Mosquitoes in the UK: What Bites You When Camping and How to Stop It
· Updated
Yes, Britain has mosquitoes. Around 34 species of them. None of them carry malaria, dengue or Zika, and if you are covered in small itchy bites after an evening in Scotland or the Lake District, they were almost certainly midges rather than mosquitoes.
That distinction matters, because the two need different repellent, different timing and a different pitch. This guide covers what actually bites British campers, whether there is any real health risk, and how to stop it.
It is published by Camping Sites in Britain, where you can find and compare campsites, caravan parks and glamping across the UK, and it forms part of our wider guide to insects and wildlife that bother campers in Britain.
Do we have mosquitoes in the UK?
We have about 34 native species. They breed in standing water, bite from dusk into the night, and are most noticeable near marshland, ponds, canals, water butts and slow rivers. Warm, still, humid evenings are worst.
Three you may actually meet:
| Species | Where | Behaviour |
|---|---|---|
| Common house mosquito (Culex pipiens) | Everywhere, especially near standing water and gardens | Bites at dusk and after dark. The classic whine by your ear at 2am |
| Banded mosquito (Culiseta annulata) | Widespread. Often overwinters in sheds, garages and caravans | Large, obvious banded legs. Can bite in mild spells right through winter |
| Salt marsh mosquito (Aedes detritus) | Coastal salt marsh and estuaries: Essex, Kent, Somerset, north west England, parts of Wales | Aggressive, bites in daylight, and the reason some coastal campsites are far worse than inland ones |
The salt marsh mosquito is the one most campers do not know about. If you are pitching near an estuary or a coastal marsh and being bitten in the afternoon, that is what it is.
Mosquito or midge? Check this first
Most bites blamed on mosquitoes in Britain are midges, particularly anywhere north or west. The pattern of the bites tells you almost immediately.
| Mosquito | Midge | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of bites | A few, spread out | Dozens, often clustered |
| Did you hear it? | Yes, the whine is unmistakable | No, they are silent and nearly invisible |
| Size of insect | Obvious, 5 to 15mm | 1 to 2mm, like specks of soot |
| Where | Near standing water, all of Britain | Scotland, Lake District, north Wales, west coast |
| When | Dusk into the night | Dawn and dusk, still humid overcast days |
| Wind | Bothered by strong wind only | Cannot fly above about 6mph. A breeze stops them dead |
| Season | May to September, longest in the south | Late May to mid September, peak June and July |
| Bite feel | Noticed later, single itchy lump | Sharp pinprick at the time, then swarms of small red spots |
The wind test is the quickest one. If moving to an exposed spot solves the problem entirely, it was midges.
Do British mosquitoes carry disease?
No. There is no malaria, dengue, Zika or yellow fever transmission in Britain. Indigenous malaria was eliminated here in the 1950s, and the tropical species that spread dengue and Zika are not established in the UK. A mosquito bite in a British field is an itch, not a health risk.
One piece of context worth knowing, because it gets reported alarmingly. In 2025 the UK Health Security Agency announced that fragments of West Nile virus had been found in UK mosquitoes for the first time, in Aedes vexans samples collected from wetlands near the River Idle in Nottinghamshire in July 2023. There have been no locally acquired human or animal cases in the UK, there is no evidence of the virus circulating here, and UKHSA assesses the risk to the general public as very low. It is a surveillance finding, not an outbreak.
If you are camping abroad, the picture changes and you should check TravelHealthPro for the country you are visiting. In Britain, treat mosquitoes as a comfort problem.
Where and when you will get bitten
Choosing the pitch does more than anything you spray on afterwards.
- Standing water is the whole game. Ponds, ditches, water butts, marshy corners, an old trough. Mosquitoes breed in water that sits still for a week or more
- Running water is fine. A fast stream does not breed mosquitoes. Slow, weedy rivers and canals do
- Exposed beats sheltered. A breeze suppresses both mosquitoes and midges. The sheltered corner behind the hedge is the worst pitch on the field on a still evening
- Avoid the lowest ground. Cold damp air pools there overnight and so do the insects
- Coastal marsh is its own problem. Estuary and salt marsh sites can be bad in daylight thanks to Aedes detritus
- Dusk is the danger hour. Zip the inner tent before sunset, not after. Once they are inside, they are in for the night
What actually works
| Method | Does it work? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DEET repellent | Yes, the benchmark | The NHS supports concentrations up to 50%. Higher percentages last longer, they are not stronger |
| Icaridin (also sold as picaridin) | Yes, comparable to DEET | Does not damage plastics or synthetic fabric, and smells better. Smidge is the common UK brand |
| Oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) | Yes, shorter lasting | The only plant-derived repellent with real evidence behind it. Reapply more often |
| Covering up at dusk | Yes | Long sleeves and trousers in light colours. Mosquitoes bite through tight clothing, so keep it loose |
| Zipping the inner before sunset | Yes | Cheapest, most effective single action |
| A head net | Yes for midges | Overkill for mosquitoes, essential in Scotland in June |
| Choosing an exposed pitch | Yes | Works on both species and costs nothing |
| Citronella candles | Barely | A weak, very local effect that disappears in any breeze. They do not mask the carbon dioxide you breathe out |
| Repellent wristbands | No | Repeatedly shown to be ineffective in testing. They protect the skin under the band and nothing else |
| Ultrasonic apps and gadgets | No | No credible evidence |
| Bug zappers | No | Kill mostly harmless insects and attract more than they destroy |
| Garlic, Marmite, vitamin B | No | Folklore. None of it survives testing |
| Campfire smoke | Slightly | Works while you are directly in the smoke, which is not a comfortable way to spend an evening |
For what to actually buy and at what concentration, see the best insect repellents for campers.
