Proven Ways That Help Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping
A version of a famous inspirational quote states:
“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a Tent with a Mosquito.”
Mosquitoes Will Drive You Insane
Yep, Mosquitoes not only bite and cause you to itch and scratch, but they can also wreak havoc on your psyche. You could be having a great day sitting around your campsite, then you look down and see one tiny little mosquito land on your leg. You go to smack it, but it flies off before you can get it. Next thing you know you are constantly feeling things landing on and biting your legs. Then being driven to near insanity you start smacking the heck out of yourself until you can’t stand it anymore and you go dowse yourself in bug spray, light citronella candles and put pants on. Even then, you’re still twitchy at every little bug that you see flying around.
Including the before mentioned tactics to keeping those pesky mosquitoes off you,
Here is a Great List of proven ways to help keep those flying blood suckers away while you are camping.
Table Of Contents:
Proven Ways That Help Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping
(Click a Mosquito Repelling Technique to scroll to it)
- Find A Dry Campsite:
- Keep Campsite Clean:
- Create Bug & Mosquito Free Sanctuaries:
- Bug Sprays:
- Spray on Skin & Clothes
- Spray on Your Camping Gear
- Spray around Your Campsite
- Burn Citronella Candles and Torches:
- Use Bug-Repelling coils and Incense Sticks:
- Keep That Campfire Burning:
- Put Some Stank On It.
- Avoid Using Strong Scented Perfumes, Body sprays, Colognes, Lotions, and Soaps:
- Dress To Un-Impress Mosquitoes:
- Color
- Cover
- Combine the two
- Use Gadgets and Gizmos:
- Turn off the Lights:
Find A Dry Campsite:
Most biting insects, such as mosquitoes thrive around areas with standing water. Why? Because that is where they are born. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, then when they hatch and turn to larva, the standing water helps to protect them and provides them with the necessary organic material to feed off until they become adults. Adult Female Mosquitoes only live for about 42-56 days and Adult Males only about 10 days. Not giving them a lot of time to venture to far from where they were born.
Weather will play a key role in this as well. If it has been raining for weeks there is not much you can do, but, if possible, try to find a dry campsite. This will take a little more planning if you are going to be staying at an already established campground.
Many campgrounds try to plan out and make sure that most campsites are not near standing water. Or at least they try to prevent standing water on the campsites themselves. However, sometimes they can not help it if they are located near permanent water sources, protected wetlands, or the weather has been rainy. Even still, with the help of Google maps and the campgrounds campsite layouts, you may be able to locate certain campsites that are far enough away from those water sources. Helping you to minimalize your exposure to swarms of mosquitoes.
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Keep Your Campsite Clean
Not only is this a good camping etiquette to follow, but it also will help to keep your campsite free of bugs and especially mosquitoes.
Most bugs are attracted to the food that is left out around the campsite. Even the empty chip bags, plates or cups that had something in them will still have some crumbs or residue left on them and bugs will swarm to feast on anything and everything they can get to.
What does that have to do with Mosquitoes?
During the day, when the sun is out, mosquitoes need to protect themselves from drying out. So, they will often take shelter in long grass, on the underside of leaves, even your garbage. Having empty soda cans, crumpled up chip bags, or even open garbage bags around your campsite gives them plenty of protection to hide from the sun. Then when the conditions are right for them to venture out, they will start to locate their nearest food source, You. Keeping your campsite clean means the mosquitoes will go somewhere else to find shelter, hopefully leaving you alone when the sun goes down.
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Create Bug & Mosquito Free Sanctuaries
Sometimes you just need to get to an area where you don’t have to worry about being eaten alive by mosquitoes or tormented by bugs.
Keeping Your Tent Bug & Mosquito Free.
Every time you enter or exit your tent is an invitation for bugs and mosquitoes to get in. Sometimes they even get in by little rips or tears in the sidewalls. Putting a mosquito net or bug screen around your tent adds an extra layer of protection. Even just putting your rain fly over the tent will be sometimes be enough.
However, this only works if you are making sure that the zippers on your tent, mosquito netting, or rain fly are completely shut after entering or leaving your tent. Rips and tears should also be tape or patched up to minimalize possible locations for them to sneak in. Also, try to keep from going into and out of your tent as much as possible. This just creates less opportunities for those little buggers to get in. If possible, having a fan running inside the tent, even when you are not in it, will help keep them out. The constant air movement and higher air pressure this creates will help force air out, meaning it will be harder for bugs and mosquitoes to get in.
Keeping Your Camper Trailer Bug & Mosquito Free.
