 In the News -
July 2009
Summer Safety - Bugs
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Audio/Video Script:
Dr. Margaret Harris
Family Health
[Title Slide - Summer Safety Bugs; Dr. Margaret Harris - Family Health; U of
A Division of Agriculture. Drawing of a mosquito. Drawing of the sun.]
[Margaret Harris] Summer’s here and the bugs are back to visit you. While
most bugs are an annoyance, some can carry disease. Don’t be bug bait! There are
steps you can take to avoid being bitten.
[Slide - Drawing of a sun - Summer Safety Bugs. Don’t be bug bait. Avoid
places where biting insects live. Drawing of a mosquito and tick. Mosquito and
Ticks: Wooded brushy and grassy areas. Drawing of a chigger. Chiggers: grass,
weeds, lawns. Drawing of a mosquito and fire ant. Mosquitos and Fire Ants:
puddles, birdbaths, flower pots] The first thing you can do is to avoid the
places where the bugs live. Mosquitoes, ticks and other biting insects live in
wooded, brushy and grassy areas. Chiggers love grass and weeds so make sure your
lawn is clipped and trimmed. Mosquitoes and fire ants also like standing water
such as puddles, birdbaths, or flower pots. If you see any mounds you may want
to stay away from those as they are a sure giveaway of possible fire ants
nearby.
[Margaret Harris] If you have to be in areas where you know the bugs live,
then there are steps you can take to protect yourself and minimize the chances
of being bitten.
[Slide - Drawing of a sun - Summer Safety Bugs. Wear an insect repellant. 1.
Treat gear with permethrin. 2. Use EPA approved repellants. 3. Do not use on
babies. 4. Look for natural products. ] First, the best thing you can do is wear
an insect repellant.
Treat your clothes, shoes and camping gear with permethrin. This repels and
kills ticks, mosquitoes and other insects. You can also buy pre-treated
clothing.
Make sure repellants are registered with the EPA (or the Environmental
Protection Agency) and that they contain no more than 10% DEET. You can spray
the repellant on clothes and skin, but never on the face.
Insect repellants aren’t safe for babies, but you can attach a mosquito
netting around carriers and strollers.
The EPA hasn’t registered natural products for insect repellant use but
citronella has traditionally been used as holistic repellant. There are many
other natural essential oils you can use for insect repellants such as tea tree,
lemongrass and eucalyptus, but take care to use them minimally as they can
irritate the skin, or cause an allergic reaction, and never eat them!
Remember that just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they’re safe!
[Slide - Drawing of a sun - Summer Safety Bugs. Heavy Scents Attract Bugs. 1.
Soaps 2. Perfumes 3. Hair Car Products. 4. Lotions. ] You can also make sure not
to wear any heavy scented soaps, perfumes, hair care products or lotions because
the smells attract the bugs to you.
[Slide - Drawing of a sun - Summer Safety Bugs. Wear Safe Clothing. 1. Long
pants and sleeved shirts 2. Light neutral colors 3. Hats. 4. Shoes.] Even though
it’s summer, you’ll be safer if you wear long pants (or leggings) with long
sleeved shirts. Try to wear light neutral colored clothing so as not to attract
the bugs to you in the first place. Bees, especially, like bright colors. Wear a
hat to offer additional protection. Insist that kids wear shoes when playing
outside to avoid fire ant bites.
[Slide - Drawing of a sun - Summer Safety Bugs. Restrict Temptation. 1. Do
not eat outside 2. Cover garbage nearby] Try not to eat outside and makes sure
there is no uncovered garbage near you that attracts bugs.
[Slide - Drawing of a sun - Summer Safety Bugs. Cleaning Up. 1. Shower when
returning inside 2. Check for ticks 3. Remove ticks with tweezers 4. Cleanse and
treat any bites] If you’ve been outside, take a shower once you come indoors to
wash away any lingering wildlife and insect repellant and check your body for
ticks. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to
the skin as possible and pull it out straight. Simply cleanse the area with soap
and water, apply some ice and then hydrocortisone or take some Benadryl to stop
the itching.
[Margaret Harris] Dealing with summer bugs may be a nuisance but taking a few
extra steps won’t leave room for bites, stings and itchy rashes to dampen your
summertime fun.
[Narrator] To learn more, contact your county extension agent and follow
the links in this section. [Slide - Drawing of the sun. U of A University of
Arkansas Division of Agriculture]
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