Unfortunately for backpackers, mosquitoes agree with Thoreau that life is sweetest when it's closest to the bone. These voracious pests have probably ruined more trips for poorly prepared backpackers than all the thunderstorms and rainy days put together. When you add in the threat of chiggers, ticks, deer flies and black flies, it's no wonder that Americans buy some $50 million worth of insect repellent every year.

Nearly all commercial repellents contain DEET, so named because it sounds like the maddening hum of a mosquito about to pounce on your ear just when your hands are fully occupied with draining boiling water off your wilderness pasta. (Actually, it's a contraction for N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, which sounds so hideously toxic that you should probably forget you ever knew the real explanation.) Mosquitoes are attracted by the carbon dioxide that people give off. Repellents generally work by masking that odor. When used as directed – the standard caveat – DEET doesn't give most people any problems. A few people suffer minor skin irritations, and my friends tell me that if you get the stuff too close to your lips, it will make them tingle. To reduce the possibility of any problems, use repellent sparingly, keep it away from your face, don't put clothing over repellent-coated skin and wash the repellent off once you come inside. If you do experience problems and want to continue using a repellent, try a product with a lower concentration of DEET or one with a time-release formulation. The incidence of allergic reactions goes up with the concentration. The “natural” repellents that I’ve tried were all significantly less effective than DEET.

Even under the best of circumstances, repellents provide only partial protection. A much better solution is to bring pants and a loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirt made of a tightly woven material through which mosquitoes cannot bite. If you find it hard to locate a shirt that's woven sufficiently tightly, add a T-shirt underneath. Mosquitoes find it tough to bite through two layers. Cap off your pants and shirt with a brimmed hat with a skirt that drapes down past your collar, and you'll have put a solid physical barrier between those rapacious mosquitoes and your precious hide. A couple of companies make baseball-style hats with removable skirts. If you don't want to buy something new, attach an old handkerchief to a hat you already have with a few safety pins. You'll be contributing personally to a reduction in the mosquito population since female mosquitoes need a meal of mammalian blood to reproduce. Under really grim conditions, pull a mosquito headnet over the skirted hat. A mosquito headnet is just a bag made of mosquito netting which you pull over a hat with a broad brim. The bag comes down to your collar. Ignore all snide jokes about veiled women and enjoy the insect-free peace. You may also want to wear a pair of light gloves to keep mosquitoes off your hands.

You might object that all this extra clothing must lead to a nuclear meltdown when you're pumping out the miles with a full pack. In practice, however, mosquitoes are rarely a problem when you're walking steadily. It seems to take them a minute or two to find you as you pass through their vicinity. By that time, you've moved out of their territory. I normally wear shorts if I know I'll be walking without interruption. If you sit down for lunch or start to make camp, however, mosquitoes will soon come swarming like ants to spilt honey. Once you've stopped moving, however, extra clothing is much more tolerable.

Mosquitoes operate within a limited range of temperatures. In the high mountains, they usually go to bed at sunset. In the warm lowlands, they may be scarce during the day and active all night. Knowing the local mosquitoes' habits can help you avoid them. All mosquitoes like wet, marshy areas and dislike wind. If you have the choice, make your lunch stops on the ridge crests and passes and place your camp on a dry, breezy knoll well away from lush meadows.

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