After steadily increasing in numbers over the past few years, flying, biting bugs are set to hit an all-time high this summer. And it’s the weather that’s to blame.

‘We’ve had above-average temperatures this March, April and May, as well as plenty of storms and wet spells,’ explains insect-bite protection expert Howard Carter. ‘Heat and humidity equals insects. And the recent heatwave will boost the number further still.’

The mild winter, wet spring and warm summer pattern of recent years also speeds the bugs’ development and increases their biting period.

Then there’s the fact mosquitoes’ main predator, dragonflies, are down on their luck. ‘Their larvae seem not to have survived the winter well, so there won’t be many around to cull the mozzies,’ says Howard. ‘We can predict a dramatic rise in mosquitoes by the end of this month.’

So during July and August we can expect flying, biting insects on the rampage in gardens across Britain.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

Howard believes the current insect epidemic kicked off in the summer of 2012. ‘Weather conditions were similar to this year and a hosepipe ban meant a lot of people collected water in their gardens, providing standing water mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in,’ he says.

During August 2012, there were 30,000 visits to A&E departments for insect bites, thanks to complications such as infection or allergic reaction.

The emergency response department at Public Health England has even suggested that climate change could encourage mosquitoes capable of carrying malaria. ‘There’s a 50 per cent chance malaria will return to the UK over the next decade,’ warns Howard.

Protecting ourselves from bites doesn’t just lower our risk of infection, adverse reactions and discomfort — it helps keep numbers down, too.

‘Every time you get bitten, you give the female mosquito the blood meal she needs to be able to reproduce. So every bite has the potential to launch 200 more mosquitoes into the environment two weeks later,’ warns Howard.

Yet in a survey for Anthisan, the bite-relief cream, 38 per cent of people said they took no measures to avoid being bitten.

There are four main types of critters that bite us. Mosquitoes appear from as early as April. Midges (or gnats) are a common sight around the UK, particularly on damp, cloudy summer days.

Horseflies love meadows, woods and riverbanks. ‘They cut the skin when they bite, instead of piercing it,’ says Dr James Logan, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. ‘This means more pain and potential for infection.’

Finally, there are Blandford or black flies, whose bites can cause blistering and a fever in the victim.

‘Latest research shows 5 per cent of us have a natural camouflage in our blood so insects don’t detect us,’ says Howard Carter. ‘But the other 95 per cent are “normal” and tasty to insects. Women and children get bitten more, as do people with light skin and fair hair.’

There’s anecdotal evidence that eating vitamin B-rich Marmite helps keep mosquitoes away

‘It’s thought people with blood group O are most attractive to bugs,’ says Chris Davies, technical manager at pest-control company Clean Kill. ‘Mosquitoes are twice as likely to land on a type O person as a type A.

‘Insects use carbon dioxide, which we exhale, as their primary method of tracking their next meal. The bigger and more active you are, the more CO2 you exhale, so larger people, pregnant women and also people who work out a lot are more likely to get bitten.’

TIPS THAT REALLY DO MAKE THEM BUZZ OFF

‘Covering up with clothes helps,’ says Howard. ‘Wear long sleeves and tuck trousers into socks. The best colours are light — white, khaki or beige. Insects are attracted to dark colours and floral prints.’

Avoid fragranced soap and shower gels and don’t wear perfume, as insects seem to be attracted to them. There’s anecdotal evidence that eating vitamin B-rich Marmite helps — insects don’t like the taste of the thiamine (vitamin B1) that’s excreted when you sweat. Quest Vitamin Multi B Complex (£10.49, Nutricentre.com) is a good alternative.

Avoid burning candles, which create more CO2. Instead, use an ambient repellent like java citronella in incense sticks or an oil vapouriser.

‘Apply repellent all over, including under your clothes, and reapply every five hours — sooner if insects start buzzing nearby,’ advises Howard.

While the NHS still recommends Deet (diethyltoluamide) as the most effective repellent, it’s a controversial product that many experts advise against. It is a synthetic chemical repellent derived from coal tar. Concerns have been raised about its safety for children, in whom it’s thought it may disrupt the nervous system.

DEET’s strong smell (plus the fact it’s non-biodegradable and dissolves plastic) makes it unpleasant to use. And there’s mounting evidence that insects are becoming resistant to its effects.

‘I was using a 50 per cent DEET formulation when I contracted malaria,’ says Howard, who also fell victim to dengue fever — transmitted by mosquitoes — in India in 1997. ‘To me, this is proof the insects are building up resistance to it.’

With the help of the late Dr Nigel Hill, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, he came up with a compound based on eucalyptus. It’s patented as Citrepel 75 and, he says, is the only compound in the world clinically proven to protect against malaria.

It’s the main ingredient in the Incognito range of products (from £7.99, from healthfood stores, pharmacies and lessmosquito.com).

‘Unlike, DEET, which interferes with insects’ nervous system, Incognito works by camouflaging the products of metabolism that attract insects,’ he explains.

Mosi-guard Natural is another DEET-free, plant-based product suitable for all ages. It’s active ingredient is oil of lemon eucalyptus, which has the brand name Citriodiol. Priced from £7.29 for sprays, sticks or roll-ons (www.mosi-guard.com).

IF YOU ARE BITTEN...

‘The itchiness that bites cause is an immune system response,’ explains GP Dr Rob Hicks. ‘The saliva from the insect causes the release of histamine. Scratching also perpetuates histamine release.’

Top of our list for itch relief is Zap-Ease (£5.95, lessmosquito.com).

It’s a clicking device that sends a small electrical impulse to your brain to send pain-relieving endorphins to the area as well as inhibit histamine release.

If you don’t want to join the bite victims waiting in A&E this summer, keeping bites clean is your priority. Dr Hicks advises that you wash the affected area with soap and water and use a cold compress to reduce swelling and discomfort.

‘Don’t scratch as you risk damaging skin and introducing infection,’ he says.

‘Calamine lotion, aloe vera and creams containing oatmeal are good for relieving itching.

You could also try the antihistamine Anthisan Bite & Sting Cream (£3.66 from supermarkets). Oral antihistamines may also be useful.

Spraying the bitten area with a disinfectant like NatraSan (£10 for 250ml, renapur.com/shop) can help. It contains hypochlorous acid, the chemical your immune system produces to fight infection and promote healing.

Signs of infection include increased redness, swelling, pain and perhaps blistering or pus around the site.