How to keep bugs away while camping?
If you are planning for a camping trip with your friends or family, one thing that certainly bothers you is the bugs. This especially holds when you are camping with your kids. As camping involves spending time outdoors, you shouldn’t be surprised if you find a few bugs or mosquitoes.
However, there are a few tips/tricks you can follow to keep these bugs away and enjoy your time amidst nature.
There are a few things you can keep in mind to keep the bugs away. Most of the bugs get attracted to strong smells of food or scents. So, you need to ensure not to carry any scented products, and to clean the kitchen area and the table after every meal.
Washing the dishes immediately after eating and cooking can also keep the flies or bugs away. Both the food as well as the trash have to be handled appropriately. Food and trash left uncovered can attract some forest animals as well.
Bugs love moist areas well. So, you can avoid damp or wet lawns when camping.
Though you cannot get rid of the bugs from the campsite, you can try and use a few tips to reduce their number. Let us see what they are.
Table of Contents
8 Important Tips to Keep Bugs Away While Camping
1. Carry Some Bug Sprays/Creams
It always helps to carry a bug spray or a cream when camping. If you are using a cream you can make sure to reapply the same from time to time, especially during the night. You can invest in an herbal product or lotions that have lavender or natural oils.
For example, the skincare products from Avon are used by many as they are good as an insect repellant, and the lotions do not contain DEET as well.
Some natural products like cloves and garlic too can be used to repel bugs, but you need to carry a whole of them to see some result. So, a bug spray or a lotion is the best choice.
2. Use a Bug Repellant Bracelet
Bug repellant bracelets are now available for both kids and adults, and these work like a charm. You can enjoy your camping and forget all about reapplying the cream or using the bug repellent spray.
For example, the Parakito bug repellant wristbands for kids include natural essential oils and are available in various colors as well. Bands like these can also be used by kids when they are home playing outdoors.
Just make sure to use them when outdoors, and keep the bugs away without any extra effort.
3. Choose Smart Camping Gear
When you are picking a tent or a cooler, you can check for the ones that come with add-ons like a bug screen, etc. Campers can take complete advantage of such tools and keep their campsite free from bugs.
Even when you are planning to camp alone, you can pick a camping tent with a bug screen that can be set up instantly. It is one of the most important step towards keeping the bugs away while camping.
4. Do Not Forget to Close the Doors
This rule not only applies to your tent, but also to your car or even a box that has a lid. If you wish to keep the bugs away from the campsite, you should take all the precautions to keep them away.
Closing the doors or the tent is the first step to keep the bugs away. If you are leaving a box outside, make sure you place the lid on it. You do not want bugs or animals getting attracted to it with the scent.
5. Keep the First Aid Kit Ready
When you are planning your first aid kit, you need to keep the bugs/insects in mind. You can add in a few tweezers as they can be used to remove the ticks. You can also add an anti-itch cream or a cream that can be used for insect stings or bites.
If any of the campers have a history of allergic reactions, make sure to carry the required medication as well. Allergic reactions not only happen due to bugs but can happen due to plants, flowers, and pollen too.
So, make sure you are well prepared.
6. Choose Proper Clothing
When you are camping, you need to pack clothes based on the weather. However, it is also important to pick clothing that has long sleeves and is lightweight at the same time.
If you are camping during summers, you cannot wear additional layers or long-sleeved shirts. You can thus check for insect repellent clothing, which is specially made by a few brands for camping such as Solstice:
The fabric used for making these clothes is treated and coated with insect repellent. After a wash, these clothes are good to be used as regular clothing.
One advantage of using such clothes is that you need not put on any bug repellent spray or cream.
7. Use Candles
While using candles inside the tent is not recommended, you can use natural scented candles when you sitting outside. Citronella Candles are often used by campers as the oil is a natural bug repellent.
You can just lit a few near the camping site, and minimize bugs.
8. Mosquito Coils, Repellent Lanterns, and Head Nets
Mosquito coils are often used around the campsite to keep flies and mosquitoes away. Make sure to choose the coils that are smoke-free but infuse the scent into the air. You can place some coils around the campsite to reduce the bugs.
Campers can also use lanterns that are specially made for bug repelling. Most of these lanterns come with a removable cartridge. The cartridge has the scent, and it keeps the bugs away from the lantern.
You can pick a DEET-free lantern like the Thermacell Shield Lantern, which can later be used in your patio as well.
Another easy option to keep the bugs away is to use a mosquito head net. These are good when you have to go hiking or walking.
Final Thoughts
It can be quite impossible to get rid of bugs completely at a campsite. However, you can prepare yourself with some tools and tricks and keep them away.
So, make sure to use the above tips for a better camping experience, sans the bugs.
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