Insect Protection Guide

Whether you are walking in the Highlands of Scotland, or beating a path through virgin rainforest, flying insects such as midges and mosquitoes are a fact of life. At best, these insects can be annoyance. At worst, these insects will be carrying life-threatening diseases. If you are going to a high risk area, there are a number of steps you can take to help protect yourself from being bitten.

DEET....

Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) is a chemical developed by the US Army and is extremely effective at repelling insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, gnats, midges, sandflies and horseflies. DEET forms the active ingredient in many of the insect repellents we sell. Repellents are available with concentrations of DEET ranging from 20% for use in low risk areas, through to concentrations of 100% for use in high risk areas. Some manufacturers offer DEET based repellents with natural oil repellents to offer enhanced protection.

 
DEET based repellents can be applied either by pump action spray or by a roller ball. Insect repellent should be applied to exposed areas of skin, such as wrists, ankles and neck at the times of day that the insects are active. Be sure to avoid contact with face, open wounds, damaged skin or sunburn. We do not recommend the use of DEET based insect repellents on small children.

Natural repellents....

There are also a range of insect repellents for use directly on the skin, which do not contain DEET. This is great if you are looking to avoid the chemicals found with DEET, or if you are looking to protect children. Many natural insect repellents have the active ingredient p-Menthane-3,8-diol which is derived from eucalyptus plants.

Permethrin....

If you are looking to treat fabrics, such as mosquito nets, sweatbands, and other fabrics, then treatments containing the insecticide permethrin are common. As DEET is a solvent which will break down synthetic and natural materials it is unsuitable for use treating fabrics. Permethrin based treatments can either be in spray or liquid form, and can remain active through several washes for a number of years. 

Mosquito nets....

If you are sleeping in an area where mosquitoes are active at night, it is worthwhile protecting yourself from being bitten with a thin mesh net around your bed or sleeping bag. Not only do these nets offer a physical barrier stopping mosquitoes and other insects, they are also often treated with the permethrin to kill insects on contact. Mosquito nets are also available to protect your head during the day. 

Ambient mosquito protection....

There are a range of products on the market that offer ambient mosquito protection. If you are staying in a guesthouse or hostel and want to rid your room of mosquitoes, there are electronic mosquito killers which run on cartridges or tablets. These can either be battery or mains powered. If you are camping and want to keep the mosquitoes away as you eat, then mosquito coils are great. These are small coils that you ignite and burn slowly over the course of several hours, which give of an odour to deter insects.

 
In addition to taking precautions to help prevent yourself being bitten, we recommend that you do your research before you travel, and seek advice from a travel clinic with regard to immunisation and anti malaria if appropriate.