I am not a big fan of sprays like DEET and one of my kids is quite allergic to bug bites and we tray and and prevent the bites from happening.

Here are some ways to keep bugs ants, mosquitoes and ants out of your trailer when camping .

Prevention:
-Keep doors shut. Check openings and zippers to make sure they are closed tightly. I do this when we set up. You can check at night by walking around pop up trailer and checking for light “seepage” for cracks or openings.

- Spray curtains with this recipe for natural mosquito repellent.

-Keep lights off in the trailer as much as possible and when on on use on low setting.

- Limit going in and out and in out of trailer in evenings- tweens and teens seem to “need” to go in and out constantly. Surefire way to get lots of bugs inside your trailer.

- Citronella is a good line of defense. Have Tiki torches or citronella candles around the door to trailer. Some people use incense but I have never found this effective. Here is how to Make Your Own Citronella Candles for Camping
- Don’t use air fresheners in trailer- anything that “smells nice” will attract mosquitoes.

- Not as much fun but turn off your “party” lights- they attract LOTS of bugs.

- Keep ant traps in the trailer if ants are a problem. We had a problem with them on a long stay in Florida one year.

- Fans IN your trailer. We use a desk fan in bug season- the moving air keeps bugs away. The small little fans do not work that well.
- On our Fleetwood Sun Valley we have an add-a-room. We have actually never ised it but I would put it up right away if we went camping in black fly season.

Posted by admin as Camping Advice and Camping Tips, Camping and Mosquitoes at 10:27 PM EDT

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For those who do not want to put DEET on their skin:

Natural Mosquito Repellent Recipe

20 drops Eucalyptus oil
20 drops Cedarwood oil
10 drops Tea Tree oil
10 drops Geranium oil
2 oz. carrier oil ( like olive oil, almond oil or grape seed oil) Note: You must use some kind of carrier oil to dilute the essential oils- never put essential oils directly onto skin.

Mix together in a 4 oz. container. I get a small spray bottle at drugstore that holds just the right amount and has a fine spray. You could also just keep in bottle and put on a cloth and rub onto skin. When spraying on the skin avoiding the eye and any mucous membrane areas. Keep out of reach of children. Test on a small area of skin for sensitivities . You can experiment with different amounts of essential oils.

I would re-apply every two hours or so. You can aslo put some on a handkerchief and tie around your neck to avoid nasty mosquito bits on the neck and face.

Posted by admin as Camping and Mosquitoes, Camping and Safety, Camping and Wildlife, General Camping at 10:50 PM EDT

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