Summary: Camping is a popular summer hobby, but pest prevention makes it even more fun. This blog gives 10 easy ways to prevent pests from ruining the experience. Pointe Pest Control delivers targeted pest solutions.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Whether your kids are going to summer camp or your whole family is heading out on a weekend trip, preparation is an essential part of the fun. After all, you don’t want to be that person who forgot to pack sunscreen!
When you’re preparing yourself (or your children) for camp, pest prevention should be on your checklist. You’ll want to prepare yourself before you journey into the heart of nature – aka bug country. Let’s discuss the 10 best ways to have a relatively pest-free camping experience!
Choose the Right Campsite
When you’re preparing to spend the weekend (or longer) outdoors, the first logical step is choosing the right campsite. The exact spot depends on the topographical area and your personal preferences, so we have a few general points to keep in mind.
- The Sun — It’s tempting to avoid the blazing sun, but check the forecast before you do! After a rainstorm, a sunny campsite dries out much quicker than a shady one.
- Water — A waterfront site sounds like paradise. However, mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water and generally infest the surrounding area.
- The Trash Center — Many campgrounds have a main trash center or cluster of trash receptacles. If you don’t want a horde of flies near your tent, don’t set up too close to these.
- Thick Brush — Ticks like hiding in tall grass and overgrown brush, so don’t establish your campsite too close to dense foliage.
- Nests & Burrows — No matter where you set up, check the area for stinging insect nests, rodent burrows, and anthills.
Use a Good Tent
Tent camping is not for the faint of heart, especially if your tent isn’t the most reliable. In the interest of preventing pests, we recommend making sure your tent is free of holes and tears before you leave. If it doesn’t already have one, consider adding a bug net to the tent for additional protection.
While camping, keep the tent flap closed at all times. This also applies to the nighttime, no matter how fresh the air feels. This greatly lowers your chances of waking up to some sneaky bugs. Also, keep your bags and backpacks zipped up inside the tent. It’s much easier to check your belongings for bugs when you know everything was contained.
Keep the Cabin Clean
We didn’t forget about all of you cabin-dwellers! If you’re staying in a cabin, the best way to prevent pests is to keep the space clean. Turns out, the camp counselors at youth sleep-away camps were really onto something with those chores. Pests will still like the shelter, but they won’t have much more to enjoy when there’s no food or water for them.
Check for bugs when you first enter the cabin to make sure you’re not starting the trip with a problem. Inspect the beds for bed bugs, paying close attention to the mattress seams. Keep your belongings contained to your bags for the same reasons as in the tent section. During your stay, keep the cabin free of any crumbs, spills, and water puddles.
Bring Bug Spray
When you’re packing for a camping trip, there are 3 key items we recommend you always bring: sunscreen, first aid supplies, and bug spray. Bug spray deters biting bugs from feeding on our blood by masking our natural scent. It doesn’t kill these bugs, but it does make it harder for them to find us.
Your bug spray should state that it repels biting insects and features either DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus as its key ingredient. These are what actually masks our scent from the bugs. Reapply the spray throughout each day, and follow the directions on the bottle as to where you can apply it (never your face).
Protect Your Food
S’mores, grilled meats, chips, burnt coffee — the list of superb camping food and drinks goes on. If you’ve been camping before, you’re probably quite familiar with the hordes of pests that want a taste of your snacks. Every pest needs food, but ants, flies, roaches, rodents, and stinging insects are especially food-motivated.
There are two key steps in keeping pests away from your food. The first is to use airtight containers to store food in between meals. Flimsy bags and boxes won’t be enough to keep them out. The second is to refrain from keeping the food out for too long. Put the food back in the containers and wash your reusable dishes when you’re done with that meal.
Don’t Use Fragrances
Camping isn’t exactly a glamorous event, but that doesn’t mean we want to go without our basic toiletries for the whole trip. No matter which products you deem essential for a camping trip, we recommend avoiding any strong scents. Since they’re looking for flowers, sweet and floral scents attract mosquitoes, beetles, and stinging insects.
