We all love the long and hot summer days and even more pleasant and relaxing summer nights, and it seems that the annoying bugs that fly all around us are our biggest enemy.
Today, we will teach you how to identify the most common bug bites in North America, in order to help you avoid them and treat them with ease:
The following tips can help you avoid insect bites and stings:
- When you spent your time outdoors, make sure you always wear shoes
- If you notice bees or wasps, try to remain calm and move away slowly, do not wave your arms around or swat at them
- Be careful when you are around flowering plants, rubbish, compost, stagnant water, and in outdoor areas where food is served
- To prevent insects from entering the home, keep your doors and windows closed or put thin netting or door beads over them
- Cover the exposed skin when you are outside by wearing long trousers and sleeves, especially at sunrise or sunset, as insects are very active then
- Avoid camping near stagnant water, like ponds and swamps, as most insects adore areas found near water
- When having a picnic or eating and drinking outside, make sure all the food and drink are covered, particularly sweet things – as wasps or bees can get into open drink bottles or cans
- Apply insect repellent to exposed skin when outdoors, and choose repellents that contain 50% DEET (diethyltoluamide)
- Never disturb insect nests
- Insects can be attracted by scents from deodorants, shampoos, and soaps, so avoid using products with strong perfumes
Yet, we cannot get rid of all insects around us, so it would be better to learn how to handle the symptoms of their bites:
- Apply Aloe Vera gel onto the affected area to soothe the bites
- Place a soaked cold tea bag on the affected area, to calm the itching and fight the inflammation
- Essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, camphor, and tea tree oil alleviate the irritations, swelling, and itching. Apply them diluted in coconut oil on the skin to calm it
- If you follow these tips, we are sure you will definitely enjoy this summer more than you did last year!
