Best Way to Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping

You’re on a camping trip enjoying the great outdoors, and then you hear it: that familiar buzzing sound of mosquitoes.

But mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance. They can carry dangerous diseases, turning a fun outdoor experience into a health risk. Beyond the itchy welts they leave behind, their bites can transmit serious illnesses.

Therefore, effective mosquito control is crucial if you intend to enjoy your camping experiences to the fullest. Below, you’ll learn more about repelling mosquitoes in the most effective ways possible.

The Power of Permethrin

When searching for the best way to keep mosquitoes away while camping, look no further than permethrin. It is a powerful insecticide that can be sprayed on clothing and gear. There’s also factory-applied permethrin-treated clothing that bonds the repellent into fabric fibers, creating mosquito-repellent clothing that lasts the expected lifetime of the product. It’s a great option for helping repel harmful and annoying bugs like mosquitoes and ticks.

What Is Permethrin?

Scientists developed permethrin based on a natural insect-repelling chemical found in Chrysanthemums. They replicated the chemical compound to make it longer-lasting, more effective, and safe for human use.

But humans aren’t the only beneficiaries of permethrin’s properties. In fact, the chemical is present in flea repellent clothing for dogs and other contexts. When it comes to safe, effective insect repellents, permethrin is a top candidate.

How to Use Permethrin as a Mosquito Repellent While Camping

Permethrin can protect you by being applied to your clothing, tent, and other camping gear. You can even purchase pre-treated camping gear and permethrin-treated tents in our collection of clothing, gear, and accessories.

We also offer permethrin spray so you can treat items yourself. If your gear and clothing aren’t pre-treated, make sure you allow for plenty of drying time. It’s important to apply permethrin spray safely. Place the items outside to air-dry and check them every hour or so before using them. Once they’re no longer damp, they’re good to go!

Permethrin vs. Other Insecticides

It’s common to only think of topical insect-repellent sprays, which are those that go on your skin. Permethrin on the other hand, does not go directly on your skin, but rather on your clothing or gear. Many times it’s a good idea to use both a topical spray and permethrin-treated clothing for maximum protection.

Additional Effective Mosquito Repellent Methods

To figure out how to prevent mosquito bites when camping, you first need to know how to keep mosquitoes away from your exposed skin. There are two types of obstacles involved here: chemical and physical barriers.

Use Mosquito-Repellent Clothing and Gear

Mosquitoes are attracted to the smell of your skin and the body heat it gives off. You can always try to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when you’re camping to minimize what mosquitoes can detect, but that can be uncomfortable, especially during the warmer months that mosquitoes usually thrive in.

Insect Shield apparel is always a good addition to your camping wardrobe. Our permethrin-treated clothing makes mosquito bite prevention effortless. If they do come near you while you’re wearing our clothes, they’ll quickly buzz off.

Set Up Physical Barriers

Mosquito nets keep the pests out of your personal space. If you are in an area where mosquitoes are particularly worrisome, you can consider installing a mosquito net around your tent and your outdoor eating spaces, if possible. Mesh shelters protect your camping area from flying insects like mosquitoes as well. And if you plan to camp in a cabin, try to find one that has screened-in porches. Any physical obstacles you put in place will keep buzzing pests out and the good times in.

Creating a Mosquito-Unfriendly Campsite

Mosquitoes hate certain odors, weather conditions, and environments. From setting up your campsite high up to burning a strong fire with your loved ones, you can make your camp far less mosquito-friendly.

Choose the Right Campsite

Standing water and dense vegetation are mosquitoes’ favorite breeding grounds. Mosquitoes thrive in these moist, humid environments, so you’ll want to avoid any campsites that are near large, still bodies of water.

Areas with a natural breeze will keep mosquitoes at bay. They prefer stagnant air, so choose a campsite that’s well-ventilated by nature.

Manage Your Campfire

As alluded to above, your campfire itself may discourage pesky mosquitoes from bothering you. At night, when mosquitoes often come out to feed and breed, they won’t be able to fly as efficiently in thick campfire smoke. Keep the fire burning to deter these pests!

Many essential oils, like citronella and lavender, also serve as natural mosquito repellents while camping. Add a generous amount to your campfire to release their scents as the fire burns. You can also burn fresh rosemary or sage. The strong fragrance notes in these materials repel mosquitoes, so add a few leaves to the fire and let them work their magic.

Eliminate Attractants

Mosquitoes are attracted to sweet smells, so if you wear any perfume, cologne, or lotions with fragrance, you might be unintentionally inviting mosquitoes to the party. Avoid scented products as much as possible to keep those unwanted guests away.

Additionally, you’ll want to keep any food and drinks sealed and clean them up shortly after finishing a meal. Mosquitoes are attracted to certain foods, like fruits and desserts, and they also like standing liquids, so cover your drinks with lids or disposable toppers.

Apply Topical Insect Repellents

Permethrin is not to be used directly on your skin. It’s only for treating clothing and gear. However, chemicals like DEET and picaridin are highly tested and skin-safe for humans. They repel mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects quite well. For maximum protection, use Permethrin-treated clothing alongside a topical repellent.

Use Insect Shield to Prevent Mosquitoes While Camping

Nothing is more frustrating than having your camping trip ruined by the itchy bumps left behind by hungry pests. Mosquitoes can also carry dangerous diseases that, when left untreated, could cause long-term health consequences. At the end of the day, it’s best to avoid mosquito bites as much as possible while camping.

At Insect Shield, we have a wide catalog of permethrin-treated camping gear and clothing. We can also treat your clothing when you send it to us with a small treatment fee. Explore our full range of permethrin-treated gear and enjoy your next camping trip with less mosquito bites.