Bug Bite Prevention Tips

Taking a few simple precautions can significantly reduce your risk of bites from mosquitoes and black flies.

Limit your exposure

• Avoid areas of high mosquito or black fly infestation.
• Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes and black flies are most active.
• Schedule outdoor activities during mid-day hours, when black flies are usually not as active.
• Stay indoors on warm, cloudy, humid summer days, and before summer thunderstorms, when gnats are most aggressive.
• Restrict the outdoor play of your children if mosquitoes or black flies are present.

Dress to protect yourself

• Wear long pants, long-sleeve shirt and hat when outdoors.
• Wear light-colored clothing because black flies are attracted to dark colors.
• Tuck in shirts and pants to prevent adults from crawling under clothing.
• Wear glasses or goggles to help prevent adult black flies from entering your eyes.
• An insect head net can be worn for protection in areas of high black fly populations.

Use repellents effectively

• Use insect repellents containing DEET to deter mosquitoes and black flies. Consult a physician before applying DEET to young children.
• Re-apply repellents every few hours to maintain maximum effectiveness.
• Citronella oil can also be used to deter black flies.
• Smoke from punk sticks, campfires and tobacco products repel black flies.
• Don't wear perfumes, colognes, deodorants, hairsprays and other toiletries, which may attract black fly gnats.

Eliminate mosquito breeding sites

• Drain all water-holding outdoor containers around the home.
• Inspect basements and crawl spaces. If they are flooded, drain as quickly as possible.
• Learn more about how to prevent mosquitos at home.

If you are bitten

• Avoid scratching, which can worsen allergic reactions to the bite.
• Contact your family physician if you experience an allergic reaction to black fly bites.

The very young, the elderly and persons with depressed immune systems are at most risk for acquiring disease from mosquito bites.