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.

अंतिम अद्यतन

June 2, 2025

द्वारा लिखित
फोटो थंबनेल ब्लॉग लेखक

एलिसा सैंसी

Senior Writer

Elissa Sanci is a senior writer who has reported on label makers, tumblers, and more. She once dumped glitter in her car to test handheld vacuums.

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मीडिया मेंशन

Our products are well-loved by the outdoor community, which allows us to be generous with our charity work worldwide.

Russ McLeod
Founder of Mightyhum

मीडिया मेंशन

Similarly, whenever I need water, it takes time and effort to collect water from a stream, and then push it through my Sawyer Squeeze filter into my water bottles.

Jared Zornitzer
यात्री

मीडिया मेंशन

Sawyer Mini filters remove 99.9% of bacteria—pair with reusable bottles to minimize plastic waste.

Machu Picchu Getaway
Travel Site

दस्ते से

हमारे समुदाय के साथ कैम्प फायर वार्तालाप, स्क्वाड सदस्यों और राजदूतों से लेकर ब्रांड पार्टनर्स और सॉयर टीम तक।