4 Ways to Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping
Keep mosquitos away with a combination of habits.
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When you think of camping, you think of nature, fresh air, great views, and being surrounded by loved ones. Perfect, right.
Well, almost. With summer camping comes the reality of mosquitoes. No matter where you go—even if you were on Mount Everest, they would certainly find you if you consider yourself a mosquito magnet.
So what can you do? The key to dealing with mosquitoes is being prepared for them. Most people don’t think about them, and then they end up with mosquito bites the size of tennis balls.
To avoid being covered in mosquito bites, it is essential to figure out how to repel them. After some trial and error, here’s what we’ve found works best.
1. APPLY BUG REPELLANT SPRAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY
If you consider yourself a mosquitos magnet, then finding a bug repellant that works and applying it is key.
Some people do not like bug sprays because of their chemicals, but natural options are available. The good news is natural sprays work equally as well as the ones with chemicals.
If you’re worried about where and how to begin shopping for natural repellants, don’t stress, we've got you. After trying dozens of mosquito repellants, All Terrain Herbal Armor was a dream come true. It uses natural ingredients, and it’s DEET free—giving you that feeling of light and airy, as opposed to being covered in a layer of thick chemicals.
If you are looking for an alternative to natural repellants, picaridin based bug spays are effective options that won’t damage clothing and gear like DEET.
Mosquitoes love dawn and dusk so it's a good idea to be a little extra vigilant during those times. Get your mosquito repellent out and spray all over. Even if you’re wearing a long-sleeved top and full pants, you will still need to spray all over yourself because mosquitoes can bite through clothing. So take the time to cover every spot.
Once you find a repellent that works for you, you will not want to go anywhere without it. The best thing you can do is get in the habit of packing it in your camping tote or hiking backpack. The last thing you want is to go on a trip and realize you forgot it at the campsite or worse, at home.
2. MOSQUITO REPELLENT CITRONELLA CANDLES
Citronella candles are known to keep mosquitos away and are compact to bring camping
All you have to do is get any candle with citronella oil and light it. It’s that simple. The citronella oil in the candle helps mask your scent, which is what repels the mosquitos. Depending on how long you keep the candle burning, one candle can last multiple camping trips. Since the area that a candle repels is limited, it is good to still apply bug spray.
A modern alternative to candles are rechargeable repellent devices that help create a bug free area around your camp.
3. WEAR INSECT-REPELLANT CLOTHING
Wear bug repellant clothing that looks just like any other outdoor clothing.
Insect-repellent clothing is treated with permethrin, an insecticide that has been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is the only repellant used to treat clothing. When you first think of insect-repellant clothing, a beekeeper-like outfit might come to mind. But the good news is there is insect-repellant clothing that looks just like your usual clothing, it just has the added benefit of repelling bugs. With this clothing, you don’t have to worry about using bug spray all over your body. It allows you to focus on using bug spray only on exposed skin.
4. KEEP YOUR TENT CLOSED
As you enter and leave your tent, get in the habit of keeping the door zipped closed. This will prevent mosquitos from finding their way into your tent. It’s nice to have a safe haven.
Once you set your tent up, make sure to always keep it closed. Even if you go in for a second to look for something, close it behind you. And close it again when you step out. Your tent should never be left open, not even for a short minute.
This may seem inconvenient, especially if you need to go back and forth, but it will pay off while you are sleeping.
