How to Repel Mosquitoes While Camping? 6 Things You Should Know
There is nothing better than an adventurous camping trip along with your family, whether it be during the warm summer days or the chilling winters. Going out there and first-hand experiencing the true nature is a one-of-a-kind experience.
However, excursions like these do come with some problems which you might be facing, one of the most common issues being mosquitoes. Small and in large numbers, these can prove to be very fatal at times if not treated properly.
But we ensure you that there is no reason for worry, we are here to provide you with the most effective tips and techniques that will help you in dealing with mosquitoes while camping. By following these steps, you will be having the coziest of nights.
After all, opportunities like these won’t be knocking on your door twice, so if you have a chance then take it and live the moment.
Table of Contents
How to Repel Mosquitoes While Camping: 6 Important Points To Remember
1. Always Wear Protective Clothing
You would not be spending all your time being inside the tent. Going outside meaning automatically attracting the attention of mosquitoes. To stay safe from them is to ensure that you choose your apparel accordingly.
Make sure to include the following while selecting your clothes:
- Lighter-colored clothes as mosquitoes are attracted towards dark-colored clothing so it must be avoided at all costs.
- Make sure that you have at least one layer of fully sleeved clothes to cover all the parts of your skin, make sure that there is no space left below your head for the mosquitoes to invade.
- Never overdress just to stay protected from mosquitoes, especially during summers as it can cause more exhaustion and sweat which is not the best for a camping trip. During summers try keeping your clothes a bit lighter and loose than usual.
- If you want to one step further then opting for clothes with insect repellent fabric is a great idea. If you can obtain these kinds of clothing then you would not even be needing bug spray which at times can be a bit harsh to the skin.
- If you are in an area swarming with mosquitoes then some extra gear such as a head net and portable insect killer devices can also prove to be some necessary additions to your inventory.
Provided below are links to the equipment mentioned above which you can refer to purchase or just to have an idea about these things.
Insect Shield Socks from Realtree
Blue Light Insect Trap from KEXMY
You can also take along tents with screen rooms or even screen houses to keep the mosquitoes away.
2. Ensure That Your Scent Does Not Attract Mosquitoes
This is a factor that depends person-to-person, as the scent of some people just tends to be more attractive for mosquitoes.
This situation cannot be controlled but do not try out perfumes or fragrance soaps as they might just worsen the effect. The best possible way to combat a situation like this to apply unscented products as they will lower the strength of your body scent, eventually neutralizing the effect caused by it.
Another thing to keep in mind is exercising while camping as these activities results in a rise in the metabolic processes of the body and the temperatures.
Exercising also leads to an increased amount of sweat accumulation on your skin and clothes, be sure to avoid all this as these factors can turn you into a complete mosquito magnet in no time.
3. Be Equipped with Mosquito Repellant
An obvious inclusion while camping. Always try to go for a waterproof repellent instead of the normal kind as their effect will be staying longer than that of the usual one. Repellents can not only be applied to the body but also your other accessories such as boots, bags, and tents.
Here are links to some of the mosquito repellents which we have personally tested and verified for use.
Mosquito Repeller from Thermacell
Waterproof Mosquito Repellent Wristbands from Mosquitno
4. Pick the Correct Campsite
The campsite is going to be the deciding factor of how are you going to spend the rest of your night. It should be picked wisely with having proper knowledge about the area in which you are camping.
Some of the factors which should be taken into consideration while picking your campsite are as follows:
- Take a proper look at the surroundings, never stay anywhere close to stagnant water (lakes, ponds, etc.) as that is the breeding ground for mosquitoes making it almost certain that you will be facing a swarm of mosquitoes on choosing such an area.
- An appropriate location would be a place that is far away from stagnant water sources and on high ground as mosquitoes always tend to stay close to the ground so much a location would prove to be beneficial as you might come across little to no mosquitoes throughout your stay.
5. Making a Campfire
Making a campfire in front of your campsite would prove to be very effective in keeping away mosquitoes and other insects too as all kinds of bugs and insects are susceptible to fire and smoke.
This would ensure that there are no insects around your campsite, especially in front of your tent where there’s a probability of them entering it.
6. Handle the Flashlights with Care
While mosquitos and other insects are susceptible to flame but artificial light sources such as flashlights or lanterns will have the exact opposite effect by attracting mosquitoes around them.
Be sure to turn these off once you have settled down in your campsite and switch over to a campfire as the primary source of light.
It’s true that mosquitoes can be a real pain in the neck but do not let that stop you from having a fun-filled adventure with your family and friends. Numerous problems can be faced while camping outside but along with the problems also come the ways to combat them.
All that you need to do is to do some research about what all you are going to face and you are all set to have a great time discovering the natural world.
