Get insects to bug out

Clothing treated with insect repellents is perhaps the best way to avoid bugs and the accompanying seven-day itch.

While many outdoorsmen spend most of their time in the woods during the cool months, late summer and early fall are definitely times to be beating the bushes looking for a big buck.

But woods time during warm weather can come with severe consequences besides sweating profusely. Ticks, chiggers (aka red bugs), and other biting insects are out in full force and can cause extreme discomfort that will last a while.

Luckily, outdoorsman can avoid these repercussions by taking adequate precaution with insect repellents on the skin and clothing. The most common ones contain DEET, which can be sprayed directly on the skin, but it washes off and isn’t always the best deterrent for ticks and chiggers.

A more-potent formula has permethrin or permanone listed as the active ingredient. Permethrin kills insects on contact, but it should never be applied to skin and should only be applied to clothing well before use and allowed to dry. Permethrin binds with fabrics and deters biting insects from traveling on clothing. It is the true solution to biting insects that can cause the seven-day itch.

Even though permethrin works wonders, it is not always the most enjoyable task to apply to clothing, especially if you read the warning labels.

Luckily, Insect Shield, based in Greensboro, N.C., has developed clothing with built-in protection to repel mosquitoes, ants, ticks, fleas, chiggers and many other biting flies. The company sells a complete line of outdoor gear. The protection is effective for up to 70 washes before needing retreatment. In addition, Insect Shield will treat clothing that’s sent in to its Greensboro factory for a small fee.

Nobody likes to get into a colony of ticks and chiggers and the seven-day itch can ruin a trip to the woods. Furthermore, preventing tick bites will eliminate the chances of contracting one of the crippling, tick-borne diseases as well.

For more information, visit www.insectshield.com or call 888-884-5784.

About Jeff Burleson 1308 Articles
Jeff Burleson is a native of Lumberton, N.C., who lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He graduated from N.C. State University with a degree in fisheries and wildlife sciences and is a certified biologist and professional forester for Southern Palmetto Environmental Consulting.

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