Mosquitoes Can Ruin a Hike. Here’s How to Stop Them

Mosquito bites are sometimes harmless but sometimes they can carry serious illness.

Being bitten by a mosquito can result in an itchy, unsightly red bump and—depending on where you are—serious disease. Dreamstime/TNS

By Jaclyn Cosgrove From Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES—The hoot of a great horned owl. The munching of a mule deer enjoying grass. The crunching of your feet on the sandy soil. To any hiker, these sounds enhance the joy of being outdoors. But the endorphin rush of a great trail can be blunted by the high-pitched buzz of a mosquito hovering around your neck, trying to score some lunch.