Thinking of travelling during the holidays? There are many things to consider and to prepare, and if you're travelling to other countries, it would be good to know how to prevent bug bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and tsetse flies. Such bug bites can bring disease when they bite you, so take extra precaution during your trip.
The Ministry of Health of New Zealand has provided some information on what bugs to be aware of, and how to avoid being bitten.
Bugs to be aware of
- Mosquitoes that carry malaria or Japanese encephalitis are more active in the evening and at night. If you're travelling in an area that has these diseases, be especially vigilant at those times.
- Mosquitoes that carry dengue or yellow fever are more active in the daytime.
-Tsetse flies are large flies found in mid-continental Africa, particularly in vegetated areas. Their bite can cause sleeping sickness.
- Ticks flourish in warm, humid climates such as the Australian bush. They can carry many diseases.
How to avoid being bitten
Indoors
- Use screens on doors and windows.
- Use insect sprays.
- Use mosquito coils.
- Use a mosquito net over your bed at night. You can spray this with pesticide if you wish.
- Turn on air conditioning if you have it - this is very effective at keeping mosquitoes out of a room.
Outdoors
- Wear a repellent cream or spray, preferably containing DEET (diethyltoluamide). (Repellents containing less than 35 percent DEET are recommended because higher concentrations are no more effective - they just work for longer - and in rare cases they can cause poisoning. Repellent should not be applied to wounds or irritated skin.)
- Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants and hats. Clothing can be treated with repellent.
- Wear light-coloured clothing - ticks and other critters are more easily detected on a light background and tsetse flies are attracted to dark, contrasting colours.
- Use zip-up screens on tents.
- Avoid places where mosquitoes are most active, such as swampy areas.
- Note that vitamin B doesn't prevent mosquito bites.
