Prevent Biteys from Getting Mighty

Daily practices for keeping bite-free from mosquitoes and ticks this season.

Author: be well™ with Big Y^® Registered Dietitian Team

Summer in New England is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors. However, mosquitos and ticks also love the warm weather and they can carry diseases, such as Lyme disease. Avoid being bitten by these pests by following these precautions:

Wear light-colored, solid-colored, smooth clothing (bright colors attract bugs), and wear long sleeves and pants if possible. This will make it easier to see any ticks and prevent them from attaching to skin.

Refrain from using perfume or highly scented soaps or lotions.

Apply insect repellent sparingly to exposed areas of your skin. Although not as effective against ticks or other bugs, try those with oil of lemon eucalyptus or picaridin if you are concerned about DEET (or N,N‍-‍Diethyl‍-‍m‍-‍toluamide) exposure.

Wash off insect repellent as soon as you are back indoors to minimize exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

Avoid time outdoors when mosquitoes are most active (dawn and dusk).

Upon return, inspect yourself and your family for any ticks that may need to be removed. Look closely around ears, behind knees and under arms. Note: Deer ticks are typically the size of the period at the end of this sentence.