Top Five Insect Protection Tips for Farmers

Insect Protection for Farmers: A Quick Guide

For many farmers, the focus is on pest and insect control for plants and livestock. This means little exists in terms of literature on personal insect protection for farmers. Outdoor work conditions and working with animals makes farmers’ insect protection a workday essential. Effectively keeping bugs at bay is not only a matter of comfort and a way to prevent itchy and painful bites or to avoid the irritation of insects. It is also a critical step in avoiding insect- and tick-borne diseases. An increase in tick populations has been observed in recent years. With it, there is a corresponding risk of farmers contracting diseases like Lyme’s Disease. By coming up with an insect defence strategy, you’re safeguarding your health, comfort, and wellbeing. In a few simple steps, daily insect protection for outdoor work can be easily achieved.

Top 5 Tips for Insect Protection for Outdoor Workers and Farmers

1. Bug Spray Every Day: Personal insect repellent should form the first step of any farmer’s insect defence strategy. Not all insect repellents are made equal, however. At The Safari Store, we always opt for Bushman - a leading Australian-made, DEET-based insect repellent spray - to protect us from insect bites in Africa, for outdoor work and travel, and back home. If you are looking for a natural insect repellent, our top choice is Mosi-guard Natural Insect Repellent, which has a lemon eucalyptus active.
2. Anti-Insect Farm Clothing: Protective clothing is the next barrier to bugs. Buying anti-insect farm clothing reduces your chances of being bitten and works together with insect repellent spray to offer another level of defence. Anti-bug farm clothes buying tip: when looking at anti-insect farm clothing that has been treated with an anti-insect treatment, ensure that these garments offer this protection together with moisture wicking properties.
3. Cover Up: While the kind of fabric you choose for your farm clothing is important, covering up in general mitigates the risk of being bitten. This is especially during early mornings and evenings and particularly around the vulnerable ankles. Wearing long-sleeved farm shirts, long trousers, and ankle boots reduces the surface area exposed – especially when walking through long grass and around livestock. Does the idea of longs give you a long face? Cover up with the versatility of convertible trouser designs and roll-up sleeve tabs on shirts to adapt what you wear to your day.
4. Grab Some Gaiters: Gaiters are a great piece of gear for farmers. Ankle gaiters fit over the shoe and ankle to act as another impediment to ticks and insects. Especially useful for walking, they are comfortable enough to wear all day.
5. Apply and Re-Apply: You work all day, so you need your insect repellent to do the same. Look for wearer properties that help to extend the effectiveness of your bug spray, but keep some bottles around to apply and re-apply throughout the day. Do this whether your tasks take you outdoors or if you are inside for the day. It also doesn’t hurt to have some form of bite and sting relief on-hand in case an insect manages to find a patch of skin uncovered by your efforts.

Shop at The Safari Store for the Best Insect Protection for the Farm, Farmers, and Outdoor Workers

Your farm insect protection checklist: The Safari Store’s insect protection range has been specifically designed for an outdoor lifestyle. No-one lives this more than farmers, whose livelihoods mean they are outdoors most of the time during their workdays. Our products and technologies are a perfect fit for farm life. Designed and tested for Africa and the outdoors, we have expedition tested™ and put our products through years of wearer tests to ensure they meet our needs – and yours.

The Best Personal Insect Repellent for Farmers

Bushman Insect Repellent
• Safe and effective 40% DEET formula.
• DEET repels sand flies, mosquitoes, ticks, leaches, sand fleas, no-see-ums, midges, march flies, horse flies, bird lice, and other insects.
• Top-selling premium insect repellent in Australia, with a range of top wearer characteristics and slow-release actives for longevity.
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Mosi-guard Extra DEET-Free Insect Repellent
• Up to 10 hours' protection.
• 40% Citriodiol (oil of lemon eucalyptus), which is effective against a range of insects.
• Family-friendly, with a pleasant lemony smell.
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Women’s BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Farm Clothes

