Summer's the season for kicking back and relaxing outdoors. It's the season for breezy dresses, comfy shorts, and bathing suits, and for lying out under the stars on warm nights.
But while you're enjoying the warm air and the flowers, someone else is enjoying, well, you.
We're talking about bugs, the little creepy crawlies who come out in force over the summer, especially if you live in a place that gets humid.
If you're lucky, they're the nice kind like bees, butterflies, and fireflies that just pollinate your flowers and look cute.
But they're unfortunately usually accompanied by the jerk kind, like mosquitoes and horse flies, which like to feast on you.
However, if you're armed with a little knowledge, you can make your summer a little less itchy with some simple tips for keeping bugs away from you, and for treating their bites when they do get to you — and they likely will. It's kind of inevitable!
Just like knowing how to identify which kind of bug made the bite, it's also good to know how to soothe the itch and prevent more from happening.
Read on for some surprisingly simple tips to keep bugs and their bites to a minimum this summer!
Cover photo via Flickr / John Tann
How To Treat Bites Treatment #1: Basil Leaf
Take a fresh basil leaf, or a piece of one, and gently rub it on the bite to soothe the itch.
You can also make a basil rub by adding half an ounce of dried basil leaves to two cups of boiling water and letting it steep until it's cool.
Treatment #2: Scotch Tape
This helps less with the itch and more with the resistance to scratching it.
Scratching a bug bite feels good, but it can also tear the skin, causing cuts that can get infected or leave scarring. No good.
If you're the kind of person who scratches without even realizing you're doing it, pop a little piece of tape over the bite.
This will keep wayward nails from clawing it up.
Treatment #3: Pressure
This is a great trick to know when you don't have anything on you to soothe an itchy bite.
Simply place your fingertip on the bite and press. The pressure will alleviate the itch, but won't break the skin the way scratching can.
Treatment #4: Hand Sanitizer
The alcohol in hand sanitizer makes a great, cooling remedy to a bug bite.
As an added bonus, it also keeps it clean, which is good if the skin is raw or open at all.
If you don't have hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol works just as well.
Treatment #5: Lemon Juice
Squeezing a bit of lemon juice will take the itch out of a bite.
Like hand sanitizer, it will also disinfect it. It may sting on irritated skin, but it won't last.
Treatment #6: Oatmeal
If hand sanitizer and lemon juice sound too harsh, you can go in the other direction with gentle, soothing oatmeal, too.
Mix some up with equal parts water to make a paste and hold it on the bite for about 10 minutes.
You can also make an oatmeal bath by sprinkling a cut of oats into a warm bath and let yourself soak. Just be sure to keep it out of the drain!
How To Prevent Bites Prevention #1: Essential Oil Blend
In a dish, combine eight drops citronella or lemongrass oil, and four drops each of lavender, thyme, and peppermint.
It'll smell nice to you, but not to the bugs!
You can mix it with witch hazel and water to make a spray, or mix it with a moisturizer for your skin.
If you're putting it on your skin, do a test patch to make sure it's diluted enough.
Prevention #2: Citronella Candles
Citronella candles have long been used to keep bugs at bay with their lemony scent and their smoke.
They come in a variety of sizes, and are perfect for making a perimeter around a porch or yard space, plus they provide you with some light!
Prevention #3: Burning Sage
Citronella candles can be too strong for the house, but sage is more mild.
Try burning some dried sage in a small, fire-safe bowl, or using a smudge, which is a bundle of dried sage leaves.
Light it, blow it out so that you have an ember, and let it smoke a bit.
When you're done. you can let it burn out on a fire-safe surface, or you can put it out with some water.
Prevention #4: A Planned Garden
Something to consider is what you plant.
You might have noticed that bugs stay away from strongly scented flowers and plants, so consider planting them in your garden to keep them away all summer. And don't worry, you'll think they smell great!
Lavender, basil, geranium, rosemary, mint, chrysanthemums, petunias, lemongrass, marigolds, as well as many others, are not bugs' favorites at all.
And bee balm, pictured here, also repels mosquitoes, but as the name might imply, bees love it!
Prevention #5: Your Scent
Bugs are attracted to us because to them, we smell very tasty.
And we smell even tastier if we're covered in sweet-smelling lotions or perfumes. Opting for a scent they hate but you like, such as lavender, is one option.
Another is opt for unscented deodorants and lip balms so you don't call more attention to yourself.
If you know someone who's going to be outdoors a lot this summer, SHARE this information with them and save them a lot of aggravation!