Just like with making sure your tent is protected, every time you enter or exit your camper is an opportunity for bugs and mosquitoes to get in. Trying to minimalize going in and out of your camper is going to help. Also, make sure that the screens on your camper are free from little holes they may find. Even on the windows or air vents. Wrapping your entire camper in a mosquito net is not really an option but putting a bug screen around the awning will add an additional barrier.
One thing a lot of camper trailers have that tents do not is air conditioning. Keeping your trailer cooler will help to mask your heat signature and carbon dioxide output. Which is how many bugs and mosquitoes see us. The constant movement of cool air within the trailer, and outward blast of cool air as you open the door to get in or out will make most bugs and mosquitoes want to keep their distance.
Have an Outdoor Bug & Mosquito Free Enclosure
You don’t always want to be inside an enclosed tent or camper while camping. You want to be outside, in the fresh air, listening to nature. At the same time you don’t want to be covered in bug spray or breathing in smoke from a campfire. You just want to sit and relax, read a book, eat some snacks, possibly visit with family and friends. Not be tormented by mosquitoes.
If you don’t have, or want, to wrap your camper trailers’ awning with a mosquito net, or you are tent camping and don’t have that option. The next best thing is to buy a screened in pop-up canopy. Here you can set up your picnic table, chairs and grill station and not have to worry about bugs and mosquitoes. However, it is still important to make sure you keep from entering or exiting the area too much. Giving mosquitoes more opportunities to get in. Plus adding a circulating fan and possible one or two of the following suggestions to your screened in sanctuary will increase your chances of keeping it mosquito free.
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Use Bug Sprays
You’re camping and want to be outside doing camping things. You don’t want to be limited to a certain area or doing certain things just because there are mosquitoes. One of the best ways to make sure you’re not being eaten alive is creating an invisible barrier that mosquitoes don’t want to go near.
Spray On Your Skin and Clothes.
Store Bought Bug Sprays:
The easiest and most proven way to keep mosquitoes off of you is to get some sort of commercially produced bug spray. These bug sprays often contain DEET, permethrin, IR3535, or picaridin (KBR3023). At risk of losing you to the scientific definitions of each of these ingredients, just know that they are typically items the normal person will not be able to get their hands on or know how to handle and mix together properly. You can rest assured though that these have been proven to deter many varieties of bugs, insects and especially mosquitoes.
Simply spray on and you are good to go. However, these sprays will only last for a limited time, so it is important to re-apply every few hours to keep those mosquitoes away.
Natural Bug Sprays:
Not everyone is a fan of putting things on their skin that they can not even pronounce. Many store-bought bug sprays are trying to appeal to our wanting to use more environmentally friendly and healthy alternatives. So, they add in an exotic flower or something and market it as “Natural”. That is not what I am suggesting here.
Mosquitoes are naturally deterred from many different scents and oils that occur in nature. By simply mixing together some of these ingredients you can create a sometimes cheaper and definitely healthier bug spray.
DIY Natural Bug Spray
Mix 1 tablespoon Rubbing Alcohol with 1 cup water. If possible, add in ½ cup of Natural Witch Hazel as well. Witch Hazel is a natural astringent helping to contract the skin cells. Then add about 10-20 drops of any of the essential oils listed below. (Feel free to mix and match to create your own unique blend).
Essential Oils Mosquitoes Hate:
Tea tree
Eucalyptus
Thyme
Cedarwood
Sage
Catnip
Citronella
Clove
Mint
Basil
Rosemary
Geranium
Lemongrass
After your mixture is complete, shake it or mix it up well and pour into a spray bottle. As science dictates, oil and water don’t mix well, so be sure to give your spray bottle a good shake before spraying on yourself.
Note: If you are not sure what it will do to your skin or clothing, spray a small area first before dowsing yourself with it. I would hate for you to get a rash worse than any mosquito bite or have you ruin your favorite shirt.
Spray on Your Camping Gear:
Bug Sprays are not just limited to your skin or clothing. They can also be sprayed directly onto your camping gear. These sprays often have added ingredients to bond with the fabric making them last longer. Sometimes weeks depending on the amount of wear and tear they go through. Seeing as though you’ll be either carrying, wearing, sleeping in or sitting on your camping gear while camping, having that little extra protection from those pesky mosquitoes doesn’t seem like a bad idea.
Spray/Fog Around Your Campsite:
Mosquitoes and bugs can hide out anywhere. In grass, under leaves, in logs, high or low. They are probably hiding out before you even get to your campsite. Why not take a few minutes and take that yard spray for fleas, ticks and mosquitoes and spray it around your campsite. If you don’t have a hose to hook up to that yard spray bottle you can either mix it up in a gallon pump sprayer beforehand. Most hardware and camping stores carry yard spray and yard foggers in a can.
