Bugs!

No, I'm not talking about a popular cartoon bunny!  Or early Volkswagens.  Or the errors that crop up in computer programs (though I've seen plenty of those in my primary career in the IT industry).  Insects are a pretty common problem when camping. 

Mosquitoes are probably the most common problem insect when camping.  Mosquitoes like wet places and many of our favorite camping spots are around water.  However, you don't have to be near a lake, river, canal or pond for mosquitoes to be a problem.  They thrive in any stagnant pool.  Often their domicile is hidden in a culvert or under vegetation.  Even though environmentalists may oppose chemicals, the best defense against mosquitoes is a repellent containing DEET.  In addition to being annoying and leaving itchy bites that can get infected, mosquitoes can carry West Nile and other deadly diseases, so they are not an insignificant problem.  Ever feel like you're a mosquito magnet?  Well, you just might be.  Some people are genetically disposed to produce pheremones that do attract mosquitoes.  If so, about all you can do is avoid places where they are or use a good mosquito repellent.  Diet as well as perfumes and colognes can also affect how well they like you.  You might research natural mosquito repellents where you will find formulas for making your own.  They typically use cinnamon oil or lemon eucalyptus oil as the primary active ingredient.  They work by making it harder for mosquitoes to find you or make it so they don't like how you taste.  I've heard that rubbing an orange peel on your skin will also help deter the little beasties.

Why do mosquito bites itch?   The mosquito injects a solution that thins the blood so they can suck it up easier and our bodies are allergic to the components of that solution.  Some bite treatments help neutralize the solution.

Other frequent insect problems for campers include ticks and flying, stinging insects like bees, wasps, and yellow jackets.  Ticks are usually found in brush so avoid walking through brush when you can.  Ticks tend to bury their heads in flesh when they bite and incorrect removal can leave the head behind.  There are special tools you can use that grip the tick's body and then, by rotating the tool, you can remove the tick.   An old folk remedy is to place the hot head of match (after blowing it out!) to the tick's backside, which is said to make it withdraw.  DO NOT scrape or brush the tick off because it will likely leave the head embedded in your skin.   Once the tick has been completely removed, sterilize the wound with antiseptic to kill any germs it has left behind.   Ticks in some areas area known to carry Lyme Disease.   Lyme Disease in its early stages can be treated with antibiotics, but if it goes untreated too long can be difficult to treat and can result in serious disabilities.  Early symptoms of Lyme Disease include fever, headache, fatigue, depression, and a characteristic circular skin rash. If you have any of these symptoms following a known, suspected, or possible tick bite, seek immediate medical help.

Bees, wasps, and yellow jackets can be particularly dangerous to people who are allergic to them and their sting is painful to everyone.  If you are allergic, it is a good idea to see your doctor and get an epi-pen and learn how to use it.  Then do your best to avoid getting stung.   Examine your environment for nests.  They like to build nests under the eaves of structures and anyplace else sheltered, like inside hollow trees and logs and in woodpiles.  There are a surprising number of potential habitats on RVs: inside vent covers, under fender wells, under vehicle hoods, under the rain shield on back up camers, etc.  It is a good idea to carry some wasp spray in your RV or in your camping gear.  That way you can evict offenders BEFORE they attack you.   By the way, wasp spray is a pretty good legal substitute for mace or pepper spray.  It is nearly as effective in repelling 2-legged attackers and has a much greater range than mace or pepper spray.  It requires no license nor special training.

Flies are a nuisance but most flies don't bite.   The biggest problem with flies is that they spread germs.  Flies are as attracted to feces and rotten meat as they are to good food, perhaps even more so.  You really don't want flies walking on what you're about to eat, given what else they frequently walk on!   You can control flies to some extend inside your tent or RV with a fly strip and you may be able to hit them with a flying insect spray, but that can be messy in a small space like a tent or RV.  To protect your food, place covers over it to keep them out.  You can get light weight mesh covers that fold up like an umbrella so they don't take up much room in your RV or camping gear.

