How to Prevent Bug Bites

Did you know that kids are especially susceptible to irritating bug bites? During the summer, children spend a lot of time outdoors and are vulnerable to many bites and stings from a variety of pests, including mosquitoes, ticks, wasps, and spiders.

In most cases, bites and stings are only nuisances, but for some children, they can cause dangerous allergic reactions and even infections. Here are a few quick ways to prevent bug bites.

• Keep your house free of pest infestations. There are a number of warning signs to observe throughout the summer, including new hives developing around the perimeter of your house, cracked walls and flooring that will become doorways for pests such as spiders, rodents and ants, and debris in your yard acting as a breeding ground for ticks.
• Monitor and eliminate standing pools of water. Places where water collects, such as sandboxes and playsets, can attract many irritating insects. Drain these unnecessary pools and keep recreational swimming pools of all sizes clean and filtered, replacing water as necessary.
• Avoid sweetly-smelling products, such as sprays, lip balms and lotions. Pests are attracted to odors replicating the natural scents found in flowers and food. Keeping your children free of such smells will make them less attractive to many insects.
• Finally, always remember to spray your kids with bug repellant containing DEET. Applying insect repellant with DEET throughout the day (especially after trips to the pool) will help fend off biting bugs.

We hope these tips help you enjoy your time in the summer sun!