Documented declines in some insect populations—the “insect apocalypse”—have us feeling it’s time to live and let insects live. But we remain opposed to letting them land on our food and our person. Because many of the insects we disagree with most are not strong fliers, we wish more cottagers would plug in a fan on the deck. It’s an effective way to keep mosquitoes at bay.
Tiki retreat insect catcher
Teaching moments: view insects up close with the magnifying glass, then release them to do good in the wild. $20, canadiantire.ca
Landish cricket powder
Farm-raised, free-range Canadian crickets add nutty flavour to smoothies and baking. $38, landish.ca
Beurer bite relief device
Yes, science supports applying a concentrated heat source to reduce the itch of an insect bite. $33, leevalley.com
Muskol insect repellant
It feels nasty, smells weird, and damages plastic, but 23.5% DEET also works. $10, canadiantire.ca
Dragonfly wingman
Since dragonflies hunt deer- and horseflies, a clip-on decoy may deter the biters. Not proven but plausible—and it’s stylin’. $15, leevalley.com
KSP bug-off mesh food tent
Simple and effective: keep flies and wasps off your lunch with a stainless steel cover. $10, kitchenstuffplus.com
This story originally appeared in our Early Summer ’26 issue.
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