Your best bet is to avoid using any perfumes and colognes during the trip. As for the other items, try using unscented or less-scented varieties of these items:
- Deodorant
- Lotion
- Body wash/soap
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Hair products
- Makeup
Avoid Overgrown Grass
Half the fun of camping is having all of your favorite outdoor activities readily available! That being said, it’s a good idea to avoid overgrown grass or thick brush while you’re out on your newest adventure. Ticks hide in tall, thick foliage while they wait for a potential host to walk close enough for the pest to “quest” onboard.
To avoid becoming a tick’s lunch, stay on all marked paths and don’t go into thick brush. Wear closed-toe shoes and keep your skin covered with a thin long-sleeved shirt and pants when possible. At the end of each day, check each other for ticks by inspecting the neck, arms, legs, ankles, long hair, and clothing. If your dog is with you, check it for ticks and fleas often.
Utilize the Campfire
The campfire is great for roasting marshmallows or setting the scene for a ghost story, but did you know it also prevents pests? A lot of pests hate smoke because of the strong odor and the impacted visibility. That’s also why you don’t see many bugs hovering around a grill. So, while you’re camping, don’t be afraid to spend some time by the cozy fire!
Of course, we need to have some safety disclaimers when we’re talking about fire. Always keep an eye on the fire and ensure there aren’t any embers floating around the campsite. If you’re using it to cook food, try to be as neat as possible. Before everyone heads to bed, make sure the campfire is completely put out and won’t spark anything.
Stay Hydrated
It’s important to drink water every day, but while you’re camping, it’s even more beneficial. When we’re sweaty and overheated, we’re more appealing to bloodsucking pests. Mosquitoes find their hosts by detecting our sweat, body heat, and carbon dioxide output. Sweat bees drink our sweat, which is a gross habit but not as concerning (unless you’re allergic).
Drinking a good amount of water helps keep our body temperatures down, which makes us less attractive to these pests. Bring enough water bottles or a good filtration system for the whole trip. If you naturally sweat a lot when you’re outside — we can relate — just make sure to apply that bug spray before spending the day outdoors.
Maintain the Trash Situation
At major campgrounds, there are designated trash receptacles that are built to keep pests and critters out. Flies and ants aren’t your only worries with campsite garbage. Raccoons, opossum, and bears (in certain states) are infamous for tearing through trash cans in search of food. Bugs are bad enough, but you do not want to invite these animals to your campsite.
Properly managing your trash is the key to keep your site from being overrun by hungry pests. Put all of your trash in the campground’s designated receptacles. Use strong bags to easily transport your food waste and garbage. If your site doesn’t have a receptacle, keep the bags in your vehicle until you get home.
Prevent the Summer Pest Blues with Pointe
When you come home from your latest camping adventure, the last thing you want to deal with is a pest infestation. That’s where Pointe Pest Control comes in! Our highly-trained technicians don’t waste time with ineffective treatments. Rather, we target every pest issue with advanced treatments that actually get to the root of the problem.
Thanks to our team’s combined decades of living in Illinois and Missouri, we know the lifecycles and habits of local pests all too well. Your pest problems don’t stand a chance against our effective treatments. Contact us today for a free quote on our thorough pest control services!
Citations
How to keep bugs away while camping and out of your tent. (2022, September 16). KOA. Retrieved July 14, 2025, from https://koa.com/blog/how-to-keep-bugs-away-while-camping-keep-insects-out-of-your-tent/
Insects to watch out for when camping. (n.d.). Kiefer Campgrounds. Retrieved July 14, 2025, from https://kiefercampgrounds.com/need-to-know/insects-to-watch-out-for-when-camping/
Tips for bug-free camping. (2021, April 30). Maggie’s Farm. Retrieved July 14, 2025, from https://maggiesfarmproducts.com/blogs/bug-help/bug-free-camping
