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  7. 6 Ways to Keep Mosquitos Away from Your Campsite

6 Ways to Keep Mosquitos Away from Your Campsite

Don’t play host to these pesky pests while on your camping adventure by following these simple tips and tricks.

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Tis the season … for letting a few unread emails pile up in exchange for fresh air and quality time with your family. When it comes to summer, many opt for camping over other popular (and often crowded) tourist locations. Traveling with the goal of being completely off the grid includes setting up camp somewhere with a view that allows you to have your own party with your own rules.

Unfortunately, where there is a party, there is the chance of a party crasher, and the one uninvited guest that notoriously ruins a good time is the pesky mosquito. They’re rude and inconsiderate, and you always want to keep mosquitos away from your campsite. But how do you go about doing this? By following these six tips on how to tell those mosquitos to buzz off.

Mosquito Spray Camping

image: Getty

Choose the Perfect Campsite

Location is everything when you’re camping. Selecting a campsite that is dry and offers a soft breeze will help deter mosquitos from joining your crew. While it’s best to avoid camping near lakes, rivers, and creeks since bodies of water tend to call not only to mosquitos but other (larger and potentially dangerous) wildlife, avoiding water entirely is easier said than done.

Rain is an inevitable part of the camping experience but make note of how much sun versus shade your potential campsite gets and choose a location that collects more light. In doing so, your area will dry out quicker after a shower and keep the mosquitos from invading.

Not sure where to look for promising campsites? Try this convenient Find an RV Park & Campground locator tool.

Select the Right Tent

When looking at your next pop-up home away from home there are a few things to consider in an effort to stop mosquitos from thinking they have permission to hang out. Mesh panels are a given and are super effective at keeping out small bugs including the dreaded mosquito.

You should opt for a tent that has mesh doors, windows, and panels you can zip closed and make it a habit to zip them after every entrance and exit. Another thing to consider is a vented tent. For those warmer days of summer, tents with adjustable ground vents can optimize airflow and send the signal that mosquitos are not welcome.

Looking for a solid choice of tent? Try the Columbia Mammoth Creek 8-Person Cabin Tent.

Create your Own Breeze

Since sitting in the tent (even if you choose the perfect option) for the entirety of your camping trip isn’t the best-case scenario, there needs to be a way to deter mosquitos from raiding your campsite. Creating your own breeze with a non-toxic bug-repellant fan is a solid way to maintain a mosquito-free zone.

There are many options on the market, but what you want to consider is a fan that pulls double duty in standing guard of your out-of-the-tent areas. Innovative reflective holographic fan blades disrupt light and have proven to interrupt flight patterns of insects redirecting them to another location instead. What I would look for in a fan is an odorless option, quiet-running capability, and one that operates on batteries, so I don’t have to deal with a cord leash or some other method of supplying power.

Try the eco-friendly Treva Non-Toxic Bug-Repellant Fan and blow the tiny minds of those mosquitos.

Spray them Away

Perhaps the most obvious option in battling mosquitos is bug spray. There are a million different choices, some more effective than others, and all 100 percent hated by the insect community. When selecting the spray that will fulfill its promise and protect you at your next campsite and beyond, consider a spray that has long-lasting coverage to cut down on repeat applications.

Aim for a 12-hour protection period and look for a formula that is created especially for hunters, fisherman, campers, and the outdoor lifestyle in general. The difference in formula curation separates the campsite from the backyard. Also look for non-greasy, non-staining, and quick-drying sprays. Avoiding mosquitos should be a quick blip on your camping itinerary.

Try the two-ounce pocket-size Lethal Bug and Tick Repellent and repel not just mosquitos but ticks and other biting insects.

Cover Up with Proper Camping Clothing

While being outdoors is always a tempting opportunity to work on your summer tan, the campsite may not be the best place to do it. Instead, choose clothing that protects you from the elements instead of exposing you to them.

A lightweight, long-sleeve shirt can be an invaluable addition to your camping wardrobe and one that keeps mosquitos from taking advantage of any unprotected skin. Save the tanning for the pool or the beach, you have all summer to get bronzed before the season turns.

Try the HUK Men’s Pursuit Vented Long-Sleeve Tee or the Striker Men’s Graveyard UPF Long-Sleeve Fishing Shirt.

Light the Way

Once the sun sets, your campsite takes on an entirely new feel. The ambiance is different thanks to the moonlight, but the shift in scenery and setting often means the mosquitos see it as their time to shine. Provide the perfect light to repel them with a lantern that is both functional and decorative.

There are many options on the market, but I would advise choosing a lantern that is virtually odor-free without an open flame. Explore one that uses a butane cartridge with a long operating time, so the mosquitos worry about how to avoid your campsite versus conspiring ways to crash it.

Try the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Cambridge Lantern and create a 15’ x 15’ bug-free zone.


The outdoors is big enough for all of us to coexist without getting in each other’s way, including bugs. Other ways to prevent mosquitos from joining your party is to avoid perfumes and colognes and keep skin scents neutral and clean. Maybe explore a firepit at night? The smoke will keep all bugs away, plus it’s a good excuse to stack up a s’more.

Brad Cowan
+ posts

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