How National Park Service Rangers Protect Themselves From Bugs (and How You Can Too)

The people who work in our national parks’ vast and diverse landscapes have seen everything our public lands have to offer. The sweeping vistas, jaw-dropping geological formations, and elusive wildlife sightings are all regular aspects of their 9-to-5 jobs — as are swarms of mosquitoes, biting black flies, buzzing clouds of no-see-ums, and the ever-present threat of ticks.

For those who spend a majority of the workday outdoors, insect encounters are inevitable. And few people know how to handle them better than the National Park Service rangers who clock in to work at these landscapes every day. To learn how the pros stay bite-free, we spoke with National Park Service Ranger Amanda Pollock, who’s worked in Maine as Acadia National Park’s public information officer for the past three years. We also spoke with NPS Ranger Allyson Gantt, who has over 30 years of experience working in marshy, mosquito-filled terrain and is the communications and public affairs director for Florida’s Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks.

Continue reading to learn more about protecting yourself from bugs, written by Elissa Sanci.