Mosquito Bites, Camping, and Remedies

Disclosure: This post is developed in partnership with the Texas Department of State Health Services. However, all opinions are my own.

Mosquito Bites, Camping, and Remedies

Camping season is upon us and it is important to learn about mosquitoes and how to prevent and treat mosquito bites.

What Are Mosquitoes

According to Orkin.com, a mosquito is “an insect that bites and feeds on the blood of humans and other animals. While male mosquitoes only eat nectar, females need blood meals in order to produce viable eggs that will hatch.” Mosquitoes find their hosts by exhaled carbon dioxide, heat and scent.

Where Do Mosquitoes Like to Live

According to Mega Catch, there are approximately 3,500 species of mosquitoes worldwide. They live throughout the world, except Antarctica and they prefer to live in tropical and subtropical countries. Their favorite habitats include marshes, ponds and swamps.

Mosquito Bite Prevention

Where to Camp- Before choosing a campsite, take a look around. Since mosquitoes like to be near standing water, avoid campsites that are near the lake or large puddles of water. Mosquitoes also like to hide out where there’s lots of foliage, in tall grass and in wood piles.

What to Wear- It is recommended that you wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to cover and protect your skin from mosquito bites.

Mosquito Barriers- Mosquito barriers include Camping Screen Houses, Mosquito Head Nets and Insect Repellent Clothing.

Mosquito Repellents- There are an array of mosquito repellents on the market and the best ones will depend on who you ask. Be sure to use an EPA-approved repellent when choosing the right one for you. Pests.org chose their 4 Best Mosquito Repellents through 8 reviewers, 40 products considered and 14 hours of research. Reviews.com chose their 4 Best Mosquito Repellents through 4 experts interviewed and 85 repellents examined.

You can also check out Travel & Leisure’s– 14 Natural Insect Repellents That Actually Work.

Mosquito Bite Complications

Mosquitoes can carry and transmit an array of harmful diseases, including Chikungunya Virus, Dengue Fever, Malaria, West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever and Zika Virus.

Mosquito Bite Treatments & Remedies

If you do happen to get a mosquito bite, there are a couple of things you can do. First off, don’t scratch the bite as this will only irritate your skin even more. You can apply calamine lotion to relieve the itching and the discomfort. If the calamine lotion isn’t effective, try applying an OTC hydrocortisone cream to help reduce the inflammation and the itching.