Women’s BUGTech™ Pioneer Anti-Insect Farm Shirt
• Made from our latest BUGTech™ anti-insect ripstop fabric with soft hand feel.
• Fabric has built-in UPF50+, anti-microbial properties, is quick drying, and wicks moisture to keep you cool and dry.
• Double roll-up sleeve tabs, sunglasses loop, and +Vent design features.
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Mara&Meru™ BUGTech™ Everything Farm Shirt
• Made in new anti-insect BUGTech™ honeycomb ripstop fabric.
• Fabric provides insect defence, wicks moisture, has built-in UPF50+, and has an anti-microbial finish.
• Roll-up sleeve tabs and sunglasses loop design features.
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Pioneer BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Convertible Trousers
• Made from lightweight BUGTech™ anti-insect ripstop fabric.
• Roll up and secure legs to wear as capris or zip off at the knees to wear as shorts.
• UPF50+ sun protection, quick-drying, moisture wicking, anti-microbial finish.
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Pioneer BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Farm Jacket
• BUGTech™ anti-insect outer layer and double layered on the arms.
• Core lined in soft and warm microfleece.
• Ripstop fabric has built-in UPF50+, wicks moisture, is quick to dry, and has an anti-microbial finish.
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Everyday BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Farm Shirt
• Made from feather-light anti-insect micro-ripstop.
• Built-in UPF50+ sun protection, wicks moisture, dries quickly, with anti-microbial finish.
• Pocketless design. Roll-up sleeve tabs and internal sunglasses loop.
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BUGTech™ Men’s Anti-Insect Farm Clothing

Explorer BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Farm Shirt
• Made from the latest BUGTech™ anti-insect fabric with soft hand feel.
• Fabric wicks moisture, is quick-drying, has built-in UPF50+, and an anti-microbial finish.
• Design features include double roll-up sleeve tabs, sunglasses loop, and +Vent system for ventilation.
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BUGTech™ Everything Anti-Insect Farm Shirt
• Made from the latest BUGTech™ anti-insect honeycomb ripstop.
• Fabric wicks moisture, is quick to dry, has built-in UPF50+, and an anti-microbial finish.
• Design features include single roll-up sleeve tab on each sleeve and sunglasses loop.
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Explorer BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Convertible Trousers
• Made from lightweight BUGTech™ anti-insect ripstop fabric.
• Roll up and secure legs to wear as three-quarter shorts or zip off at the knees to wear as shorter farm shorts.
• UPF50+ sun protection, quick-drying, moisture wicking, anti-microbial finish.
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Explorer BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Farm Jacket
• BUGTech™ anti-insect outer layer and double layered on the arms.
• Core lined in soft and warm microfleece.
• Ripstop fabric has built-in UPF50+, wicks moisture, is quick to dry, and has an anti-microbial finish.
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Men's BUGTech™ Adventurer All-Day-Longs Anti-Insect Trousers
• BUGTech™ anti-insect, moisture wicking, UPF50+, quick drying fabric.
• Feather-light ripstop.
• Classic cargo trouser design.
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Everyday BUGTech™ Anti-Insect Farm Shirt
• Made from feather-lighy anti-insect micro-ripstop fabric.
• Features include UPF50+ sun protection, moisture wicking, quick drying properties, and anti-microbial finish.
• Pocketless design. Roll-up sleeve tabs and internal sunglasses loop.
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BUGTech™ Children’s Anti-Insect Farm Clothes

BUGTech™ Children’s Anti-Insect Farm Shirt
• Made from classic BUGTech™ anti-insect ripstop fabric.
• Fabric has built-in SPF50+, anti-microbial properties, is quick drying, and wicks moisture to keep you cool and dry.
• Single roll-up sleeve tabs and +Vent system for ventilation.
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BUGTech™ Kids’ Zip-Off Farm Trousers
• Made in classic anti-insect BUGTech™ ripstop fabric.
• Fabric provides insect defence, wicks moisture, has built-in UPF30, and has an anti-microbial finish.
• Trousers zip off at the knees to become a pair of anti-insect farm shorts.
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Farm Gaiters and Farm Socks

Rufiji™ Canvas Ankle Gaiters
• Made from safari-grade canvas.
• Secured by elasticated top, Velcro fastener with a press stud, and shoe clip.
• Ideally worn over lower trouser legs and the tops of shoes and boots for insect protection.
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Rufiji™ Suede Leather Ankle Gaiters
• Secured by elasticated top, Velcro fastener with a press stud, and shoe clip.
• Ideally worn over lower trouser legs and the tops of shoes and boots for insect protection.
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Mara&Meru™ Everyday Anti-Blister Farm Socks
• Double-layered design to prevent blisters and for friction control.
• Hydrovent outer with cotton terry cushioning, Tactel liner. Quick drying and moisture wicking.
• The best boot sock for farmers and another way to keep insects off your ankles.
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Build a Formidable Farm Wardrobe for Comfort and Insect Protection

• Made for the outdoors: Find out why our made-for-purpose range of outdoor clothing and gear is the right fit for your farm lifestyle.
• Feminine, Functional Farm Clothing: Find out more about our anti-insect ladies’ farm clothing and shop the bestselling anti-insect women’s farm clothes.
• Made for Men at Work: Find out more about our men’s anti-insect farm clothing and shop the bestselling anti-insect men’s farm clothing.
• Clothes that Keep Up with the Kids: Find out more about our children’s farm clothing and shop the bestselling children’s anti-insect farm clothing.