Keeping Bugs Away While Camping

One of the downsides to camping is the constant exposure to bugs. Whether it’s ants that decide to invade your picnic table, or whether it’s mosquitoes who think you’re a tasty treat, bugs can ruin a camping trip faster than you can imagine. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to keep bugs away while you’re camping.

Choosing a Campsite

Campsites in sandy areas may be more vulnerable to certain types of bugs. Likewise, campsites deep in the woods or on a tree line may be more likely to have mosquitoes. Take these things into consideration when you pick your campsite

Food Handling

Make sure that your food is in sealed containers, such as coolers. After you eat, wash your dishes right away. Dispose of any leftover food quickly, so as to avoid drawing ants or flies. Some basic sanitation practices when it comes to handling food can help make your camping trip bug free.

Mosquito Spray

This is probably the most basic, yet most important, component of dealing with bugs when you’re camping. Mosquito spray, especially spray containing Deet, can keep mosquitoes from landing on your skin for hours. There are also mosquito repellent creams that perform the same function as mosquito spray. Some of these even contain sunscreen, as well.

As always, read any warning labels on your mosquito spray, and make sure that the spray you’re using is safe for children if you’re using it on children. Also, mosquito spray doesn’t last forever. Check the label to see exactly how often it is that you should reapply the mosquito spray.

Yard Guard

There are also bug sprays that are designed to cover a certain area. These spray cans send a cloud around a larger area, and the bug-repellent chemicals settle to the ground, where the scent of them repels bugs of many different sorts. Spray your entire campsite just before dusk with a yard guard type of bug spray to help keep the bugs away during the evening hours.

Clothing

Another way to avoid mosquitoes and other bugs is to dress in such a way that you have little or no exposed skin. Wearing pants and sweatshirts at night when you’re camping, for example, can help you avoid getting mosquito bites on your arms and legs.