We are in the middle of summer and sure enough, my children have itchy bites. How does this phenomenon sneak up on me every summer?
I thought I was vigilant about taking care of them as we enjoy the activities of summer. But, there is a picture of my children in a black shirt as we hike along a trail...there is also one of them under some trees without a hat...and, oops, there was another time they were running through a field amid ant hills. Here are some of the things I need to remember about avoiding those pesky pests, and maybe you do too:
- Wear light color clothing. It really is true that mosquitoes like dark colors.
- Wear a hat to keep ticks from dropping onto your head. Ticks often drop from trees as you walk under them. If they drop onto a hat, they are more likely to drop right off. Be especially mindful that ticks carry disease and need to be removed within 24 hours.
- Wear long pants. The newly invasive Asian Tiger mosquito likes to fly low and will attack your ankles and legs. It is also active in the daytime.
- Stay calm around bees and wasps. If one does land on you or your children, blow it off gently.
- Teach your children what fire ant hills look like and to avoid them. Even toddlers are able to identify these mounds once taught.
- When traveling, inspect hotel bed sheets for tiny back dots that look like poppy seeds. These are the tell-tale droppings of bed bugs.
