Prevention of Bug Bites, Stings, and Disease

Daniel Strickman, Stephen P. Frances, and Mustapha Debboun

Oxford University Press, NY

2009; 323 pages

ISBN: 978-0-19-536578-8 (pbk.)

Price: $19.95

This is a book that succeeds on several fronts. It is a tremendous resource for those of us who provide the public with information about arthropods and human health, as well as a very understandable handbook for the general public on how to avoid insect altercations. It is also one of the best reviews I have seen of both natural and synthetic repellents and the steps one may take to minimize contact with obnoxious arthropods. The authors did an exceptional job in creating a book that is clearly written, in a style that balances cold facts with the realities of everyday life and tosses in a bit of humor for flavor. It answers the questions all of us have about keeping medically important insects at least at femur’s, if not arm’s, length.

The first two chapters provide information on the arthropods themselves. Ways to distinguish the various groups of blood-feeding and venomous arthropods are described using simple pictorial keys, supplemented with information about their life cycles and where they are usually encountered. Many original line drawings, beautifully prepared by one of the author’s daughters, accompany the text. Unfortunately, to see some of the color plates that the text refers to, the reader has to page forward to the center of the book and very likely lose his or her place in the text each time, as I clumsily did. Chapter 3 delves into the pathogens that arthropods can transmit and contains a comprehensive table summarizing the diseases, the parasites, and the many vectors. Following this are chapters on control, including practical steps to reduce arthropod encounters by physical means, including barriers and proper clothing and the use of both natural and synthetic chemicals, with an emphasis on the naturally derived botanicals that show effectiveness and potential. The authors provide an exceptional account of our two major tools for mosquito control (DDT and Bti), discussing their history, implementation, and for DDT, what went wrong and why. Several other substances in our chemical arsenal for both insect and rodent control are also summarized with informative tables.

The strength of this book is its focus on repellents, which would be expected given the background of the authors. It delves into the history of our use of assorted substances to distance us from arthropod pests, emphasizing the variety of natural components ranging from anise to violet and the caution that being natural does not always mean being safe. Although there are several myths about eating plants such as garlic to repel mosquitoes (and vampires!), readers will find a well-balanced discussion that supports or dispels these beliefs, and can then simply enjoy some of those botanicals for their distinctive tastes, if not their repellency. The hazards of DEET are already commonly known and discussed, and the lesser-known hazards of using botanicals are nicely summarized in an extensive table. Reflecting on these hazards, the authors thoughtfully comment that there are locations of known parasite prevalence when the risks of disease justify wearing repellents. Considerations are also discussed that bear on the choice of a particular repellent, such as its formulation and the various criteria used by agencies to determine the degree of repellency. There is an additional chapter on stinging arthropods and venoms that includes a discussion of scorpions, spiders, centipedes, and those furry caterpillars that people love to pet. Rounding out the book are chapters on the future for repellents and how a hypothetical family deals with the everyday challenges of arthropod assaults. A glossary defines important technical terms and for more advanced readers, relevant scientific papers are selected for a short References section.

Picture yourself sitting at dinner with three experts in insect control, listening to their common-sense recommendations for minimizing arthropod-borne disease. Although reading this book won’t provide the satisfaction of a good meal, it does come with considerable food for thought for both professional entomologists and the general public.

Marc J. Klowden

Division of Entomology

University of Idaho

Moscow, ID 83844-2339
mklowden@uidaho.edu