Take the sting out of the bee sting – How to avoid, prevent and gain relief from insect bites and stings
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The Australian bush is beautiful and wild, filled with incredible scenery, endless trails and let’s face it—a fair share of creepy crawlies.
For anyone exploring our rugged outdoors, insects are just part of the experience. But as much as we love outdoor activities such as hiking and camping, and cooking over an open fire, there’s one thing we could happily do without: the relentless attack of stinging insects and bug bites.
If you’re anything like us, you know the feeling. You’ll be sitting outside with friends, the only one madly swatting at mosquitoes or biting midges or searching desperately for the Aeroguard or other topical insect repellents, while everyone else seems blissfully unbothered. But don’t let that bite or sting spoil your adventure!
Here are the best ways to keep those insects at bay and handle any unwanted encounters like a pro.
Prevention is key
Pick an effective, APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) approved repellent: Look for insect repellents with ingredients proven to work, such as Diethyltoluamide (DEET), picaridin or OLE (oil of lemon eucalypt) whose active ingredient PMD (p-Menthane-3, 8-diol) comes from the leaves of Corymbia citriodora which repels mosquitoes, flies, ticks and sand flies. Be sure to keep some repellent permanently in your camping gear so that you don’t forget to pack it next trip. Natural options such as sandalwood (burnt by Aboriginal people for millennia to effectively deter mosquitoes), citronella or eucalyptus oil can be effective too, though their effect might not last as long.
Dress to protect: Appropriate protective clothing such as long sleeves, long pants and closed shoes will shield you from the sun but also create a barrier against bugs and thereby a foil to insect bites. The key is to keep exposed skin to a minimum. Light-coloured clothing such as yellow, green, light blue or white can also help as a deterrent since – when they are combined with your body heat and the carbon dioxide you exhale - dark colours such as black, dark orange, red or navy blue tend to attract mosquitoes. If you’re intending to travel in locales or habitats renowned for mosquitoes, it’s a good idea to invest in light coloured, permethrin-treated clothing.
Consider a head net: No, you won’t win any fashion awards and there’s a chance that your mates or family members may poke fun at you, however when they get smashed by mozzie bites and other bugs and you don’t, the last laugh will be all yours for the having
Set up camp carefully: Choose your campsite wisely. Avoid setting up near still water, as that is often a breeding ground for mosquitoes. If possible, aim for open, breezy areas; bugs don’t love wind! If you’ve got a choice between a campsite adjacent to a stagnant water billabong or a flowing creek or river, pick the latter.
Deploy a gas-powered mosquito repeller: Using the same (iso)butane and propane fuel mix camping gas canisters that backpackers and campers very likely already have in their kit, the compact and lightweight Backpacker Repeller is an essential piece of gear. It will run for up to 90 hours on a 110g canister and up to 360 hours on a 440g canister. Or, if you’d prefer a battery-powered mosquito repeller, the Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller creates a 28m2 zone of mosquito protection for up to 5.5 hours per charge of its lithium-ion battery.
Ensure that your first aid kit is stocked with pain relief medication, antiseptic cream, antihistamine cream, over-the-counter antihistamine tablets, calamine lotion and Stingose.
Remove potential mozzie breeding sites around your caravan, camper trailer or campsite by draining ‘open-necked’ containers that hold water and covering them. Unfortunately, it’s not really practicable to drain every puddle within coo-ee of your campsite, however if you are camping near puddles, watercourses, wetlands, waterholes, farm or forest dams or long grass, what you can do is cover your sleeping area with a mosquito net and/or ensure that any opening thereto has the physical barrier of insect screens / mosquito-proof mesh. Light some mosquito coils and/or citronella candles around your campsite before last light.
Mosquito-borne diseases
Thankfully here in Australia we don’t need to worry about endemic malaria. That said, despite Australia being declared malaria free by the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 40 years ago, we still have Anopheles mosquitoes in the tropics, so if one of the malaria-carrying parasites were to hitch a ride with a person on an international flight into Darwin for example, there is a risk of malaria gaining a foothold in the Top End if the infected person were to infect local Anopheles mozzies.
Thankfully too, the invasive Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) hasn’t made it to the Australian mainland. This is just as well, as it is notorious for spreading zika virus and dengue fever.
The mosquito against which we do need to take precautions is Aedes aegypti. Found in central and northern Queensland, this nasty pest spreads zika, dengue and yellow fever. Dengue is characterised by high fever, rashes, excruciating joint and muscle pain and searing headaches around and behind the eyes. Favoured larval habitats of Aedes aegypti include discarded tyres, buckets, rain gutters, tin cans, drums, septic tanks, dogs’ water bowls and rainwater tanks, and warmer temperatures of around 29 degrees Celsius are its sweet spot. So, caution should be taken in environments and location which combine any of these elements.