Treating bites
Most mosquito bites need nothing beyond keeping them clean and not scratching them. The NHS advice is simple.
- Wash the area with soap and water
- Apply something cold for at least ten minutes, wrapped in a cloth rather than straight on skin
- Raise the limb if it swells
- Use a pharmacy antihistamine tablet for the itch, or a hydrocortisone cream on a bad one
- Keep nails short and resist scratching, which is what turns an itchy bite into an infected one
Skip the apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil and bicarbonate paste. None of them have any evidence behind them, and tea tree oil irritates plenty of people's skin.
See a pharmacist or GP if a bite becomes hot, increasingly red and spreading after two or three days, weeps or crusts, or comes with a fever. That is infection rather than the bite itself.
Call 999 for swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness or fainting after any bite or sting. Full guidance is on the NHS insect bites and stings page, and our first aid tips for campers covers what to carry.
Why they bite you and not your mate
Mosquitoes find you by the carbon dioxide you exhale from up to 50 metres away, then home in on body heat and skin odour. Some of that is genuinely individual: blood type, skin bacteria and how much you sweat all play a part, and there is very little you can do about any of it.
What you can change is scent and clothing. Skip heavy perfume and scented products in the evening, wash off sweat before you settle down, and wear loose light-coloured layers rather than tight dark ones. Beer drinkers do get bitten more, which is unfair but consistently reproduced in studies.
When to expect them, month by month
| Month | Mosquitoes | Midges |
|---|---|---|
| March to April | Occasional overwintered adults | None |
| May | Building, mainly in the south | Start late in the month in Scotland |
| June | Active, especially near water | Peak in Scotland and the north west |
| July | Peak, worst on warm still nights | Still severe on the west coast |
| August | Peak continues | Easing slightly |
| September | Falling away | Gone by mid month |
| October to February | Effectively none, occasional indoor Culiseta | None |
Frequently asked questions
Do we get mosquitoes in the UK?
Yes, around 34 species. They breed in standing water and bite from dusk onwards, and coastal salt marsh species bite in daylight. None of them transmit disease in Britain.
Can you catch malaria from a UK mosquito?
No. Indigenous malaria was eliminated in Britain in the 1950s. The species that carry dengue and Zika are not established here either. A British mosquito bite carries no meaningful infection risk beyond scratching it until it becomes infected.
Is it a mosquito bite or a midge bite?
Dozens of tiny clustered bites with no whining insect means midges. A few larger separate lumps after hearing a whine means mosquitoes. If moving to a breezy pitch fixes it completely, it was midges, which cannot fly in wind above about 6mph.
What is the best mosquito repellent for UK camping?
DEET up to 50%, or icaridin, which works comparably and does not damage synthetic fabrics or plastics. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is the only credible plant-based option and needs reapplying more often. Wristbands and ultrasonic gadgets do not work.
How do I keep mosquitoes out of my tent?
Zip the inner before sunset rather than after, pitch away from standing water and in the open rather than a sheltered corner, and avoid using a bright lantern next to an open door at dusk.
Should I worry about West Nile virus in Britain?
No. Fragments were found in mosquitoes from a Nottinghamshire wetland in 2025, from samples collected in 2023. There have been no locally acquired human cases, no evidence of circulation, and UKHSA rates the risk to the public as very low.
The short version
British mosquitoes are an itch, not a health risk. Pitch away from standing water and out of the sheltered corner, zip the inner before sunset, and carry DEET or icaridin.
And before you blame the mosquitoes, check the bites. If there are thirty of them and you never heard a thing, you have a midge problem, and the answer to that one is wind and a head net.
For everything else that bites, stings or raids your food in Britain, see our complete guide to camping pests in Britain.