Ants are famous for ruining picnics, but they are not usually as aggressive toward humans as other pests unless you set up camp right on top of an ant hill.  Obviously, you don't want to put your picnic table or pitch your tent on an ant hill.  While they don't usually actively attack people, they do seek food and they will bite if you come in contact with them.  Their bites can be painful and, as with all insect bites, carry a possibility of infection.   Only a few ants sting, but most ants spray a venom composed mostly of formic acid. Common treatments for ant "bites" include baking soda, bleach, vinegar, and ammonia.  Be sure not to mix bleach and ammonia as it can produce a toxic gas.   The active ingredient in "bite sticks" is usually ammonia and I have found them pretty effective on all types of insect bites.  I bought a bottle of ammonia at my local dollar store and it has replenished my bite stick dozens if not hundreds of times!

Spiders are everywhere.   It is said there is always a spider within 3 feet of you! Fortunately, most spiders are fairly benign or even beneficial.  The exceptions are black widows and brown recluse (also known as fiddleback) spiders, whose venom is very dangerous, though, contrary to popular belief, usually not fatal.  A spider bite usually has two tiny prick marks where its fangs have penetrated the skin -- as opposed to a the single point left by a mosquito or bee.  Interestingly enough, one of the most venomous spiders it the "daddy long legs".   But its mouth is too small to bite humans. However, it is very effective on other spiders!  Black widows and brown recluse spiders are often found in rock piles, wood piles or under fallen trees or tree limbs.   Exercise caution and wear gloves when handling firewood.   If you do get bit by a black widow or a brown recluse, try to capture the offender for positive identification.   Treat the bite as you would any other bite but seek medical help if you observe any signs of a severe reaction.  Black widow bites are initially pretty mild, kind of like a pin prick. But after 30 to 40 minutes, the area of the bite will swell and hurt a lot, and sometimes a person can get achy all over.  Other symptoms can include weakness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and headache.  If you experience these symptoms, clean the bite with soap and water, apply ice, and seek immediate medical attention.   A brown recluse bite can be even nastier. Brown recluse venom contains a rare protein that can cause a blackened lesion at the site of a bite, or a much less common, but more dangerous, systemic reaction in humans.  Most brown recluse bites actually go unnoticed, but for those who do have a reaction, it can be very nasty.  To prevent spider bites, wear sturdy gloves when moving rocks or wood piles and check clothing that has been stored for some length of time before putting it on.  Also check your shoes or boots if they haven't been worn for a while.  Did you know that spider eyes reflect light like cat eyes?   Check it out on some dark night.   Hold a flashlight at the end of your nose and look where it shines.  Aim it into your lawn or shrubbery.   If there are spiders there you will see little bright pinpricks of light from their eyes.  Holding the flashlight at the end of your nose allows the light to reflect straight back toward your eyes instead of bouncing off in another direction.

Black widows are found through most of the United States.  Brown recluse are mostly found in an area south and east of Missouri.  Individual sightings of brown recluse have been made in other areas, such as California, but were only in the home of someone who had recently moved from Missouri and the critter was very likely a hitchhiker who came along for the ride.  Generally they don't propagate into large populations when relocated.

Here is a photo of the underside of a black widow (note the red hour-glass):



And here is a photo of a brown recluse:



 

Some centipedes are poisonous but their bites are usually not fatal.  Large bites may produce a lot of pain for a few hours but unless you have an allergic reaction to them, like some people to do bee stings, they should go away in a few days.

                                                         

Most of the creepy-crawlies that crawl all over our picnic tables and infest our tents and sleeping bags are more annoying than dangerous.   Black widow and brown recluse spiders are exceptions. Both are highly venomous and their bites can be dangerous.  If you closely examine a spider bite you will find two tiny holes instead of one like get from a mosquito or bee sting.  Interestingly enough, the common "daddy longlegs" spider, which is considered harmless, has one of he most venomous bites -- but its mouth is too small to bite humans.  It is good to have some around since they kill other, possibly more dangerous, spiders.

