I have had at least two recurring thoughts since I began working as a Nature Specialist at a summer camp in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). First: I am exhausted. And second: I am being eaten alive by mosquitos.
Of course, I'm super lucky to be getting paid for this! I get to stuff the brains of PNW children with nature facts, chow down on three (free!) delicious meals a day and be a goofball with my fellow counselors as we attempt to foster glorious, lifetime memories for the kids.
So there's no doubt that I have an amazing opportunity here, but it's not all fun and games. And these mosquitos here in Washington state are no joke; at the time of writing, I have no less than 34 bites on my body—including the three on my face. Lucky me! I must have sugary blood or something, right?
Over the years, I've amassed more or less helpful advice concerning mosquito bites. For example, mosquitos are more attracted to you if you've eaten a lot of sugar. This would be a big problem for me because I've got a sick sweet tooth, so I dove into the details to find out how I can save my skin from the tiny, flying leeches:
1. Mosquitos aren't excited by a sugar-filled diet. Keep eatin' them s'mores!
Joshua Engel of Quora states that, "mosquitos don't directly sense the sugar in your bloodstream, nor are they particularly interested in it." What they're actually excited about depends on genetics—some people are just built to release more of the "sweat, lactic acid, uric acid and octenol" that bugs crave. So, it's not the fact that I've been shoving toasted marshmallows down the hatch that has been making the mosquitos swarm; it's more likely because I was chasing down children and only showering it off every other day. What's even better: "[Mr. Craig Benzine] adds that the older the sweat...the more attractive you are to mosquitoes." Wonderful.
2. Making an "x" mark in your mosquito bite will not actually stop the itching. But it could be a helpful placebo for those who don't know any better!
If y'all missed out on your Psychology 101 course, the placebo effect is what takes place when a patient takes a faux medication (for example, a sugar pill) that simulates the action of taking the real medication in order to compare results with patients who took the actual medication. So, considering the placebo effect with mosquito bites, criss-crossing an "x" over a bite will help in that sense. Like this super-reliable website states, it's at the very least helpful to create a "distraction from the pain."
3. Scratching does indeed make it worse. The pleasure isn't worth it the repercussions!
In a study from Temple University and reviewed by Real Simple magazine, researchers found that "ongoing scratching can lead to an increase in the intensity of itch as well as pain and permanent skin damage." So, as tempting as it is to scratch, avoid it at all costs. Something I've noticed is sort of helpful is lightly rubbing the bite with the tips of my fingers. It soothes the itching ever so slightly and doesn't irritate (and therefore spread) the chemicals causing the skin to swell.
4. Darker-colored clothing seems to attract more mosquitos. Go goth or go home. đź’€
A very unscientific test from Will Newton of Backpacking Light revealed that there was a "remarkable" difference between wearing darker and lighter colored clothing. And it's common sense that looser clothing allows for the mosquitos to go crawling up your back, so a pair of thick-knit leggings and a skintight tank top underneath your t-shirt would be a smart investment.
I hope these few tips and tricks will save your skin this summer! Battling mosquitos is definitely worth the time spent and memories made outdoors.