Most of these sprays and foggers will help kill off most of the fleas, ticks and mosquitoes that are already there hiding out and only help to keep other mosquitoes away for a short time though. If you are staying for a long time, you will either have to re-spray or re-fog your area or use some of the other methods discussed here. Or both.
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Burn Citronella Candles or Torches
Even nature seems to hate mosquitoes. When the oil derived from the Cymbopogon Nardus grassy plant (Also known as the Citronella Plant) is burned, it emits a sweet citrusy smell that seems to drive mosquitoes crazy and they stay away.
Citronella candles mix the oil with wax to create a longer burn time, letting off a gentle smoke with a pleasant smell that emits much further than the oil alone. Which means more time with no mosquitoes. Tiki torches create a much bigger flame and emit more light and a more fragrant smoke. By getting tiki torch fuel with citronella added you can create that Island feel while also keeping those mosquitoes at bay.
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Use Bug Repelling Coils and Incense Sticks
Having a fire going all the time is not always an option or safe. Even if the fire is just a candle. Especially when you have little kids or pets running around the campsite.
Bug Repelling Coils and Incense Sticks are a great way to still get the magic mosquito repelling capabilities as citronella candles, but without the flame. You still have to initially light them on fire to get the coil or stick hot enough to glow and smoke, but after that you blow the flame out, you can just let the smoke do the rest.
Many of the bug repelling coils can last between 7 and 12 hours. Not to mention they are said to provide anywhere between 80 to 100% protection against mosquitoes and other irritating bugs. Making them a great “Set it and Forget it” type mosquito repellant.
The larger Mosquito incense sticks will last between 40 and 45 minutes, which works out well if you don’t want that long of a burn time. Especially if you are going to be leaving the campsite or going to bed soon.
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Keep That Campfire Burning
Who knew campfires were so versatile? They provide heat on cold nights, you can cook meals over them, roast delicious marshmallow snacks, provide a perfect atmosphere for stories, and give just enough light to know where your friends or family are but not see how ugly they are. Just kidding.
The smoke and heat from campfires act as a natural insect repellant and is known to keep most bugs and insects away. Mosquitoes especially hate it because they breathe through small pores on their skin called “spiracles”. The smoke from the campfire makes it difficult for them to breathe. (I guess they don’t know to say, “I hate white rabbits”). Not only that, but the heat and smoke that is produced from the campfire masks your own personal heat signature and carbon dioxide output, making it harder to find you to feast on.
Put some stank on it!
Even though campfires provide quite a bit of protection from mosquitoes, there are some things you can add to the campfire to push those little blood suckers further away.
Herbs
Not the kind that make you feel “Funny”, but the ones that you can grow, buy, and burn without a doctor’s note.
The smoke certain herbs put off when you set them on the fire, or smoke over hot coals, will put off different scents that are often pleasant for humans but mosquitoes HATE:
- Here are a few herbs that are known for their insect repelling tendencies:
Lavender, Mint, Sage, Rosemary, Lemon Balm, and Citronella.
Many campers I know tend to burn Sage and Rosemary together, chew on the Mint, and rub the Lavender on their skin. Funny enough, they always seem to be happy and very pleasant to be around. Probably because there are no mosquitoes around and their campsite always smells great.
Coffee
Throwing your morning coffee grounds on the fire will also produce an overwhelming smell that helps to mask your scent from mosquitoes. On the down side, coffee lovers everywhere may be drawn to your campsite looking for a fix.
Cow Patties
Burning dried cow patties have been known to repel many bugs, insects, and mosquitoes. The reasoning behind this is that the cow patties contain the natural oils from the grass in which the cows ate. A more compelling reason is that you’re burning Cow Sh*t and nothing wants to be around that.
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Avoid Using Strong Scented Perfumes, Body Sprays, Colognes, Lotions and Soaps.
Yep we get it, when you have been camping for a couple days and you are dirty, sweaty and stinky. You just want to take a nice hot shower and make yourself feel like a real human being again and smell better for yourself and for others around you.
However, mosquitoes are also attracted to those strong smelling, flowery fresh scents you dowse yourself with. Those scents, mixed with the natural odors your body emits from the lactic acids your body produces from breaking down carbohydrates, your personal blood type, and the amount of carbon dioxide you produce, makes you a great smelling target for mosquitoes.
Try to use odorless soaps, lotions, and deodorants. Washing your clothes in scent free detergents before you go camping will also help. The trick is to be as invisible as possible to mosquitoes as possible. If you do need to smell like something, try dabbing some mosquito repelling essential oils on your wrists, underarms, and neck, or find soaps, lotions and deodorants that contain them.
