People who shop for “bite-proof clothing” often do so with a simple goal: avoid getting bitten outdoors. Generally speaking, truly bite-proof clothing is uncommon in lightweight everyday apparel.

For outdoor use, the more accurate term is usually insect-repellent clothing or permethrin-treated clothing. These items can help reduce contact with mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects, but they should not be treated as a guarantee against every bite.

Instead of looking for clothing that is fully bite-proof, it’s better to look for clothing that combines coverage, comfortable fabric, good fit, and permethrin-repellent treatment as part of a layered approach.

There’s no shortage of advice about mosquitoes, but not all of it is true. Believing common mosquito myths can leave you unprotected when it matters most. To set the record straight, we looked to entomologist Dr. Michael Reiskind of North Carolina State University.