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Bugs & Ticks
Repellents, permethrin clothing treatment, head nets, bug-proof clothing and tick tools. Every repellent pick uses an active ingredient the EPA registers and the CDC recommends, and we say which label rules apply to children.
Start here
DEET, picaridin and OLE by concentration and age limits.
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Permethrin: 0.5% for fabric only, never skin.
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Head nets and bug jackets for black-fly and no-see-um country.
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The CDC method, the tools, and what to watch for after.
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Thermacell zones, run times and refills.
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Nothing under 2 months, no OLE or PMD under 3, and an adult applies it.
ReadHead to head
Bug Bite Thing's suction tool vs heat it's phone-powered heat pen, compared on how each works, seconds per use, ages, where not to use them and what they need.
Sawyer vs Ranger Ready compared on what each maker states: 20% picaridin hours, age guidance, permethrin wash life, outfits per bottle, bottle sizes and who sells them.
Mosquito bite itch relief compared on each label: 1% hydrocortisone, diphenhydramine gel, Bug Bite Thing suction and heated pens, with ages and when to see a doctor.
Insect Shield's factory-treated permethrin clothing explained from its EPA label: 0.52% permethrin, up to 70 washes, no dry cleaning, and how it compares to spraying.
Bed, cot and hammock bug nets compared on the hole count each maker publishes, how they hang, which are permethrin-treated, and what stops no-see-ums.
What we check against
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