Like ghosts skimming the night sky, the bats were a welcome sight. While most shun their night flight, their very presence means there will be less bugs and other flying pests come morning.

And for me that’s a relief. For whatever reason, my flesh seems to be attractive to all kinds of stinging and biting insects. That’s why I’ve picked up a few tricks to keep the pests at bay. 

No, I don’t carry a box of bats wherever I go. But I’ve learned that taking a few precautions before going afield can make life a lot easier when out and about.

One of the best methods at keeping insects off your skin is to cover up, which means covering as much bare skin as possible. Wearing shirts with long sleeves and long pants with the cuffs bloused or tucked into your socks offers a good line of defense. 

What you wear is important, and covering up works. But it is also important to be aware of the color of the garments being worn. Wear khaki or neutral colors. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, especially blue, so avoid that one when possible.

Leave the aftershave and perfume at home. Heavily scented toiletries are an attraction for bugs, especially bees. And don’t forget about scented soaps, you know the ones that claim to keep you smelling fresh all day. Well, that may be true, but when you’re out where insects are prevalent, the scent will keep the bugs coming your way all day long, or at least until the stuff wears off.

Insect repellents work. And like sunscreen, insect repellent is an outdoor essential. Apply it to your clothing and any uncovered skin. Personally, my preferences are the repellents that contain DEET.

DEET, or N.N-Diethylmeta-toluamide, was invented in 1944, and by 1946 the repellent was being used by the U.S. Army. In 1957, the repellent was released for civilian use.

The repellent works and is the most widely used product of its kind. It can be applied to clothing or the skin.

In my case, when using DEET products, my personal preferences are those that contain at least 15 to 25 percent of DEET. When venturing into areas that have a high concentration of insects, my choice is to use products that contain a higher concentration of DEET.

In 1973, a product called Permethrin was introduced. At first the chemical was used to protect livestock and even for treating humans for head lice. It was later marketed to treat clothing. It was found, when properly applied to clothing, that Permethrin would repel or kill some insects.

The military has used Permethrin to treat uniforms for over twenty years. Today clothing with Permethrin is widely available to everyone. The chemical is not recommended to be applied to human skin. However a clothing barrier from insects of Permethrin treated clothing has worked well for me. 

If the use of chemicals to repel insects is a concern, there are a few options. A number of products are available today that contain natural ingredients. Citronella-based products work okay. Citronella rebuffs insects by confusing their sense of direction and stifling their appetite. 

Another precaution that can be taken is to be alert and aware of the time of day when certain insects are most active. Black flies are more prevalent in the morning hours, while mosquitoes tend to bite at dawn and dusk. And those pesky deer flies like to prowl at midday. 

Where you travel is also another consideration. Mosquitoes like cool, moist places. They thrive in areas that hold stagnant pools of water.  Some popular breeding grounds include puddles, birdbaths, and inside old tires. Black flies are attracted to dark, moving objects.

If you really want to always be prepared, try using clothing that is commercially treated with

Permethrin. A simple google search using the words ‘insect resistant clothing’ will provide a respectable selection of treated clothing to choose from.

For those looking for a chemical-free option, check out garments produced by Bug-Out. Their products are well made and worth taking a look at.

Regardless of where you go this time of year and up until after the first couple frosts of fall, biting insects can make enjoying the outdoors a challenge. But that situation can be easily changed provided you go prepared.

In my case I weigh the options with the products available that will meet my needs on any given day. With that in mind, I pretty much go bug-free all season long.

Charlie Burchfield is an active member and past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, an active member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, Outdoor Writers Assoc. of America and the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers. Gateway Outdoors e-mail is GWOutdoors@comcast.net