Your browser is not supported. | ||
Please browse our site using any of the following options:
| ||
Insect Protection Buying Guide
There is nothing more annoying than hearing the buzzing of insects around your ear when trying to get some good-quality sleep when camping. With lots of options for camping insect repellent out there, do they all work? Which one is best? And what are some helpful tips to help you avoid the annoying buzzing of insects creeping inside your tent at night? Well, the friendly team at Anaconda have put together this insect protection buying guide to inform you of everything you need to know to ensure that you won't have to deal with insects during your next camping trip ever again.
Quick Links:
- What Is The Best Thing To Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping?
- Do Insect Repellent Clothes Work?
- What Is Good For Insect Bites?
- Best Tips For Minimising Insect Bites When Camping
What Is The Best Thing To Keep Mosquitoes Away While Camping?
What is the best insect repellent for camping? Do they actually work? How do you use them? With so many products out there, here is a complete breakdown of each insect repellent we offer in our huge insect protection range at Anaconda and how they can ensure that your campsite will be free of insects.
Mosquito Bands
Mosquito bands are wristbands that have been infused with scents that repel insects such as peppermint oil and citronella. The way mosquito bands work is that you simply put on the wristband and it will emit repellent fumes from the wristband which will keep all mossies and insects away. For example, our Mozzigear Mosquito Bands are non-toxic and will provide up to 48 hours of insect protection.
Mosquito Spray
A tried and tested outdoor insect repellent is mosquito spray. It is designed to spray an odour into the air that mosquitos and other biting bugs will find repulsive, leaving you free to enjoy an insect-free campsite. For example, our Bushmans Ultra Aerosol spray offers up to 10 hours of protection, is water, sweat and rub-resistant and emits a pleasant odour to humans.
Mosquito Lantern
A mosquito lantern is another great insect repellent. It works by emitting a diffused light that repels flying insects, bugs, mosquitoes and flies. For example, our Thermacell Mosquito Repeller Scout Lantern creates a 21-square-metre protection zone around your campsite with a 220-lumen diffused light. Your campsite will be lit up and bug-free!
Mosquito Repeller
A mosquito repeller works by emitting an orderless repellent into the air around your tent and campsite that stop bugs from entering. For example, our Thermacell Portable Mosquito Repeller uses a small butane cartridge to heat up a tiny mat inside the device that has been soaked in an orderless mosquito repellent. There are also no open flames, so it is completely safe and can easily be used by anyone.
Insect Net
A well-known and classic type of insect repellent is insect protection netting, also known in Australia as a mozzie net. It is easy to set up and is crucial for preventing the contraction and spread of nasty diseases such as encephalitis, dengue fever and malaria. Our Sea to Summit Mosquito Net is made of strong polyester netting that will keep nasty insects out while allowing a great amount of airflow inside.
Mozzie Zapper
When the insects are giving you grief and you wanna get tough, a mozzie zapper is a great choice. For example, our OZtrail Lumos Mozzie Zapper Lantern emits a bright 180-lumen UV light that will attract and draw in mosquitos and then zaps them. It has an impressive run time of up to 24 hours for ultimate protection, has an IPX6 water-resistant rating and comes with a Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery.
Mosquito Patches
Mosquito patches are ideal for when you want to protect certain items from flying insects. For example, our Mozzigear Mosquito Patches come in a pack of 10 and can be conveniently placed onto the surfaces of items such as clothing, the walls of your tent, furniture and strollers. Once applied, they emit a citronella-scented fragrance for up to 10 hours.
Mosquito Coils
And lastly, no one has ever gone camping without bringing along some mosquito coils. As one of the most well-known forms of insect protection, mosquito coils, like our Waxworks Mozzie Coils, can be placed down anywhere and will release a scent mixed with citronella, wood pulp and sandalwood to keep annoying mossies away from your tent.
Do Insect Repellent Clothes Work?
The short answer is yes, insect repellent clothes do work. They are treated with an insecticide called permethrin, which is non-toxic and completely safe for humans - but for insects. This then creates a shield around the wearer that completely repels flying insects, keeping them free from bugs throughout the entire day. As the permethrin is bound to the clothing fabric, insect relent clothes (like our Gondwana Men's Insect Repellent Shirt) can last for plenty of washes without degrading in efficiency.
What Is Good For Insect Bites?
While there are many home remedies that can offer some sort of relief from insects and bites, the best remedy is to use a product that is specially designed to provide relief, such as our Stingose Spray. The important ingredient to provide relief from bites is aluminium sulphate, which has been proven to inactivate the venom found in a large range of stings and bites from creepy crawlies when out camping in the bush. It is used to calm and minimise itching, inflammation and pain from bites and stings from wasps, bees, nettles, vines, ants, sandflies, sea lice and many other issues.
Best Tips For Minimising Insect Bites When Camping
There is no denying that Australia is filled with spiders, flying insects and bugs, and they will always be an issue when camping - especially in hot weather like summer and when camping near an open water source. However, apart from bringing along camping insect repellent, there are other preventive options you can take to minimise insect bites when camping.
Carefully choose your campsite
Where you choose to set up camp is incredibly important if you are wanting to avoid flying insects biting you throughout the night. This is why camping water isn't always the best idea - especially near stagnant water such as ponds, puddles, creeks and rivers. Once mosquitoes have completed the first three stages of their life cycle (egg, larvae and pupa), the female mosquito will then leave and come searching for you. When scouting for a place to pitch your tent, just make sure you try to avoid camping near sources of stagnant water if at all possible.
Dusk to dawn: be prepared
As avoiding camping during dusk and dawn is impossible to avoid, unless you are into really quick camping, it is important to always be prepared during these hours. This is because many species of mosquitoes are attracted to different colours of light during different times of the day, with dusk and dawn being the most alluring to them. Luckily, there are many ways you can be easily prepared, such as sleeping in a mosquito net, wearing insect repellant clothing and always having mozzie spray nearby.
Smells that mosquitoes love
Mosquitoes are drawn to aromatic smells such as moisturising lotions, floral-scented soaps, perfumes and deodorants. But they are also drawn to bad smells like body odour and smelly feet. So, just make sure you don't omit any scent and you should be all good - right? Well, no. Studies have shown that mosquitoes are also drawn to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - which is a by-product exhaled from our mouths every time we inhale oxygen. Ok cool, so just don't breathe when camping and you should be fine? Well, yes you would be, but there is an easier alternative below.
Never leave without proper insect repellent gear
The simplest way to make sure you aren't eaten alive by mosquitoes, bugs and other flying insects is to always make sure you have packed camping insect repellant. And with a huge range of outdoor insect repellent from major brands such as Thermacell, Mozzigear and Bushmans, all of your insect repellent needs are covered at Anaconda.
Shop The Best Insect Repellent For Camping At Anaconda
When it comes to the best insect repellent for camping, our helpful insect protection buying guide has you covered for everything you need to stay clear of annoying bugs and insects when camping. For more high-quality outdoor insect repellent products, explore our entire insect protection range at Anaconda today!
Also remember to check out our Adventure Centre for more exciting camping tips, exciting hiking destinations and more, such as: