Mosquito Misery and Meyhem!

Every summer, they come. They sneak into the tent and ravage your ankles; they find the one spot on your left shoulder that didn’t get drenched in a layer of mosquito repellent and they gnaw, chomp, and suck away. I have just returned from a camptrip and while I am happy to say I am at one with nature… being eaten alive by mosquitoes is not my idea of fun it is mosquito misery and meyhem!

When camping, you want to be able to enjoy the great outdoors without the mosquito misery and meyhem. You do not want to spend your adventure running away from pesky mosquitoes. Camping with mosquitoes can be a tiring experience but the good news is that there are ways to get around these itchy critters.

How to Avoid your Itchy Friends:

• Mosquitoes are attracted to colors that are of the same shade as nectar and flesh. So avoid wearing dark-colored clothing and those with bright, flowery prints when going outdoors. Wear light-colored clothing that covers most of your body, including your neck area and ankles.
• Try to keep yourself odorless when going outdoors. Mosquitoes are attracted to some strong odor on the body, which is why they choose particular individuals among all others in the crowd. So when you have outdoor plans, it’s advisable to avoid wearing heavy perfumes and scented lotions. Also, try to avoid strong-scented soaps and shampoos to prevent possible attraction from mosquitoes.
• Watch the time and the weather when staying outdoors. Mosquitoes are known to attack individuals during the early time of the evening until early hours of the morning. These attacks get worse during the peak of summer, when the weather is hot and muggy.
• Mosquitoes are most likely to attack campers at dawn and dusk. Dusk is usually the time that campers are making dinner, building the campfire and getting ready for night time. It can be hard to stay indoors out of the mosquitoes’ reach. This is a good time to cover up. Change into long trousers, long-sleeved shirts and socks and shoes. Hats also help protect the head and neck area from mosquitoes.
• To keep mosquitoes out of sleeping areas, be sure to zip tents and close the windows and vent sections. Mosquitoes will quickly find their way into an unzipped tent before the campers are aware they are a problem. Avoid opening sleeping areas at dusk unless necessary and always close them immediately to prevent mosquitoes from finding their way indoors.
• Choose your destination when going hiking or camping, especially if you are highly allergic to mosquito bites. You should avoid areas with still waters and avoid going to swampy regions, because these sites are the ideal places for mosquitoes.

Happy camping!

Author: Rosie Austin