I will never forget a weeklong
backpacking trip I took a few years
back in the Upper Peninsula along
the shore of Lake Superior.
There was the rugged beauty of
the north, the views of endless
waters on Lake Superior, bears
trying to get my food and
mosquitoes and black flies doing
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. their best to suck my body dry of blood. I came to appreciate insect repellent
and a head net given to me as a gift from my kids.
Now a few years later, not only do we worry about the irritation of being bit, we
are concerned about insect born diseases like West Nile Virus. So the use of
repellents is more important than ever. The single most widely used repellents
in the United States are those with N,N-diethylmetatoluamide, known by the
short name as DEET.
These repellents work extremely well to control insects by blocking the ability of
the biting bugs from locating its prey, in this case us.
For mosquitoes, those repellents using lower levels of DEET work quite well.
To control biting flies, the concentration must be higher.
One of the drawbacks to DEET is that the compound can cause irritation for
some, will dissolve plastics and other synthetics and it has a rather distinct
odor, the smell we all associate with bug repellent.
These repellents can be purchased in concentrations ranging from about 7
percent to 100 percent DEET. So the question is, just how much DEET do you
need?
Some people will tell you that only 100 percent DEET will repel flies. I have not
found this to be the case. I routinely use one of the major brands such as
Backwoods Cutter with 23 percent DEET or Off Deep Woods with 27 percent.
Each of these is available in pump and aerosol form.
New to the U.S. market is the compound Picaridin that was recently approved
for sale in our country and is a recommended repellent by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA. DEET is the only other
repellent approved by the CDC.
Picaridin works in the same manner as DEET, but is non-toxic, not as irritating
as DEET, does not damage plastics, is odorless and is reported to feel better
on the skin. It is the most widely used repellent compound in Europe and
Australia.
As of this time the only repellent being marketed by a major manufacture using
Picaridin is
Cutter Advance.
I have yet to use a Picaridin based repellent, but will give it a try while I am
on the trail next week.
Regardless of what repellent you use, it must be used properly:
- ·Follow all instructions listed on which ever repellent you use and pay attention
to any cautionary statements.
- · When applying repellent, spray it on and then spread it evenly using your
hand.
- ·To apply it to your face, spray some repellent in your hand and rub it on,
avoiding your lips and eyes.
- ·To keep insects out of your clothing, spray the openings, such as pant cuffs,
sleeves and shirt collars.
- ·Take care when using any repellent on children. Picaridin is reported as being
safer for little ones than DEET, but either must be used with care.
- · Always apply repellent for children, preferably by spraying it on your own
hand, and then spreading it on the child’s exposed skin.
- ·Never apply DEET products under your clothing.
- ·Always wash your hands after applying insect repellent.
- Never use DEET or other chemical repellents on children
under 2-months of age.
There are other, natural repellents that utilize citronella oil and other
compounds. I have tried them and they have not worked well for me. The same
goes for an oil that is sold by a cosmetics firm, and that some people swear by.
All it did was cure my dry skin and I smelled nice.
When the bugs are really bad I pull out the head net my boys gave me, a long
sleeved shirt and a pair of pants. I may be hot, but it is better than being bit
half to death.
Have a question or a favorite trail you would like to see in a column? Then
contact outdoors writer Larry DiVizio at hiker@michiganhiker.com . For more
information on camping and backpacking in Michigan log onto www.
michiganhiker.com
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