Spray away the bugs

Insect bites can really ruin your outdoor time. When you’re hiking in nature, having a picnic in the park or sipping coffee on a terrace, some insects always seem to find a way to bug you.

Do bug sprays offer any solace?

Sprays work by evaporating when applied on your skin, forming an invisible cloud of chemicals around you. Insects detect these and stay away.

Which is good, because insect bites are not only annoying, they can be deadly too. There are quite some mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, yellow fever, zika, West Nile virus, dengue..

What should you look for in an insect spray?

There are two main active ingredients:

- DEET: the most effective agent (limit to 10 – 30 % concentration)

- Picaridin: Also very effective but needs to be used in higher concentrations than DEET.

And if you’re looking for a double strategy, the insecticide permethrin is fairly effective. However, that’s an agent you apply to your clothing instead of directly to your skin.

These chemicals may sound dangerous, but there is no toxic effects and are safe to use for adults and children alike. The danger comes from ingesting those chemicals. So make sure kids don’t touch their skin and then put their hands in mouth or near their eyes. And wash your hands after applying.

There are also natural mosquito repellents: the oil of lemon eucalyptus is the best option. It contains PMD, which is less effective than DEET and Picaridin but still works. No other natural remedies have been proven to be effective. Not even citronella, which is often marketed as an effective bug repellent.