To avoid ruining your trip, it's important to find out about the risks of mosquito bites before you leave. Once on the ground, knowing the precautions to take and the care to provide is strongly recommended.
Mosquito preferences...
- Biting time!
Mosquitoes tend to bite at dawn and dusk. But some bite during the day, like the Tiger mosquito. And, unfortunately for us, certain species — albeit rarer — are active day and night! That said, as a general rule, mosquitoes will preferentially bite someone in the shade rather than in direct sunlight.
- The unequal battle against mosquitoes
We are far from equal when it comes to mosquitoes! Why are they more interested in you than in your neighbour when you're sleeping (for example) in the same room?! It's the warmth of the human body (between 30 and 37°C) that attracts them, but also the scent of our skin, which can actually be detected by mosquitoes from more than 10 metres away. Some skin odours are apparently more appealing than others...
Good to know: it's not light that attracts mosquitoes, but your breathing and the CO2 you exhale!
In which regions do mosquitoes cause problems?
The majority of these insects thrive in humid regions. Infested areas are found mainly in tropical and subtropical regions as well as in boreal regions (Nordic countries, Canada, Siberia, etc.) where the presence of permafrost combined with low water evaporation prevents effective soil drainage, even on slopes.
What is the risk of being bitten by a mosquito?
In hot regions, these insects are vectors of diseases that are far more frequent and serious: malaria, dengue fever, river blindness, etc. It is therefore absolutely essential to protect yourself effectively while following the recommended preventive treatments.
Tip : Check with your guide or the host organisation to find out about and prepare for the risks involved.Preventing bites: mosquito repellent products
In addition to mosquito nets and repellents in cream or spray form, there are also fabric repellents that are impregnated into the fabric fibres.
CimAlp has developed garments incorporating chitin into their fabrics; a natural biopolymer found in crustacean shells. Chitin is a natural mosquito repellent and hypoallergenic. Furthermore, this fabric dries twice as fast and is odour-free thanks to its antibacterial properties.
In addition to clothing, the tick-protection socks and mosquitoes have been added to the range of protective clothing available on our website.Tip: what should you do once you've been bitten by a mosquito?
If you do end up getting bitten, despite all the precautions you've taken, whatever you do, avoid scratching!
To relieve the itching, you can:
- Apply an ice pack to the bite. To do this, place some ice in a flannel, for example. Alternatively, apply baking soda diluted in water, apple cider vinegar, or salt water by soaking a cotton pad and dabbing it onto the bite. Hold in place for a few minutes. This will help reduce the irritation caused by itching.
- Dab a cotton pad onto the bite with one or two drops (never more) of essential oils of eucalyptus, clove or peppermint. Peppermint has refreshing properties that stimulate blood circulation at the bite site, encouraging healing. If you don't have any essential oil to hand, peppermint oil can be found in certain toothpastes. Check the ingredients of yours, and dab a little of the paste onto the bite!
- Your deodorant can also do the trick! These products contain substances that soothe skin irritation. Apply a little deodorant (spray or roll-on) directly to the affected area.
- If you want to stay in the realm of your bathroom cabinet, take an aspirin tablet and crush it. Add a little water to form a paste, then apply it to the bite.
