Preventing bug bites

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Angela Seifert
  • Malmstrom Public Health
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Summer is here, so naturally bugs come with it.  Bugs such as mosquitoes and ticks may carry disease.  Unfortunately, not all diseases can be prevented with vaccinations, therefore it is important to protect yourself and your family by being knowledgeable and proactive.

Preventing bug bites is a constant effort:
· Apply insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing before going outdoors. Active ingredients recommended by the Center for Disease Control are DEET, picaridin or plant-based oil of lemon eucalyptus.  After returning indoors for the night, taking a shower will remove repellent.
· Try to stay indoors at sunrise, sunset and early in the evening when mosquitoes are most active.  Use the fitness center (open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 24/7 with a Common Access Card) for physical training. There is a running track on the second floor and grass-like field for games on the first floor.
· Minimize time in potentially tick-infested habitats such as tall grass and shrubs.
· Keep mosquitoes/ticks away from exposed, untreated skin by wearing cotton fabric long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks.
· Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks to cover gaps in your clothing where bugs can get onto your skin.
· Dark colored clothes attract bugs because they look like the dark fur of animals they normally feed from.  Wear light colors to make yourself less attractive to bugs.
· Check the entire body for ticks after being outdoors.  Remove attached ticks without squeezing them.  Instructions for removal are located at http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html
· Remember your pets may carry ticks and mosquitoes home after they are outside.  Make sure you check them as well.
· Walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with overgrown vegetation.
· If camping outside, examine the tent for holes before use and observe that screens are properly intact for protective ventilation.  If sleeping outside or in an area exposed to the outside with no screens, use a bed net.
· Avoid wearing perfumed products, such as lotions, hair products or perfume, as bugs are attracted to scents such as floral fragrances.

Consistent upkeep near and around your home helps minimize bug habitat:
· Try to get rid of standing water outdoors such as in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys or any other container where mosquitoes can breed.  Mosquitoes can breed in just a teaspoon of standing water.
· Change the water in bird baths, fountains, pools, rain barrels and potted plant trays at least once a week to eliminate potential mosquito breeding areas.
· Empty temporary pools of water or fill with dirt.
· Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating.
· Reduce leaf piles and keep grass/brush trimmed regularly to avoid mosquito/tick habitats.
· Change outdoor lights with yellow bug bulbs which tend to attract fewer bugs than ordinary bulbs.

Simple barriers may keep bugs outside your house:
· Cover all gaps or holes in walls, doors and windows to prevent bugs from entering. 
· Make sure window and door screens do not have holes or loose edging.  Even a pea-sized hole is an invitation for bugs to enter. 
· Planting marigolds around your home works as a bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance that bugs do not like. Other bug repelling plant varieties can be found by searching online.

If mosquito bites still occur, avoid scratching them.  Clean the area and apply a cold compress.  Afterwards, use calamine lotion to reduce irritation.  Public Health will continue to trap and test mosquitoes for disease.  Enjoy your summer and remember it is a bug's world out there!