Treating insect bites is fairly easy.  My favorite treatment is something called a "Bite Stick".   It is about the size of a fine-tip marker and has a wick on one end to apply the medication to the bite.  With a little research I found out the active ingredient is ammonia.   So rather than spending $3-7 to replace my Bite Sticks when they dry out I buy a bottle of household ammonia for a few bucks and refill them many times.  Or just dab some on straight from the bottle.   Toothpaste (not gel) is also said to take the sting out of insect bites.  Another thing that will do it is automotive starting fluid.   A quick spray will take the sting out of most bites.  Baking soda is another folk remedy that I've found to be effective.  In a pinch, just apply a little mud to reduce the stinging of insect bites.  Eliminating the sting and the itch does more than reduce the irritation:  it helps prevent scratching, which often does more damage than the original bite and introduces more germs and infection.  An insect will make a tiny, pin-prick wound.  By scratching them with own fingernails we often turn them into large sores so eliminating the itch as quickly as possible will significantly reduce the damage, infection, and healing time.

Controlling infection is one of the most important aspects of treating insect bites.   Rapid cleaning and disinfecting of bites is the first step.  Cover the wound to prevent more germs from entering --and to keep you from scratching it.  Then monitor the bite.   Some local redness and swelling are normal with many insect bites because humans are allergic to chemicals they inject, but continued spreading of either redness or swelling indicates infection that could be dangerous.   If the redness spreads, especially if it appears as streaks going up or down the body from the bite, it is probably an indication of blood poisoning.  Another symptom of a dangerous condition is if the red streaks or swelling feels "crunchy" when pressed.  This indicates serious blood poisoning and is caused by air bubbles in the liquid that is causing the swelling.  Blood poisoning is a serious condition that can be fatal and requires immediate medical attention.  Since insect bytes are usually very small wounds, cleaning them with alcohol doesn't come under the somewhat recent advice against using it on open wounds because it can kill perfectly good exposed skin cells along with the germs you're after.  In fact, a good cleansing with alcohol often stops the itching and prevents further damage.

As with most things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Avoid locations that are infested with insects if you can.  Dress appropriately to reduce the amount of exposed skin.   Avoid sweet smelling perfumes and colognes that attract bugs.   Use a good insect repellent like Deep Woods Off.   Citronella candles and torches may help keep bugs away from your campsite and your picnic table.   Insect repellent coils and bracelets may also be helpful.  Don't wear flowered clothing. Some insects may mistake you for a patch of flowers.  I have read that some people are naturally resistant to mosquitoes.  How lucky for them.  We have little control over the odors and pheremones our bodies create but if you find YOU are the mosquito magnet in your group, examine your choices of body chemicals (deodorants, perfumes, colognes, lotions, etc).  Then examine your diet and do some research to determine if what you eat is causing you to be eaten!  Exercise and eating salty, high potassium foods produces lactic acid, which mosquitoes are attracted to.  If you don't like chemical repellents, you might try some herbal treatments. There are even herbal supplements that supposedly help your body repel insects.  Wear proper protective clothing (long sleeves, long pants, sturdy gloves), especially when working in rock or wood piles or handling firewood.

Bugs can also be a problem in our RVs and where we store our camping gear.  You will want to monitor your RV and your camping gear storage area to catch any infestations and eliminate them as quickly as possible.  Reduce the chances of getting bugs by keeping things clean.   At the end of every trip clean your RV  carefully, being especially careful to get rid of spills and crumbs and make sure all provisions are tightly sealed in bug-proof containers.   Same with your tent camping gear. Used dryer cloths are said to serve as insect repellent in drawers, cupboards, and closets and may even leave a pleasant scent on clothes.  I don't think I would use any with a strong scent where I store food.   As nice as the smell of Fabreze is, I don't think it adds much to the taste of food.  Be sure to check your camp clothing regularly.  Whether it is stored in drawers and closets in an RV or in a tub in the garage, it may become home to little critters that either eat it up or leave nasty reminders of their presence behind -- or crawl all over you and maybe even feast on you the next time you put it on!  Critters like stored ingredients like flour and pancake mix.  Always store them in bug-proof plastic containers and be sure to check them for invaders before you use them.    Flour and pancake mixes are very good environments for certain weevils.  Better yet, inspect stored food stuffs every trip before you leave home.  Insect eggs that might have gotten into the substance before storage may have hatched and propagated!  Better to find them while you can toss out the contaminated ingredients and replenish them than to discover bug carcasses in your pancakes!  By the way, what's worse than biting into an apple and finding a worm?  Biting into an apple and finding half a worm!

Bug off!