Protect Yourself from Summer Insect Pests

Summer brings warmth, blooms—and a host of biting, stinging, and plant-damaging insects. Whether you're gardening, hiking, or simply enjoying the backyard, a few smart strategies can minimize encounters with mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and other pests.

Know Your Adversaries

• Mosquitoes: Breed in standing water; most active at dawn and dusk.
• Ticks: Lurk in tall grass and brush; can transmit Lyme disease and other illnesses.
• Chiggers: Microscopic mites in damp, grassy areas; cause intensely itchy bites.
• Deer flies & horse flies: Painful biters near water and livestock.
• Stinging insects: Bees, wasps, hornets—generally defensive unless provoked.

Personal Protection

Clothing

• Wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed shoes in buggy areas.
• Tuck pants into socks to deter ticks.
• Choose light-colored clothing to spot ticks easily.
• Consider permethrin-treated clothing for extended outdoor work.

Repellents

• DEET (20–30%): Gold standard for mosquitoes and ticks.
• Picaridin (20%): Effective, less greasy, odorless.
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (30%): Plant-based option for mosquitoes.
• IR3535: Gentle, good for sensitive skin.

Apply repellent to exposed skin and clothing following label directions. Reapply after swimming or heavy sweating.

Yard & Garden Management

• Eliminate standing water: empty saucers, clean gutters, change birdbath water weekly.
• Mow lawns regularly; remove leaf litter and brush piles.
• Create a 3-ft. wood-chip or gravel barrier between woods and lawn to reduce tick migration.
• Encourage natural predators: install bat houses, bird feeders, and plant native flowers to attract beneficial insects.

Plant-Health Focus

Healthy plants resist pest damage better. Practice good sanitation, rotate crops, and use row covers for vulnerable vegetables. Monitor regularly for aphids, spider mites, Japanese beetles, and caterpillars. Hand-pick or use targeted organic controls (insecticidal soap, neem oil, Bacillus thuringiensis) when thresholds are exceeded.

After Outdoor Time

• Shower within two hours to wash off unattached ticks.
• Conduct a full-body tick check (including scalp, ears, armpits, groin).
• Tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks.
• Treat bites promptly: clean with soap and water, apply anti-itch cream, and monitor for signs of infection or rash.

By combining personal protection, landscape management, and vigilant monitoring, you can enjoy summer outdoors with far fewer bug bites and stings.