Tips to Prevent Bug Bites

Female legs with many red spot and scar from sand fly bites

What are some tips to prevent bug bites?

  1. Wear the right clothing
  2. Apply insect repellent lotion
  3. Close windows and doors
  4. Keep surroundings clean

 

Are you tired of getting bit by pesky pests when you go out? Luckily for you, there are a handful of tips to prevent bug bites so that you’ll no longer be inconvenienced by these annoying critters. Like it or not, different species of bugs and insects surround you daily — it’s just a matter of knowing how to prevent them from affecting your everyday life and likewise changing your habits.

Since not all bugs are the same, they may require different methods of treatment. But you can make several changes that can keep yourself from being affected by all kinds of bugs. These techniques can range from wearing the right clothing, applying insect repellent lotion daily, keeping your surroundings clean, or simply closing windows and doors. Continue reading to learn more.

 

Wear The Right Clothing

Have you ever gone outside and found yourself constantly slapping away on your legs or arms? Try as you might, you just can’t seem to swat away all the bugs and insects that surround you. Especially if you’re spending long hours’ outdoors, being bitten by small bugs here and there can get irritating if you don’t know the proper remedies.

A remedy to the situation above is as simple as wearing the right clothing. For example, every time you go to different points in the day, make sure that you keep yourself covered. If the weather is too hot, try to use a thin layer of clothing that is still comfortable, but won’t leave your arms and legs unexposed to the bugs.

Choose articles of clothing like long-sleeved shirts, closed shoes, hats, socks, or even gloves. Remind yourself of these things every time you’re planning to go outdoors.

 

Apply Insect Repellent Lotion

Insect Repellent

Some bugs, like mosquitos and ticks, are very fond of human skin. You may not notice them, but after a few hours, you’ll notice bite marks that seem to have come out of nowhere. In the event that wearing covered clothing might not be enough, it’s important to add another layer of protection. This is made possible by applying insect repellent lotion or sticking anti-mosquito patches to your clothes.

With an insect repellent, your skin won’t be seen as food by these insects. The scent that the lotion produces instead drives these bugs away and turns them elsewhere. Although there are different kinds of insect repellent lotions in the market, most of them last from a range of around 2 to 10 hours. Choose trusted and popular brands in the market to ensure that you’re buying the right product.

 

Close Windows and Doors

When spending time at home, insects can inevitably enter indoors. As you may know, summers in the Philippines can get unbearably hot and stuffy. Homeowners tend to leave their windows and doors open to let in cool air for comfort — but doing this may also invite mosquitoes, ants, caterpillars, worms, millipedes, and the like.

As much as possible, you want to keep your windows and doors closed. If the ventilation is poor inside your home, try investing in a screen mesh for your windows. Not only will they allow cool air inside, but the small gaps also prevent the entry of insects, bugs, and other unwanted environmental elements.

 

Keep Surroundings Clean

Keep Surroundings Clean

Dirty surroundings may become hotbeds for bugs like ants, mosquitos, cockroaches, spiders, and the like. Assess your current home environment — are there any areas that haven’t been cleaned for a long time? Do you have the habit of leaving out trash randomly? How about leaving dirty dishes lying in the kitchen sink? If the answer to all of these is “yes” then it’s a good idea to start changing your habits.

A clean home environment is one of your best defenses against bug bites. For example, empty snack crackers lying on the kitchen table or on the floor may leave out crumbs and attract ants. Stop this from happening by making it a habit to throw away food wrappers after eating your meals.

Identify different areas of your house that may get soiled more than usual — think the kitchen, dining room, living room, recreational room, or bedroom. Have them deep-cleaned at least twice a month. Regular cleaning, on the other hand, should be done whenever necessary.

 

Key Takeaway

In this guide, we’ve outlined some tips to prevent bug bites Know that there isn’t a single solution that can completely protect you from these bites — it’s a matter of practicing time-tested techniques and doing them consistently for good measure.

Want to make sure that your building is bug and pest-free? Call Topbest Pest Control Services now! Our professional team can help keep your home safe from all kinds of bugs and insects. Click here to contact us and get a free consultation now!

Who Bit Me? Identifying Bug Bites

Who-Bit-Me-Identifying-Bug-Bites

Bug bites can vary from unnoticed, to annoying, to potentially dangerous. Sometimes you won’t even notice you’ve been bitten until you see the bite. Being able to distinguish bug bites is essential for you to apply the best remedy. It’s also an act of precaution: when bites from a certain type of bug or a variety of them occurs too often, it may be time to consider calling for pest control services.

Allergy to any of these bites will inevitably cause severe allergic reaction regardless of which insect administered it. Otherwise, here’s how to identify the most common types of bug bites.

MOSQUITO

Who Bit Me? - Mosquito Bite

Bites from these tiny vampires cause immediate swelling around the area bitten, and in the middle of the swelled portion there will be a tiny hole where the mosquito’s sucker pierced through your skin. When they suck blood, their saliva enters our blood stream and could potentially transmit deadly viruses.

FIRE ANT

Who Bit Me? - Fire Ant Bite

If a fire ant bites you, trust us, YOU’LL KNOW. Each fire ant can bite more than once, and they often attack in swarms. Extremely aggressive, these ants will leave groups of tiny, red, swollen dots, sometimes even pus-filled, on your skin that can last to up to a week. Colonies are extremely difficult to get rid of and should only be done by a professional.

SPIDERS

Who Bit Me? - Spider Bite

Majority of the types of spiders have been reported to be venomous. Lucky for us humans, we’re somehow immune to some of them. The others however, can cause a stabbing pain, severe illness and even death. It would be easier to distinguish what type of spider bit you if you actually saw it, but symptoms such as fever, headaches, rashes, and even stomach upset can indicate if it was indeed a spider that bit you. Spider bites usually cause red swelling on the skin and two puncture marks, and take longer to heal than other insect bites.

BEDBUGS

Who Bit Me? - Bed Bugs

Bedbugs don’t transmit any human disease, but are quite difficult to get rid of. They normally bite areas of the skin that are exposed during sleep, such as the face, arms, and feet. Their bites are small and pink, but tend to be in rows or groups.

FLEAS

Who Bit Me? - Flea Bite

Even households without pets can have fleas every now and then, especially if stray dogs and cats pass by. Human illness caused by fleas is highly unlikely, but the area around flea bites may become sore.

TICKS

Who Bit Me? - Tick Bite

The difference between tick and fleas are that the former are not limited to cats and dogs; they can feed off the blood of rodents, possums, reptiles, birds, and even humans. They are also capable of transmitting diseases to humans! Tick bites are usually easy to identify because, get this: the tick is still there, attached to your skin. Removing the head of the tick (not just the body) is important to help prevent risks of diseases.

While most bites are harmless and are itchy at most, scratching constantly may cause infection. Discover and deal with infestations while it’s still early; if you suspect an infestation, do not hesitate to call pest control to thoroughly check your home for you.