You can always expect a few things in life: once the warm weather arrives, so do the mosquitos.
The last thing you want to deal with while trying to enjoy the great outdoors is being swarmed by little blood suckers or pinchers. When you’re looking for a mosquito repellent for camping, you’ll want to consider how to keep them off of you and out of the RV. Fortunately, there’s a variety of ways to ward them off.
Repellants — One of the most common ways to keep the mosquitos from biting is to use repellent. Usually, in a spray, lotion, or wipe, repellents are effective thanks to DEET, which is the main ingredient. You’ll have to reapply as they wear off, especially if you’re active or swimming, but overall it does assist with keeping the mosquitos the mosquitos will away from you as long as you wear them.
Natural repellants — some folks are not fans of the common mosquito repellents; the DEET can irritate the skin, cause allergies and don’t smell that great. Fortunately for them, essential oils and other natural products provide a repellent. It’s better to spray the oil concoction rather than rub it directly onto your skin, but making your own repellent with thyme, eucalyptus, sage, lemongrass, rosemary, citronella, clove, or mint will keep the mosquitos at bay.
If you can handle the smell of it, you can try putting white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and spray on your clothes, around the RV door and windows, and around the campsite. The pungent odour will provide a barrier against the mosquitos.
Smoke — Whether it’s the smoke from the campfire or the smoke from candles, you’ll still repel the mosquitos away from you. Outside of fire bans, this option is an easy enough solution to help repel mosquitos in another direction. Lighting citronella candles or some tiki torches; will provide enough smoke to also aid in your comfort of enjoying the outdoors without being pestered.
Clothing — You can buy special clothing with mosquito repellent woven into the fibre. It’s odourless, and the idea is that you won’t even notice it. However, it can become costly, so an alternative to purchasing specific clothing is to ensure you are covered thoroughly. It’s natural to want to wear shorts and sleeveless shirts in the summer, but all that exposed skin is just a buffet to mosquitos. Wearing long sleeves and long pants during peak mosquito season will save your skin.
Bug zappers — This is the less glamorous option, however it works. Bug zappers typically use light to draw insects in, leading them to an untimely demise by a shock of electricity. UV bug traps are growing in popularity and are proving effective with mosquitos. Additionally more recently, Thermcelle Mosquito Repellents have been popular, providing a dome like feature through its technology. While there are mixed reviews on its effectiveness, it may just be worth it for you sanity.
Netting — When you’re ready to sleep but don’t want to have that awful high-pitched buzzing in your ear, hanging mosquito netting around your bed in the RV can provide you with the rest you require. The fine weave is too tiny for mosquitos to get through, so you’ll have a blissfully bug-free sleep.
Campsite — Choosing the right campsite and area is also important when considering mosquito season. Mosquitos congregate (and reproduce) in standing water, including ponds and lakes. You may have to walk a little further to get to the water, but if you choose a site that’s further back from the water’s edge, you’ll have fewer mosquitos bothering you.
No matter what method you choose, Make sure to do some investigating on which product will work best for you. You can also find insect reports for many areas that will tell you if specific insect populations are higher, lower, or at normal levels.
Ultimately, having a bug-free camping experience is likely unrealistic; however, to provide you and your family with an enjoyable time outside without the nuisance of buzzing, it is essential to be prepared. It is nice to be able to jump into your RV knowing you have been proactive about clearing the mosquitos and having a safe place to hide from the pests. There are quite a few options that may suit you.
Are you ready to finally up your camping game and invest in an RV to ensure an enjoyable camping experience away from the mosquitos? We have got you covered. At Vernon Recreational Products, we can get you into the RV that best suits your needs. Call us at 1-833-293-3402 or visit us on-site, and we’ll do everything we can to prepare you for your summer camping adventure! Call today!
