Permethrin
If you are going to areas of high mosquito and tick exposure, consider treating some or all of your outer clothes and mosquito netting with permethrin before your trip.  This will prevent mosquitoes from biting through clothes and minimize tick bites. Treated mosquito netting has been shown to be much more effective than non-treated netting.  Permethrin has been rarely reported to exacerbate asthma or cause local irritation.

Most spray cans of permethrin only treat one set of clothes, which are protective against mosquitoes for one week or one washing. One bottle of 0.5% permethrin solution, when diluted as directed, treats one set of clothes (shirt, slacks, socks) and is protective for 6 weeks or 6 washings.  An easy description of how to treat clothes with permethrin liquid is provided with the product.

Cabela's is the only place I have seen permethrin solution  for sale in SD.  It is sold as Sawyer Duranon Permethrin Insect Repellent® at $6 per bottle. Online at www.cabelas.com under camping essentials.

Pretreated clothes which are protective against mosquitoes for 50 washings or one year can be bought online at www.buzzoff.com.

The following information on permethrin treatment of fabrics is provided by Coulston, a maker of permethrin.  I have not seen these concentrations available in stores.

• Use 0.125 mg. permethrin per square cm of fabric (accomplished by use of 16 oz. of 0.8% permethrin solution applied by soaking or wicking) which lasts one year, through 50 detergent washings or the life of the garment, whichever comes first.

• Use of 0.026 mg. permethrin per square cm (2.5 oz. of 1/2% permethrin to garment by spray) lasts 6 weeks or 6 launderings.

• Use of .008 mg. per square cm. (1.5 oz. of 1/2% permethrin by spray) lasts 2 weeks or 2 launderings.

After treating clothes with permethrin you still must use DEET or picaridin on exposed skin.

Mosquito Netting
Besides antimalarial medications, mosquito netting is one of the most efficient ways of protecting yourself from malaria.  Night time is when malarious mosquitoes are most active and you are most vulnerable.  A few always find their way into a house even though screened.

In malarious areas, mosquito netting should always be used if sleeping quarters are not well screened.  Many locals will use netting even if the house is screened.  Consider bringing a roll of netting on your trip.  Stringing up netting can be challenging.  Bring a small roll of clothes line cord to string it up and a small roll of duct tape to fasten the cord to the ceiling.  Check with sporting goods stores or www.longroad.com for nets that have their own support and do not need to be strung up.

Air conditioned apartments and homes that remain closed up generally will not have in-door mosquito problems. 

Spraying or Fogging & Coils
Fogging your room or tent in the evening will be helpful for those mosquitoes that invariably sneak in when doors are left open or screening is poor.  Many spray insecticides are designed for this. 

After a light fogging, stay out of the room or tent for one half hour. Spraying walls and curtains lightly with an indoor insecticide will have added benefit.

Insect repellant and killing coils can be burned before retiring or during the night.  They come in many different types.  Opening windows for ventilation will decrease their effectiveness.  Some experts question their effectiveness whether windows are open or not.

In general, natural pyrethrum or synthetic pyrethroid coils are thought to be safe.  Burning coils may have a local irritating effect.  One must question the wisdom of leaving anything burning while sleeping.

Ticks
Adapted from the South Dakota State Health Department-
A tick bite is usually painless and appears as a small red bump with a bright red halo. If you find a tick attached, do not to crush it. Use tweezers or a facial tissue and pull slowly and steadily to remove the tick. Once removed, immediately apply antiseptic to the site to prevent infection. If you used bare hands to remove the tick, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap, being especially careful not to touch your eyes before washing your hands.
Take the following steps to prevent tick exposure:

• Repel ticks by tucking your pants into your socks when outdoors.

• Spray clothes and any exposed skin with a tick repellent, i.e. DEET.

• Check frequently for ticks when outdoors, especially the scalp and folds of skin. Ticks need to be attached for several hours to spread infection so you can significantly cut your risk by checking for and removing ticks right away.

• Check small children thoroughly and often for ticks when they've been outside or have had contact with pets or livestock that may have ticks.

• Apply insecticides and tick repellents to your pet's bedding for added protection.

• Check your animals frequently for ticks. To remove ticks from animals, apply constant traction with forceps or tweezers. If you must use your fingers, wear disposable gloves and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward.

• When visiting Lyme disease infested areas (northeastern Minnesota, Wisconsin, north-Atlantic coast states) take special precautions to avoid ticks.

Fact sheets on specific tick-borne diseases can be found on the Department of Health web site at http://doh.sd.gov/DiseaseFacts.  For more information about ticks, visit the SDSU Extension site at http://plantsci.sdstate.edu/ent/entpubs/ticks_SD.htm.

Vitamin B, Wrist Bands & Other
Neither high dose Vitamin B (thiamine) nor garlic ingestion have been shown to have insect repellant properties.  Wrist bands impregnated with citronella or DEET do not work because these repellants are not effective more than a few inches from the site of application.  Personal sound emitting devices worn to repel insects have not been shown to be effective.