Mosquitoes, midges, ticks - these and many other insects can spoil even the most ideal, well-thought-out vacation or trip. And protection against insects is another component of a good evening in nature or a fun adventure.

After all, the danger from insect bites is not only unpleasant itching and swelling of the bite site. Mosquitoes and ticks are carriers of such diseases as malaria, onchocerciasis (commonly known as river blindness), encephalitis, borreliosis, and many others. Therefore, it is important to prevent a bite and infection. We recommend using sprays to protect against mosquitoes, midges and ticks.

Insect repellents today include sprays, ointments, balms, various types of portable fumigators, and basic clothing that can protect against bites. Many manufacturers also offer products that soothe irritated skin after a bite.

But have you wondered what exactly is included in such products?

Today, a distinction is made between insect repellents based on diethyltoluamide (DEET) and those based on saltidine or icaridin, which are essentially the same thing.

What is DEET?

A little history of DEET

During the Vietnam War, American soldiers faced a serious problem in the form of high humidity and, as a result, a large number of mosquitoes. At that time, no repellents had yet been invented, and folk remedies did not provide relief.

Therefore, the Pentagon commissioned one of the US Ministries to develop a means of protection against insects. At first it was planned that the resulting substance would repel the malaria mosquito and mosquitoes, but it soon turned out that the resulting substance could repel a large number of biting insects. What caused its increased popularity soon not only among the military, but also among tourists, farmers, and fishermen.

This substance turned out to be diethyltoluamide (DEET). On its basis, a repellent was developed, which is still used today in the fight against mosquitoes, midges and other flying insects that can spoil the rest.

How does DEET work?

Mosquitoes and midges first "feel" the smell of a person, or rather, his CO2 plume at a distance of up to 50 m. When they fly closer, they can already orientate themselves on body temperature. Diethyltoluamide is able to block the sensitive receptors of the insect. That is, thanks to DEET, mosquitoes "lose their sense of smell" and cannot "find" a person.

DEET-based insect repellents

Today, many repellents have been developed based on diethyltoluamide, including balms and mosquito sprays.

In order for the active substance not to "evaporate", manufacturers add various additives that "fix" DEET on the skin or on clothes. Thanks to this, the protection effect can last up to 10 hours. At the end of this time, it is recommended to re-apply protection to the surface of the skin. Also, in conditions of high environmental humidity and increased sweating, it is recommended to apply the product more often - on average, once every 5-6 hours.

Depending on the percentage of DEET content in the composition of the protective agent, there are options:

  • With less than 50% DEET. These can be sprays, creams, balms. On average, this protection lasts 8-10 hours and applies to mosquitoes, midges and ticks. An example is Base Camp DEET 50 spray and the same manufacturer's Base Camp DEET 34% Cream. The content of the active substance is 34%, which is quite enough to protect against annoying insects in middle climatic latitudes;
  • Means with DEET more than 50% are used in humid tropics, where there are a lot of insects. Such means of protection against insects stay on the skin for up to 14 hours, they are not "afraid" of sweat and moisture in the air;

Other types of sprays for protection against insects.

DEET-containing repellents are not suitable for people with sensitive skin and children under 2 years of age. To solve this problem, manufacturers use options based on saltidine and essential oils.

Saltidine or icaridin (according to the latest classification of the Ministry of Health) is used as the main active ingredient for repellents and various types of protection against insect bites.

According to its characteristics, saltidine is not inferior to DEET, and in some situations it is even better.

Saltidine-based repellent can be applied to the skin and clothing. When in contact with plastic, nylon or polyester, it does not react, simply put, it does not spoil clothes or equipment. No allergic reactions occur on the skin.

Protection against mosquitoes based on essential oils may be less effective against ticks and midges. If we compare the mechanics of the work of products based on DEET or saltidine, which block insect receptors, protection based on essential oils simply repels midges. She "doesn't like" the smell of oils and flies away. Manufacturers do not give a 100% guarantee of the effectiveness of such means, but at the same time, such protection is also popular.

One of such tools is Bug Drug repellent from Black Diamond.  It includes oils of lemon eucalyptus, lavender, geranium, peppermint, and rosemary.

Impregnation for clothes with protection against insects

But it is not always possible to use a spray or cream. Then impregnation for fabrics comes to the rescue. This is a special spray that is applied directly to the fabric of outerwear.

The basis of such impregnations is most often permethrin (C21H20Cl2O3), which is also used in medicine for the treatment of skin diseases. Its smell paralyzes insects that are directly on the fabric. But in most cases, it simply repels insects and masks the smell of a person from them.

An example of quality impregnation for clothes is MGP Spray from Base Camp. Manufacturers advise applying impregnation to a clean fabric in an even layer and then letting it dry. Do not put on soaked clothes until they are completely dry. The action of such impregnation is enough for a period of 2 to 4 weeks.

Important: After each wash, it is necessary to re-treat the clothes with Base Camp MGP Spray impregnation, as detergents wash out the active substance.

If you are planning a hike or an expedition in conditions of high humidity, stop your choice on impregnations for clothes, so you will save time for systematic application and the amount of spent protective agent.

And if it's a weekend hike or a walk to the river, bug and tick sprays will do.

The wholesale company SMG is the official distributor of products of the Ukrainian manufacturer Base Camp.

You can buy sprays, creams and impregnations for insect protection in Ukraine in stores