• Use insect repellent.
• In an area know for mosquitoes, dress in loose-fitting light-colored pants and long-sleeved tops of tightly woven fabric.
• Wear closed-toed shoes, as mosquitoes are particularly drawn to the scent of feet.
• Avoid scented cosmetics and hairsprays, which can attract bees.

Post Bite Rx

• Apply an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream at the site of any bite to reduce itchiness, redness and swelling.
• For a bee sting, use your fingernail to scrape the stinger away as soon as possible to prevent the release of venom and to reduce pain. An ice cube or a cold compress may also help with swelling.
• If you experience signs of an allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing or swelling away from the site of the bite, seek medical attention right away.

The Trouble with Ticks

• Some ticks carry a bacterium that causes Lyme disease, an infection that can result in flu-like symptoms and a bull's-eye-shaped rash around the bite in the short term and, in the long term, more serious side effects, such as arthritis and neurological symptoms.
• When you're in a known tick area, tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants to keep ticks from accessing your skin.
• After being outside check your body, front and back.
• A tick will attach itself to feed on blood, but in order to transmit Lyme disease, it has to be attached for at least 24 hours.
• If you find a tick, remove it using tweezers, without twisting them, to extract the tick in one piece.
• If it's been more than 48 hours since you've been bitten, see a doctor. You may be prescribed an antibiotic to treat the disease before symptoms appear.