So what should you do?
- Cover as much of your skin as possible. Long-sleeved shirts, shoes, pants with the cuffs tucked into the socks are ideal. Men should be extra careful: mosquitoes are more drawn to them than their female counterparts.
- Wear neutral colours. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours, particularly blue.
- Avoid scented soaps, lotions and shampoos. Bugs and bees are drawn to scented toiletries.
- Wear a good insect repellent. Make sure you apply the repellent to exposed skin and clothing.
- Always keep repellent in your car. You can store repellent in the glove compartment or map pocket of your car.
- Avoid stagnant water and areas where insects make their home wherever possible. Mosquitoes like to hover around moist and watery areas. Flies gravitate toward animals and sweets while hornets build their nests in bushes and trees. On the other hand, yellowjackets are attracted to food and build their nests on the ground. Finally, bees are likely to sting in gloomy rather than sunny weather.
- Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and twilight hours, so avoid going out without insect protection during these times if possible. In contrast, deer flies make their presence felt at midday.
- Make sure children are protected with repellent and covered up with clothing as they are more vulnerable. Since kids’ shorter statures bring them closer to the ground, they become more prone to insect bites. When they return indoors, make sure to wash off any remaining repellent.
- Always check yourself and your children for bites when you return home, especially tick bites. Should you find a tick latched on to your body, grasp its head with tweezers and pull it up. Rinse the bitten area with hydrogen peroxide. Should a red rash or flu-like symptoms develop, you or your child may have contracted Lyme disease. Seek medical help immediately.
- Try not to scratch the affected area if you are bitten. Doing so may result in a contagious and common disease known as impetigo. A good remedy is an insect bite treatment solution such as Tender’s After Bite, which neutralises the bite’s effect and discourages scratching.
And to protect yourself at home, make sure you have Freedom Screens covering your doors and windows.
Source: http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/sports/2017/04/17/prepared-buggy-season-ahead/100570084/