5 Tips for Avoiding Summer Bug Bites
Nothing ruins a fun summer outing like troublesome, biting insects. Mosquito and tick bites will not only cause skin irritation, but can carry serious diseases. It’s important to take precautions in order to prevent exposure to these and other dangerous, bothersome bugs.
Here are five tips to help you avoid bug bites while still enjoying the summer months:
- Scout Out Your Surroundings
Although you may encounter pesky bugs in a variety of locations throughout the summer, certain spots are definitely known to attract them. Beware of damp areas with standing water, which is known to be a mosquito haven, and heavily wooded areas with thick, tall grass, which could be loaded with ticks. It’s best to stick to established trails or clear areas for your best chance of avoiding ticks. And while at home, try outfitting your backyard with plants that are known to repel insects, such as lemon grass and lavender.
- Keep Covered
Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts to cover your extremities and keep mosquitoes and ticks from getting onto your skin. It’s easier to spot ticks on light-colored clothing, so consider paler hues for the summer. Ticks tend to be black, brown, or reddish and can be as tiny as a poppy seed. Wearing light colors helps to ensure they’ll stand out. Use a lint roller to remove any ticks prior to washing your clothing.
- Shower and do a Body Check
Within two hours of being outdoors, shower to help wash off any unattached ticks that are still looking for a spot to latch on. This will also give you a chance to do a full body check. The CDC recommends checking under your arms, in and around your ears, inside your belly button, on the back of your knees, between your legs, and around your waist. And don’t forget your scalp and between your toes, where ticks are known to hide.
- Pop Your Clothes Into the Dryer
After an outing, put the clothing you wore into the dryer for 10-15 minutes. The high, dry heat will kill any ticks on your clothing.
- Use Safe Repellants
There are certain scents that are pleasant to people but irritating to mosquitoes. The specially-formulated blend of essential oils used to create pure haven bug off spray is known to repel bugs and it’s safe for the whole family. Bug off spray does not contain DEET, a common yet dangerous ingredient in bug repellent that has been linked to serious health problems like seizures, rashes, slurred speech, confusion, and even death.
Our bug off candle, also created with a blend of insect-repelling essential oils, is helpful for keeping insects at bay as well. It’s perfect for outdoor gatherings.
If you do happen to get bug bites, soothe them with neem-o, made with skin-nourishing ingredients, including tea tree, lavender, chamomile, and neem oils. It’s a must-have for calming summer skin irritations, from bug bites to minor cuts and scrapes.
For more information about pure haven’s bug off and neem-o products, please contact your pure haven Consultant.
Resources:
Dangers of Deet. Health Research Funding.
Dearborn, Kristen. (22 Apr 2019). Healthy Living – 5 tips to avoid bug bites while enjoying warmer weather. Myrecordjournal.com.
Loria, Kevin. (9 Jul 2018). How to avoid tick and mosquito bites this summer – a step by step guide. Business Insider.