In some parts of the United States, one can actually be killed if he finds himself without insect repellent. Black flies have been known to kill buffalo and cattle and could easily drain the life from a full grown man. Likewise, the lingering torment of Rocky Mountain fever and Lyme disease have equal reign in the North Eastern United States. However, there are very effective ways to combat insects to be discussed below.


Steps

1. Cover any open flesh with light clothing. This will protect mainly against swarming insects. However, black flies and mosquitoes are attracted to heat and movement. That means most of them will ironically be buzzing around the open areas of the face. This is problematic because darting warm eyes are usually the first target of the small nuisances. Also ticks easily walk into the folds of clothing and can bore into your flesh at their leisure.
2. Cover every inch of flesh with a thin layer of wet blue clay or mud. This layer solidifies into a thin sheet of concrete that will undoubtedly keep you from being bitten. This method even works against most ticks. The only problem is psychological. You will still be buzzed incessantly but most insects will not be able to bite through this layer.
3. Find native airborne flame retardant poisons. Black Jack can often be collected around an in shrubs to burn as an insect killer and repellent.
4. Make blacker bait. This is more of a vengeance method employed to kill as many swarming insects as possible. By placing a dark, CO2 emitting heat source next to a predatory nest swarms of nuisance insects will ensue. Placing these blacker bait jars close to water will attract trout to eat black flies. Likewise placing these bait jars on land will attract the natural predators of the said nuisance.

Tips

• Insects are attracted to dark, warm C02 sources. By staying dry and under-worked you can often avoid hell storms of insects.
• Never use DEET that is over 60 percent pure, it is dangerous and evaporates without deluding agents. The best and most effective mixture can be seen at 55% DEET.
• Keep moving and try not to sweat.
• Understand and study insects in the area in question, a two minute observation can tell you exactly what you are dealing with.
• When you get a black fly in your eye do not touch it if you have applied DET on your body, Doing so can result in serious illness, and/or infection of the eye.

Warnings

• Note that some insects cannot be repelled by usual methods.
• Never apply repellent so as to raid a beehive for its honey. It has been tried and does not work, bees can also sting through thick layers of clothing. If you need honey for whatever reason the skin cement method is the best way to attain it.
• Never apply blackjack to the skin, it is deadly poisonous to some people.
• Never experiment with plant repellents in the jungle, some have been known to abruptly knock humans unconscious and give the insects a healthy meal.