8 tips to prevent mosquitoes when camping
Particularly in summer, unwanted mosquitoes can make camping more challenging and less enjoyable. There are a lot of repellent choices, tips and gadgets to defeat mosquitoes, but how many work? We give you what you need to know.
We have camped by the River Murray and had mosquitoes which seemed like they were so large they could have picked up a small animal and flown away with it!! It was truly horrendous experience - and it was day and night and they were relentless.
So how do avoid mosquitoes when camping?
Here are few tips to make it bearable for you. You can't get rid of them totally but you can minimise your bites.
1. Choose your camping site carefully
Mosquitoes need water to complete their life cycle (egg, larvae, pupa, mosquito). The first 3 stages won't bother you, but stage 4, is when the mosquito leaves the water and comes looking for you. FYI - It is only the female mosquito coming to bite. The males do not.
So camping away from still or stagnant water where they breed is the first option. That includes rivers, ponds, creeks, puddles, drains, etc.
Long grass, weeds and brush are all resting places for them as well. They like deep and dark foliage to rest in particularly during the day.
If you cannot avoid water, then read on.
2. Be prepared during dusk to dawn
Mosquitoes are busiest and most prevalent at dusk and dawn But some mosquitoes are busy during the day as well. It depends on the mosquito. In Australia there are over 300 types of mosquitoes so you never know which one will be near you, so being prepared is the next tip for the times when the mosquito is out and ready to bite.
3. Wear the right sort of clothing
Wearing the right sort of clothing when the mozzies are out and about can help you.
They are attracted to dark colours - some suggest that it is because the dark colours are like shadows or that the darker colour absorbs heat and they like heat.
Regardless, the colour of your clothing will make some difference. Opt for lighter colours such as white, yellow, beige. It doesn't mean that you won't get bitten because you are wearing a white shirt, but it may reduce your chances. Stand next to someone in a dark shirt to decrease your chances of being bitten!
Long sleeves are recommended, and cover up your feet as well.
Another clothing option is to wear clothing that has been treated with insecticide permethrin (a synthetic chemical).
Clothing manufacturers make this and the label will clearly indicate it has this chemical on it. This clothing will not necessarily stop the bites though. It is designed to kill the mosquito when it lands on you before it bites. But the bite may still occur before the permethrin works. Clothing that is treated with this insecticide will need retreating after a number of washes - check the label or with the manufacturer to know when you will need to retreat.
To retreat clothing or to add to existing clothing you can buy Equip Debugger Concentrate - a Permethrin concentrate. You wash your clothing or gear in this liquid, following the instructions closely.
You should still wear an insect repellent when wearing this clothing.
4. Repellent is a must!
Repellent will be a must have for your camping and hiking.
A topical insect repellent that contains DEET (diethyltouamide) or picaridin is the best choice when you are looking at repellent. Read the instructions to see if it is suitable for children under a certain age.
Some repellents have oils such as tea tree and citronella repellents will need more frequent applications and are not as effective.
We recommend Sawyer Picaridin as a good one. Containing Piperine from pepper plants, this repellent can last up to 12 hours. It also works on sandflies, ticks, and another annoying flying bugs. It does NOT contain DEET as some people cannot tolerate DEET.
Picardin does not have an odor so it's better for those who don't want to smell of insecticide.
Whatever repellent you choose, application will be very crucial
- apply evenly over all exposed areas
- reapply after swimming or sweating
- don't spray the aerosol repellent directly onto your face
- don't apply on broken/irritated skin
- follow all instructions on the packaging including who it is designed for
5. Smells that attract mosquitoes
A mosquito is attracted by the carbon dioxide that a human and animal exhale. Plus they are attracted to heat sources coupled with their excellent vision. It is not easy to stay invisible to a mosquito.
Research from Caltech (July 2015) states:
"another human breathing nearby, or several meters upwind, would create a CO2 plume that could lead mosquitoes close enough to you that they may lock on to your visual signature. The strongest defense is therefore to become invisible, or at least visually camouflaged. Even in this case, however, mosquitoes could still locate you by tracking the heat signature of your body " (source)
So that is why repellent in Tip 4 is very important.
Fragrance also attracts a mosquito to you. And that includes deodorants - floral scents are not recommended. But don't forget some sort of deodorant, because mosquitoes love body odor. The BO has lactic acid in it, and very attractive to the mosquito. So if you are sweaty, the mosquitos are going to be more attracted to you.
Fragrance also attracts a mosquito to you. And that includes deodorants - floral scents are not recommended. But don't forget some sort of deodorant, because mosquitoes love body odor. The BO has lactic acid in it, and very attractive to the mosquito. So if you are sweaty, the mosquitos are going to be more attracted to you.
6. Campfires and citronella candles: Do they work?
Do campfires keep the mosquitoes away? The smoke is what will keep them away but don't rely solely on a campfire. Use the repellent!!
The use of citronella candles has become a very popular method but not necessarily that effective. Studies have shown that citronella does not keep mosquitoes away effectively - if anything it is the smoke that is generated that is keeping them away not the candle smell (and once that smoke gets blown away in the wind, you are unprotected). The level of citronella in some candles is so small it is not effective. You might as well use another non scented candle (and save some money).
7. Save your money - don't buy gadgets for mosquitoes
You may have seen mosquito repellent gadgets. Here are some that have scientific evidence supporting they do not work.
- The bug zappers (which emit a UV light) are killing the wrong bugs. They do not kill the biting insects. There are no controlled studies that show these zappers actually work on mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are not attracted to that light so avoid the hype.
- How about the repellent wrist bands? A lot of studies on this, and overall not recommended as a method of repellent. It may stop the mosquito from landing on your wrist, but the rest of the body is still vulnerable.
- Ultrasonic devices that repel mosquitoes? No. They don't. 10 studies have been done on these devices and all came back stating they do not work and do not kill mosquitoes or repel them (source here). Do not waste your money.
- Mosquito apps for your phone? Another waste of time and money. Studies have even demonstrated these sound-emitting devices actually increase mosquito bites by the Asian Tiger Mosquito and Yellow Fever mosquito. " (Source here)
8. Proper Gear
Make sure your gear that has mesh eg. tents, swags has no holes in the mesh. Check them before your trip. Nothing worse than a mosquito in your tent late at night. Keep insect killing spray in the tent just in case.
FYI - you can also get nets to sleep under that are permethrin treated. If you are outdoors, and want to rest without being in your tent, look at this option here.
A head net is also a good idea if you are in an area prone to mosquitoes and do not want to apply the repellent on your face. Bonus - the head net will be a godsend during the day if the flies are bad. We always keep a head net in our backpacks. Buy your head net here.
Looking for another low tech piece of camping gear to help you with mosquitoes? Think about an outdoor fan if you can fit one in your camping supply box. Mosquitoes are weak at flying and they can't fight against a fan, plus it might disperse the smells that we talked about in tip 5. There are a range of fans, for outdoors and in your camping shelter, so have a look at this selection.
Mosquitoes are a part of the outdoors and preventing bites is very important especially in areas where there are mosquito borne diseases. The above tips are designed to help you when you are next outdoors and help you choose something that works (and avoid spending money on items that do not!)
More tips for camping in summer can be found here.
