Why Are Insects Biting us More?

There are several different factors to consider in answering this question. Many people are now receiving bites when in the past they hardly ever did, and one constant reason for this is that their body chemistry has changed. This is nothing new – it has always been the case that peoples’ body chemistry changes, in fact, this is much more common than one would imagine and can be triggered by milestones, such as menopause, puberty, pregnancy and even excessive stress.  There doesn’t even need to be a significant event for your body to change its chemical composition either – we’re not talking about DNA changes, simply how you smell to insects (your kairomone output). Also, the latest research shows that about 1 in 10 lucky people have or develop a camouflage in their blood that masks their kairomones.

NB just because you have never been bitten in the UK or Europe does not necessarily mean that you are one of these chosen few!

However, the main factor behind the surge in insect bites is simply because there are many more insects at large.

The cause of this is overall higher temperatures combined with increased water in the atmosphere: ideal conditions for bugs to breed. http://www.els.net/WileyCDA/ElsArticle/refId-a0022555.html This major factor is exacerbated by the fact that quite a number of insects have built up resistance and tolerance to insect repellents, especially those that have been around for years, like the pesticide DEET (yes, we all know it is nasty stuff that takes off your nail varnish and melts certain plastics e.g. your camera. In fact it is also a neurotoxin that works in a similar way to Nerve gas!) For example: The Anopheles albamanus mosquito is even resistant to DDT, Deet and other toxic insecticides.

So, the future is big and bright if you have 6 legs, abdomen, head and thorax! The remainder of species on the planet have nearly all been affected by this rise in arthropod populations. For humans, this has meant an increase in insect-borne disease e.g. dengue fever endemic in the tropics with around 100m people contracting it yearly http://www.cdc.gov/dengue/ The majority of this illness is caused by one particular type of insect, yes, you’ve guessed it, the mosquito. So, if you have not found a way to protect yourself from getting bitten, it really is about time you did because, as global temperatures continue to increase, so will insect populations increase further. The recent outbreak of Dengue fever in Madeira (Portugal) is further evidence that you no longer need to travel far afield to be at risk. Additionally, over 10,000 people were admitted to UK hospitals in 2012 following insect bites, mostly from mosquitoes, with serious outbreaks reported in Kent last year.

Although some of you reading this may think it alarmist or scaremongering, we are simply stating the facts. There is no need to worry because, by using incognito products (or other proven repellents) properly, you will be protected; we developed our ground-breaking range, partly because of global-warming, but also due to the fact that I contracted malaria and dengue whilst using anti-malarial tablets and Deet! Same old same old, it simply doesn’t work as effectively anymore.

To get state of the art tips on avoiding insect bites visit: http://bit.ly/13OnWWa