Realistically, you can’t avoid every mosquito or bug bite. That’s a part of being in the great outdoors. However, there are things you can do to significantly minimize your chances.

I have a very active family. That means we’re adventuring & spending as much time as possible outside. Through the years we’ve found a few bug repelling methods that work for us. We hope they help you as well.

A quick reminder… don’t wear perfumes & body sprays when planning to be in nature. That’s definitely one way to attract attention you don’t want. Insects are drawn to that stuff!

What We Use On Our Skin

-Lavender essential oil

-Peppermint Essential Oil

-Bug repellant sprays containing DEET

-Oil from the leaves of our citronella plants

We apply the products to any exposed skin-especially pulse points like our wrists, necks, behind our ears, behind our knees, & we include our ankles. When our daughters were much younger, we applied the oils to their skin using a carrier like coconut oil. Then we applied the DEET bug spray to their clothing (socks & shoes, too) just in case the spray was too potent. This method still works for us.

Always apply new skin products to a small area of your body for some time before doing a broader application. For instance, overnight. If you have an allergic reaction, I’m sure you’d prefer it in a localized area instead of all over your body. I’d do this a few days before you actually need to use the product.

There are citronella oils available in stores/online. We use the leaves from our citronella plants by rubbing them in our hands to release the oil or rubbing the leaves on our skin/clothing. Bring your products with you for reapplication. They lose their effectiveness after a few hours or after getting wet.

Be sure to check the labels of all products especially before applying to children. Just because it’s great for adults doesn’t mean it’s the same for little ones. Better safe than sorry.

What We Wear

-Long sleeves & pants with lightweight material to avoid overheating

-Light colored clothing (Darker colors tend to attract mosquitos)

-Long socks

If you’ve seen our photos or watched our vlogs, we obviously haven’t worn this exact attire every time we’ve hiked. When we really want to avoid bites, however, we do what’s necessary. Mosquitos can carry & transfer life-threatening diseases. Make no mistake, even when we don’t wear long sleeves/pants, we definitely have on our oils & spray.

Treating Bug Bites

After taking these precautions, we still end up with bites sometimes but significantly less than had we not. To ease the nagging itching and/or burning, we like to use:

-Hydrocortisone cream

-Benedryl cream

-Lavender essential oil

-Peppermint essential oil

-Chamomile essential oil

-Aloe vera (fresh or gel)

Other options for itchy bites are calamine lotion, cold cloth or ice pack, & oatmeal baths. Do your best not to scratch but that’s waaay easier said than done, right?!

If you’re going to hike or do any outdoor activity, remember to take as many precautions as possible to avoid mosquitos. That’s the best way for better peace of mind out there. One last thing… do you know that only female mosquitos bite? They need blood for reproductive purposes then lay their eggs in water. So if you’re outside, definitely avoid lingering around water unless you’re wearing repellant.

The more you know, huh?