Tips

How to Steer Clear of Stinging Insects

Summer may be the best time of year, but it only takes a single wasp sting or one bite from a nasty spider to send you fleeing indoors. No matter where you live or how much time you spend outdoors, steering clear of stinging insects is very important.

There are plenty of ways to avoid the sting this summer, and not all of them involve hiding inside your home. If you want to enjoy the great outdoors and all it has to offer, you just need to be smart about where you go, where you step and what you do.

Watch What You Wear

Stinging insects are visually oriented, and they are attracted to bright colors. If you walk outside wearing a flowered dress or a bright yellow pair of shorts, the bees and wasps in the neighborhood may be particularly interested in you.

You do not have to spend the summer season in dull drab clothes, but paying attention to what you wear is always a smart idea. Avoiding bright colors during hours when stinging insects like bees and wasps are particularly active is a simple and effective way to avoid the sting and get more enjoyment out of your outdoor activities.

Be Cognizant of Scent

Bees, wasps and other stinging insects are also attracted to certain scents, especially floral aromas. Try to avoid lotions, perfumes and other personal care products that use floral essences and other scents stinging insects are likely to find attractive.

You may need to do some experimentation to see which scents those stinging insects are most interested in, but once you know what to avoid, you may be able to go through the entire season without a single sting or bite. It is all about knowing how the insects think, and staying one step ahead of them.

Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

There are some spots where stinging insects are more likely to be found, so pay attention to where you go and where you step. Venturing outdoors without shoes is just asking for trouble, so always were proper footgear when going outside.

You can also protect yourself by watching for possible wasp nests and beehives around your property. Wasps love to build nests under the eaves of buildings, so check carefully in those locations. If you do spot a possible nest, call an exterminator right away. You do not want to deal with a nest of angry bees or try to tackle a huge wasp nest on your own.

Stinging insects are part of the environment, but they do not have to be part of your summer lifestyle. With a few simple precautions, you can send those stinging insects on their way and enjoy a better and more comfortable summer season.

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