Insects

Here are some things to consider doing. Some items may not be applicable to you.

Avoiding insect bites:

  • Use repellents which contain DEET sparingly – may be toxic, especially to kids
  • Avoid using bug zappers
    • they kill very few biting insects, e.g., mosquitoes
    • they kill a large number of insects which support a balanced ecosystem by being food for other beneficial species
    • researchers estimate that over 50 billion insects are needlessly killed in the U.S. each year
    • one study found that only 1% of insects killed by bug zappers were biting insects
    • mosquitoes are much more attracted to the carbon dioxide in people’s breath than to ultra-violet light

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