May, a Month of Bugs?

When the rain begins, the grass grows green again in Panama. In an instant the lush tropical landscape is back, and so are the bugs. Insects don’t miss a beat, returning like clockwork each year. They range in shape and size, from ginormous clumsy “June bugs” to tiny no-see-ums. Some bite, like the flying ants that loose their wings, while others, like the giant blundering beetles, just dive bomb towards you with force.

It is officially bug season in Panama, and that is a bittersweet, severely itchy, fact. On one hand bugs are vital to a healthy environment. Their resurgence makes for a bountiful buffet enjoyed by birds, frogs and geckos. While on the other hand, bugs can be a serious annoyance for us humans!

To get through bug season with minimal itching, flailing and screaming, we have come up with this list of natural remedies.

1. Yellow lights
Yellow lights will not kill bugs, but they will attract fewer bugs then other light bulbs. While yellow lights will not completely mitigate the evening swarm, they will help make your outdoor living space less inviting for the flying pests and more tolerable for you and your guests.

2. Anti-mosquito plants
The oils found in some species of plants are natural mosquito deterrents. Planting herbs like rosemary, lemongrass, mint and citronella close to your sitting area will help keep the bug bites to a minimum.

3. Tiger balm
A good friend once told me that Tiger Balm was her remedy for an itchy bug bit. It turns out she was right! By heating up the affected area and then cooling it, the balm offers relief. Other natural topical remedies that work to reduce itching include: witch hazel and chamomile.

4. Perfume
Leave your Chanel No. 5 on the shelf this season and try using natural perfumes. Scents like cinnamon oil, tea tree oil, lavender and peppermint are pleasant to the human nose, but mosquitos find them repulsive. A dash on the wrist should suffice.

5. Build a bat house
Bats eat a large amount of insects and are an essential part of keeping a healthy ecosystem. A small bat can eat over 600 mosquitos in one hour! They also eat beetles, wasps and moths. A bat house (a box slightly larger than a bird house) near your house is a natural way to keep the bugs at bay.