There have previously reports of some locally acquired Japanese encephalitis virus in Australia, which can be spread by Culex annulirostris (common banded mosquito) and Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the latter having been detected within the past five years in the Top End in the Northern Territory and in northern Western Australia. Japanese encephalitis cases haven’t been restricted only to the NT and WA though. Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia have also had confirmed cases. There have been some fatalities; this is not a virus you want to catch.
Despite being rare, Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) can occur anywhere in Australia (despite its name), however the potential risk is highest in the Darwin, Litchfield Kakadu Arnhem, Katherine Daly and Barkly regions, as well as northwest Western Australia. With no treatment and no vaccine, the only way to protect against MVE is to not get bitten by mozzies, especially around wetlands and river systems.
Just when you thought we were done with insect-borne viruses, up pops Ross River virus (RRV), which can be carried by dozens of mosquito species (including the common banded mosquito), not just one or two. Not everyone infected with Ross River virus will be symptomatic, especially young children. In general, the older the infected person, the more severe can be the symptoms.
This potentially enfeebling illness (for which there is no vaccine nor antiviral treatment) brings with it fever, rash, swollen and painful joints and tendons, pain behind the eyes and debilitating fatigue, sometimes for several months after infection in some people. According to a media release from Queensland Health in April 2024, the 2023/24 summer season in Queensland saw more mosquito traps test positive to RRV than in any other season since surveillance began in 2016, and more than 2,000 cases of RRV detected in people, being the highest since the 2019/20 season (more than 3,300 cases).
Other mosquito-borne diseases such as Barmah Forest virus (BFV) are also nasty, however not in the same league as RRV, JE or dengue.
Long-story-short? When it comes to mosquito-borne illnesses, the only way to prevent them is to not get bitten in the first place.
When you can’t avoid the sting
Bee and wasp stings: Bees typically leave behind their stinger, so if you get stung, carefully scrape it out using a flat object, such as a credit card (avoid squeezing the sting, as that can release more venom). Clean the area with soap and water, apply ice or a cold compress to reduce swelling and take an antihistamine if necessary.
Ant bites and stings: Australia is home to some aggressive ants! The genus Myrmecia (a.k.a. ‘bull ants’, jack jumper ants’ or ‘bulldog ants’) includes more than 90 species of stinging ants. Yes, they latch on with their curved mandibles however it’s the sting at the end of their abdomen that causes the pain. If you’re unlucky enough to step on a nest, move away quickly and brush them off. Cool compression and an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can help to relieve itching and pain.
Mosquito bites: For these relentless pests, soothing the itch is essential to avoid scratching, which can lead to skin infection. Dab on calamine lotion, tea tree oil or an ice pack and if you have it, apply a bit of antihistamine cream.
March fly bites: With a painful bite, the adult female of most of the couple of hundred species of March flies (aka horse flies) certainly lets you know that she is gorging on your blood. Thankfully they are slow movers so it’s not too taxing a task to swat them and take some comfort in the knowledge that you’ve shortened their measly three-to-four-week life. Try not to scratch the bite area as this can cause infection; apply an ice pack to it (the bite area that is, not the now-dead March fly!) and apply some topical antihistamine cream. Then sit back and delight in killing a few more of these tortoises of the Diptera insect order.
Biting midges: Erroneously referred to as sand flies by some, these are very small blood-feeding flies which often attack humans in large squadrons. They are tiny, making them one of the most difficult groups of insects to detect until it’s too late, once the bite sites have become painful and the irritating skin reaction has already set in. These sores or welts can hang around for up to two weeks, which is a lot longer than mozzie bite irritation.
Home remedies to the rescue
You might be miles away from the nearest pharmacy, but your pack (or even the campsite) might hold surprising remedies:
Aloe vera gel: Whether from a tube or the plant itself, aloe vera has natural anti-inflammatory properties that soothe stings and bites.
Baking soda paste: Mix baking soda with a bit of water to create a paste and apply it to itchy bites. It neutralises some venoms and reduces itching.
Tea bags: Wet a used tea bag and press it onto the sting. The tannins in tea help reduce swelling and irritation, great for mosquito bites and other minor stings.
Emergency steps for severe reactions
In rare cases, insect bites and stings can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face and/or a rapid pulse. Always carry an epinephrine injector (EpiPen) if you know you have severe allergies, and make sure someone in your group knows how to use it.
Embrace the bugs (well, kind of)
Bugs might be a small price to pay for the beauty of Australia’s wild landscapes and whilst we may never be able to escape them completely, a few precautions can make all the difference. Plus, as every true adventurer knows, a bit of discomfort only makes the reward of adventure that much sweeter.
So next time you’re headed out bush, pack smart, arm yourself with some trusty repellent and take comfort knowing that if you do get bitten or stung, you’re prepared to handle it. Unless, that is, you’re unfortunate enough to have been bitten by a mozzie carrying dengue, JE, MVE, RRV or BFV. Since these are nationally notifiable diseases and because you will need expert medical care, you most certainly should not be going it alone.