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Dress To Un-Impress Mosquitoes
Colors
Not only do mosquitoes find you by your scent and CO2 levels, but they are also attracted to certain colors. A recent study from the University of Washington found that mosquitoes tend to fly towards certain colors. Red, Orange, Black and Cyan. They tend to ignore other colors. Green, Purple, Blue and White. Which explains why mosquitoes are attracted to human skin. Human skin emits a red-orange wavelength in the eyes of mosquitoes. Regardless of the color skin pigmentation a person has.
Cover Up
It’s reasonable to assume that tiny mosquitoes will have a hard time pushing their proboscises (the needle like nose) through most clothing. Wearing loose fitting, free flowing clothing makes it difficult for the mosquitoes to get close enough to your skin to get any blood from you. The more layers you wear, the more skin covered up, the more protected you’ll be.
Combine the Two
Try to make sure most of your skin is covered up with loose fitting, free flowing, lighter colored clothing in the Green, Purple, Blue or White range. Sure, you might not be asked to be the next top model but it will help to make sure you are not on the menu for mosquitoes.
Note: Many outdoor apparel companies do design clothing already covered in a bug repelling formula, but to save a little bit of money, just do it yourself. All you have to do is spray it on, let it dry and you’re good to go. You may have to re-apply it after several washes, but you don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe either.
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Use Gadgets and Gizmos:
As if all the other methods for keeping mosquitoes away are not enough, campers have found even more ways to keep them away.
Thermacell:
This gadget typically runs off a rechargeable lithium ion battery and uses a mosquito repelling butane cartridge which when heated up, puts off an invisible barrier covering about a 15 foot radius.
They make them in all sorts of sizes. Some of the larger ones are great for campsites. The smaller more compact ones are even better if you are just needing it for a short time to place near your chair during a kids sporting game or neighbors campsite.
What’s even better is that they don’t use any flame or put off any noxious smoke. Great when those little ones are playing ball around the campsite and accidently knock it over. Nothing spills out, making a mess and nothing gets burned.
Mosquito Traps:
Acting much like the old time bug zappers, mosquito traps use UV light and emits a tiny bit of CO2 to lure the mosquitoes in. Then it uses a whisper quiet fan to suck the mosquitoes into a chamber where they meet their demise.
They typically cover an area with a radius of about 20 to 40 feet, depending on the size and strength of the trap. Also depending on the trap, you will have to change out the specialize lightbulbs and cartridges it requires every few months. Not to mention you will also have to empty the trap out periodically as well. However, it is definitely one of those “Set it and forget it” type of unit. If you have an electrical plug and somewhere to place, or hang it, you can just leave it going for the entire duration of your camping trip.
Bug Zappers:
There is just something about hearing the “Zapping Buzzing” sound you hear when these things are working. After plugging these units into some electrical source, and turned on, a UV light is emitted. Attracting all sorts of flying bugs and insects. When they get to close to the electrified mesh that surrounds them, Zap! Buzz! Pow! It’s sounds like an old school version of the early days Batman TV show. Then no more bugs.
Not always the most friendly of gadgets to all the other beneficial flying insects, or curious fingers of a child, but definitely affective. To a point. As soon as mosquitoes hone-in on a source of carbon dioxide being emitted from a human body, they will typically ignore the UV light and head straight to the CO2 source.
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Turn Off The Lights:
Although mosquitoes don’t rely solely on their sense of sight to find something to feed on, lights do have the ability to attract them. The typical headlamp or camping lantern still emits certain wavelengths of red light and UV light which gives off heat which does attract mosquitoes. So setting out a lantern out when it’s dark out may give you light to see, it also acts like a beacon to bugs, insects and mosquitoes. So, try to use the lights only when necessary. All other times, give your eyes a chance to adjust to the dark. You’ll be surprised how much you can see, even without the use of a light.
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Something To Think About When Dealing With Mosquitoes
Now that you have the knowledge of how to keep mosquitoes away from your campsite, you have a better chance of not letting these little annoyances ruin your trip. This does not mean some may slip through your defenses and get you. There are over 110 Trillion mosquitoes at any given time in the world. Putting the ratio of about 16,000 mosquitoes to every 1 human. Using these techniques will increase your odds of not getting bit. However, nothing will fully protect you from these guys unless you plan on only camping during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
Thank You! I Hope This Helps You Out On Your Next Camping Trip.
FUN FACT:
The Word “Mosquitoes” was used 67 times in this blog.
&
The Word “Mosquito” was used 29 times in this blog.
Proven Ways That Help Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping (27min; 26 sec)
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Camp Happy And With A Purpose!!