Simple Hacks to Keep Bugs Away While Camping

We go into nature for the purest things God has created for us—the silence, the grandeur, a release from the noise and craziness of the world. We crave the immersion of existence. But every great journey, every monumental achievement, has its "suck." Sometimes, the suck is a torrential rainstorm. Other times, it's a climb that feels like it will never end. And often, it’s the persistent, buzzing, biting reality of the insect world.

We understand that you can’t fully eliminate the burden, but we can manage it. As we intentionally choose to spend our limited time cherishing the outdoors, we must also be intentional about our defense. A relentless mosquito can turn a moment of immense gratitude into an exercise in frustration. Don’t let the small things steal your joy.

Just as we put in the work to get the rewards in life, we apply a little intentional effort to manage the pests so we can get back to what matters: enjoying the camp, the fire, and the stars. Here are a few simple hacks to keep the buzzing away.

1. The Smoke Signal: Creating Your Boundary

For millennia, fire has been our primary tool for cooking, warmth, and defense. On the trail, your campfire is also your first line of defense against flying insects. The smoke, which we sometimes consider a minor annoyance, is a powerful boundary.

Action: When building your fire, introduce some material that burns slow and smoky, rather than hot and fast.

• Sage or Rosemary: Toss a handful of dried sage or rosemary into the coals. These herbs, which we often enjoy in life and cooking, release a fragrant, bug-repelling smoke that is pleasant to us but unwelcome to mosquitoes.
• Damp Wood: Don't be afraid to add a slightly damp piece of wood to the edge of the firepit. It will smolder and create that desired barrier of smoke that helps push the perimeter of your camp further out.

2. The Wardrobe: Dress for Defense

We choose our gear based on purpose, quality, durability, and comfort. We should apply the same intentionality to our campsite wardrobe, understanding that the colors we wear can attract or repel.

Action: Bugs, particularly mosquitoes and tsetse flies, are drawn to dark colors like navy, black, and deep blue.

• Go Light and Bright: Pack lighter-colored clothing for your evenings at camp. Whites, tans, light grays, and yellows make you less visible to the insects that hunt by sight and heat.
• The Permethrin Pre-Treatment: Treat your camp clothing (and your tent) with Permethrin before your trip. This non-toxic-to-humans insect repellent binds permanently to the fabric, offering protection that lasts for many washes. It’s an act of forethought—preparing for the challenge long before you reach the terminus.

3. Kitchen Strategy: Don’t Offer a Free Meal

Many of the insects that disrupt our peace are drawn not just to us, but to the remnants of our food and the scents we wear. The kitchen area can become a beacon for pests if we are not disciplined.

Action:

• The Dish Soap Hack: When setting up your cooking area, place a saucer or small cup of water with a few drops of dish soap near your prep area. Flies and wasps are attracted to the sweet water, but the soap breaks the surface tension, causing them to drown. It’s a silent, effective guard.
• Scent Discipline: Strong, floral, or sweet-smelling personal care products—lotions, perfumes, or even highly scented soaps—are a magnet for insects. Be discriminant about what you put on your body. Go unscented or use products based on citronella, eucalyptus, or peppermint—smells that are pleasant to us but act as natural deterrents.

The Final Defense

You don't need a heavy pack full of industrial chemicals to win the battle. What you need is intentionality—a few simple, repeatable actions that lessen the burden. By managing your campsite with smoke, choosing your attire wisely, and exercising scent discipline, you make the choice to protect your peace.

Embrace the beautiful struggle of the trail. Deal with the minor "suck" of the bugs so you can truly know that when you sit by the fire and look up at the ancient stars, the effort you put into getting there, and the quiet joy of the moment, was truly worth it.