All over the world, insects spread diseases through their bites, and many of these diseases are life-threatening. Some of the diseases that are spread by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and/or fleas include yellow fever, malaria, Zika, Lyme disease, chikungunya, and dengue.

And that’s only a short list of the vector-borne diseases that these pests spread worldwide. That’s why it’s important for people to avoid insect bites as much as possible. A holiday that reminds us all to do just that is Insect Repellent Awareness Day, observed annually on June 3^rd, which attempts to raise people’s awareness about the importance of insect repellents.

These products not only help people avoid the misery of being bitten by bugs but can also potentially save a person’s life.

The History of Insect Repellent Awareness Day

This holiday was first launched in 2014 by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. They created this holiday to raise awareness about the dangers of insect bites and how repellents can make a real difference in protecting people from these potentially dangerous bites.

People are encouraged to use insect repellents at home and also when they’re traveling abroad. Ever since this day’s creation, it has been observed by schools, universities, health organizations, and individuals around the world.

Some Important Facts About Insects

Below are some of the facts that we’ve decided to look up while researching Insect Repellent Day. Although the following facts offer little practical knowledge about the dangers of insect bites, we did think they were pretty cool, and that’s why we’ve decided to include them below.

• Dragonflies have been on Earth for over 300 million years.
• Caterpillars are equipped with 12 eyes.
• In the United Kingdom, over 36 species of dragonflies have been identified.
• Wasps that eat fermented juice have been known to get drunk.
• There are as many different species of ants as there are species of birds.
• Ticks can grow to the size of a marble.

Observing Insect Repellent Awareness Day

Doing a little bit of research about the best insect repellents on the market and how they should be applied for maximum results is just one way to celebrate this holiday. People can also learn more about the diseases spread by insects and help spread this information to friends and family.

Information about this holiday can also be spread through social media using the hashtag #InsectRepellentAwarenessDay. No matter how this day is celebrated, however, it will hopefully help people realize that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.