standing water where they normally breed. Lastly, you should wear clean clothing as bad smelling ones may attract them.
On the other hand, if you are already bitten by one, you can utilize an anti-itch cream. You must not scratch the area to prevent further inflammation.
Chiggers
Another campsite pest you may normally see are chiggers. Chiggers are technically considered as mites and not insects. Nonetheless, they are prevalent throughout most campsites and provide the same discomfort as insects. With this, it is necessary to find ways how to avoid them.
To prevent chiggers from coming in contact with you, you can use insect repellents as well. It is the easiest way to stray them away from your clothing and skin.
You can also wear appropriate shoes and long pants. Walking on the chigger infested area can be troublesome. You may tuck your pants in your socks and your shirt in your waistband. This will leave no area for the chiggers to feast.
We recommend getting clothing that is made with fabrics that are tightly woven. This will prevent minuscule sized chigger to find a way through the clothing and your skin.
Lastly, experts suggest sticking on your trail. Chiggers live in vegetation. They lurk and wait for hosts to come on their site. With this, you must stick on trails that are established. This will minimize the chances of getting bites from chiggers.
Ticks
Similar to chiggers and mosquitoes, ticks are common pests in the campsites. They are parasites that latch onto the parts of the body such as the scalp, genital area, and underarms. They can carry possibly dangerous diseases that are blood-borne such as Lyme Disease.
To keep them away, you can still use insect repellents especially those with DEET. We also recommend light clothing as it can aid you in spotting ticks before they reach your skin.
Similar to chiggers, you should stick on the trail as ticks can be in dense bushes and tall grasses. Lastly, you must not sin on open ground when possible. Stick with camping chairs and picnic benches instead of logs or ground. Ticks cannot fly which makes their only choice is direct contact.
These are just some of the common insects you may encounter as you camp out. Though it is impossible to eliminate the chances of getting bug bites, you can still lower its probability.
To reduce the chances of getting one, we recommend practicing the tips identified above. With this, you can have a safe and comfortable camping trip with your friends and family.
Tips to Avoid and Deal with Insects
A camping trip must be full of fun and surprises but not the bad kind. You must ensure that you take steps in order to stay away from insects lingering at your campsite.
We must admit that it is uncomfortable to deal with camping bugs. Aside from the painful bites and itchiness they cause, insects can also carry diseases. With this, we shall be helping you stay away from pesky insects that can ruin your trip.
It is difficult to fully eliminate insects in your campsite. Nonetheless, you can still minimize their presence. Here are some simple things that you may do in order to keep the insects away.
Bug-Proofing Your Campsite
As simple as placing mosquito net on your sleeping bags (check out our recommendation for the best sleeping bags) can protect you from insects as you sleep. You must ensure that no gaps are evident between the net ends. In this way, insects may no longer disturb you the whole night.
We also recommend bringing and applying insect repellent. You must never leave the tent without applying this all over your exposed skin.
You can also utilize citronella candles as well as mosquito coils. These are effective ways to keep insects away from the area. You must make sure to light them up around your site but not inside your tent. We recommend checking your site’s rules and regulations regarding lighting them.
Selecting Campsite
Most insects like mosquitoes usually gather around stagnant water. You can also find them on low-lying areas. Places with these qualities should be avoided.
When selecting a campsite, you can prefer higher areas as this may reduce pest exposure. We recommend setting up a tent away from stagnant water such as streams, lakes and rivers. This can help you avoid potential insect bites.
In general, you must check out the site types available in your park before finalizing the arrangement. You must ensure that the place is safe to camp on for the entire duration of your trip.
Do Not Leave Food Exposed
Insects are attracted to the smell of your food. With this, experts suggest to never leave your food as well as fresh ingredients exposed.
We recommend getting cling wraps and food covers to secure your leftovers. You can store some of your food using re-sealable bags. To fully ensure that they are not exposed, you can place them inside the cooler.
Stay Away from Perfume or Perfumed Items
Smelling good all the time makes you comfortable and confident. Nevertheless, you are considered a great target for mosquitoes if you utilized perfume or perfumed items.
Since some manufacturers utilize fresh and sweet smells, these can imitate the scent of pollinating flowers and plants. The smell can attract insects and you can be covered with bites in no time. You will find it hard not to scratch your skin.
Perfumed products also weaken the effects of your insect repellent. This eliminates the purpose of your insect repellent application.
We recommend staying away from these items as you go on camping. There are several brands which offer unscented products which you can use.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
Though short shirts and tank tops are preferable on sunny days, you may consider lessening your exposed skin. As you go on camping, it is inevitable to encounter insects that can bite your exposed skin.
Should you spend your night beside water sources like beaches and lakes, you must wear appropriate clothing. These include long-sleeved shirts and lightweight pants. This can help you protect your skin from potential insect bites.
Insects will always be present in your campsite to disturb and provide discomfort. Nonetheless, you can prevent them from bothering you be completing several activities.
The steps above can help you get a nice camping trip without the insects. We recommend following them on your next outdoor adventure.
Conclusion
As you stay at your campsite, you may encounter several insects that can bite you. The most common insects you may encounter are mosquitoes, chiggers, and ticks. These little creatures can cause skin bumps and itchiness. Some mosquitoes even bring viruses and diseases that are life-threatening.
To avoid getting bothered by these pesky insects, you need to know how to repel bugs while camping. You must bring along items that can help you prevent coming in contact with them. These include but not limited to insect repellent, mosquito nets, food storage, citronella candles, and mosquito coils.
Aside from these items, you can also perform precautionary activities to prevent them from pestering your site. You must find an appropriate campsite that is not infested with insects. Moreover, you can maintain a clean campsite as food and other smells may attract them. Lastly, protect yourself by wearing appropriate clothes that do not expose your skin.
