There’s nothing worse than getting incessantly bugged while you’re supposed to be in maximum relaxation mode. It can really harsh your buzz — whether it’s mosquito bites interrupting your chill, or a swarm of flies requiring constant swatting — insects can be, well, pests. But there’s good news: You don’t have to be at the mercy of nature. You have weapons in the struggle against the swarms. Use these techniques and fight back against the hordes of buzzing buzzkills. Because keeping pests away from your campsite is an absolute minimum to achieve maximum chill.
Avoid Standing Water
Still water is prime real estate for replicating bugs. They love it. And female mosquitoes only need half an inch of standing water to lay eggs on the surface — up to 300 at a time in clusters called “rafts.” If you have the option to avoid areas of the RV park that have still water, you’re likely to decrease your exposure to the worst that the insect armies have to offer.
But, realistically, I understand if you just have to park near still water. (Let’s get real, we love lakes!) If you gotta live that lake life, opt for an RV with screens on over the doors. Oops! I’m getting ahead of myself. (More on mesh screens to come.)
Store Food Properly
According to the internet — and I have no reason to disbelieve anything I see on the internet — house flies can detect odors from up to four miles away. Now, how did they measure this? I don’t know. But I always say: Trust the science (that you find on the internet). So I choose to believe.
Either way, what I feel comfortable saying is that the actual number is somewhere between zero and four miles. And the principle remains the same: Don’t leave food out. It will attract flies. And creepy crawly things. Even bears! So just don’t do it.
Leave Exterior Lights Off
There’s a very long Norm MacDonald joke about a moth who walks into a podiatrist’s office, and gives a sob story about how sad he is. After four minutes of hilarious narrative, Norm hits us with the big finish: The podiatrist says, “You need a psychiatrist, not a podiatrist. Why did you come here?” I won’t spoil the punchline, but what I will say is that if you’re interested in keeping pests away from your campsite, you should keep your exterior lights off whenever you can.
Use a Repellent Diffuser
There are primarily two forms of bug repellent: personal and environmental. Personal products are effective in reducing bug bites, but they don’t necessarily keep bugs and creepy things out of your space. Diffusers do. They work by releasing particles of bug-repelling oils or chemicals into the air, discouraging insects from hanging out in your area. Zone-based repellents often advertise a 20- to 30-foot zone of protection; just remember that even a gentle breeze will blow the chemicals out of place.
Use Mesh Screens
In addition to your chemical barriers to keep out the insect hordes, don’t forget about your physical barriers. Adding a mesh screen to your windows and doors will help ensure that the bugs stay outside where they belong. It might seem obvious, but it makes a huge difference. And Amazon has an enormous number of doors and screens that are both easy to install and effective at rejecting entry to flying things.
And, if you’re shopping for an RV, keep that insect factor in consideration. Researching models with a mesh screen that cover the entrances — like this Turismo-ion Twin AWD — is a good place to start.
Set Up a Perimeter
For the creepy crawly things particularly, a perimeter of industrial-strength bug spray is extremely easy to apply. Particularly if you have a pump-pressurized spray can. A few minutes laying down an effective barrier around your campsite can dramatically reduce the amount of bugs you get bugged by. If you’re particularly space-crunched by your RV’s storage, you can pick up a container of bug spray like this one, which comes with a battery-powered wand that makes applying a full barrier of protection a snap.
Use Peppermint Oil
For those who are hesitant to use commercial pesticides and insect repellents in and around their RV, peppermint oil is a great alternative. Used to establish a perimeter, it will even work to deter spiders and other non-flying insects – note, however, that menthol is toxic to cats and dogs.
A Final Line of Defense
Your last line of defense against the dark insect arts is your personal insect repellent. DEET and icaridin are the standard by which all other insect repellents are measured. They’re household names for a reason. They’ve racked up plenty of medals keeping pests away from the campsite. So look for them in the ingredients list when you’re shopping and also take note of how often you should re-apply for maximum protection.
