Summer is wonderful, except for one thing: mosquitos! Many of you know about my terrible reactions to mosquito bites. Avoiding them is a never-ending journey for me. I’m always asked how I deal with mosquitos, so here’s a list of all of my tips and tricks!

mosquito repelling products on counter

A Note From Teri on Mosquitos

I do not mess around when it comes to mosquito bite prevention! Every year I make sure I’m ready to avoid mosquito bites as much as humanly possible. I have Skeeter syndrome, which means that my body reacts to mosquito bites in overdrive. Bites can be painful, large, inflamed, and often blistered. It’s not fun, so even my wardrobe choices can revolve around mosquito avoidance! Vivian went through my photo library and found some great photos of my mosquito journey through the years.

woman in mosquito repelling outfit

I start by treating my gardens for mosquitos from late spring through early autumn. The appointment with a local pest control business in Chicago makes such a big difference in my day-to-day life!

woman with blister on arm

Recently, my friend Kate Shiffrin came across a mosquito control method involving a bucket filled with water, scraps, and a mosquito dunk, and she immediately shared it with me! Its a DIY project but the science behind this method is simply that mosquitos are attracted to the carbon dioxide from the fruit fermentation and dive into the bucket rather than onto you. The mosquito dunk in the water will take care of the rest. Roy thought this would be a fabulous alternative to spraying pesticides outside our cabin, and so far it’s going fine and is helpful! It’s not a perfect method, but it’s been working, and we are pleased with it.

Sprays for bug and insect protection, outdoor itching relief, and skincare in a visually appealing layout.
woman in denim dress with yellow cardigan sandals and sunglasses in cabin
woman in jeans and white shirt with yellow cardigan

Then there are the many other products that I have tried. There’s patches, sprays, lotions and even chemically treated clothing in my mosquito “closet.” I tend to avoid wearing treated clothing, but if necessary I do have treated leggings, socks, and even jackets. I have even considered wearing a beekeepers suit on walks, but a girl has to draw the line somewhere. 

Zapper device applying to skin on leg, wellness, home health tool, injury treatment, or massage art.
An item that is newer to me but now indispensable are these electronic bug bite zappers. I love this one! It’s my favorite! It mimics the hot spoon trick and I won’t lie that it doesn’t hurt a little… but if it works, it works in my book. And it really works! I am absolutely thrilled about them. My red light therapy devices are also a gift for treating bites. I could go on and on about red light therapy, so all I’ll say is that if you’re interested to know more, shoot me a Direct Message on Instagram! Read on to look through my other trusted and favorite products.
group of people outside

Stickers and Bracelets

Mosquito repellent patches and stickers with colorful designs for kids and outdoor protection.
  1. Cliganic Mosquito Repellent Patches. You can often spot these on my sleeves or pants. I’ll wear a few at time around my body.
  2. Favorite! NatPat Mosquito Repellent Stickers. Like the other ones, but with a little fun personality! These are my favorite stickers and always stock up.
  3. Favorite! Cliganic Mosquito Relent Bracelets. I wear a couple around my wrists but often than not wear them around my ankles! These are definitely a favorite!

Sprays

bug sprays

I usually spray one of these on before walks or spending time outside:

  1. Benadryl Itch Cooling Spray. This is great at calming down the post-bite warm and itchy sensation
  2. Sawyer Picaridin Spray. This is a deet-free alternative repelling spray! It was recommended to me so I purchased it but haven’t used it yet.
  3. Kinfield Repellent Spray. I like it this one but Roy doesn’t love the smell. I haven’t been using it for long, but it is part of my rotation now.
  4. Favorite! Bye Bites! Natural Spray. The last spray in my collection is my favorite spray in the collection, and I found it in Mexico. If you’re traveling and run out of your products or forgot them at home, ask a local for their recommendations. You might find your holy grail product by accident, and is that just the best?

Mosquito Bite Relief

bug bite relief products
  1. Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream. You’ll need a prescription for this, but it helps the most when treating my severe reactions
  2. Bite Relief Wipes . Great relief product for on the go treatment. I’ll use these, or any drugstore brand
  3. Caladryl Clear. This is clear so you can wear it while outside the house without worrying about stares
  4. Calamine lotion. The classic pink! I bought this at CVS but any will work well

There you go! I can’t separate them out and tell you which work the best, but as a more is better person, I’m using them all! I’m not a doctor, so I can’t advise you or claim that any product will be the answer. But I can say that these work for me. I don’t if they will work for you, but I hope they will!

Check out these posts for more outdoor fun!

If you try out any of these products or if you have any other tips or experiences, please leave a comment below! If you’re looking for more inspiration, subscribe to my Substack, and follow along on Pinterest,  Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!