Surviving Italy's Summer Insects: A Practical Guide for Travelers in 2026

Italy's summer heat comes with an unwelcome companion: insects. From the mosquitoes that plague the Tuscany countryside to hornets drawn to outdoor dining, travelers should prepare. A recent local meditation on the season calls them the "insects we loathe" but reminds us they are part of the ecosystem (read more: The Florentine). Here is what you need to know to avoid being eaten alive.

Where the Bites Are Worst

Mosquitoes thrive near stagnant water. Rice paddies in the Po Valley, lake shores around Lake Como and Verona's Adige river are hotspots. In Florence, the Arno riverbanks get active after dusk. Hornets and wasps are aggressive near fruit trees, open garbage bins, and late-summer markets. If you are hiking in Cinque Terre or Sicily, the scrubland shelters ticks and horseflies.

Practical Fixes

Do not rely on supermarket coils. Italian pharmacies (farmacia) sell repellents with DEET or icaridin for around 8-14 EUR. For sleeping, a portable mosquito net costs about 15-20 EUR and fits most windows. If you get a sting, antihistamine cream (like Fenistil) is available over the counter for roughly 10 EUR.

The locals recommend covering arms and legs at sunset, even in the heat. Skip perfumed lotions. Keep food covered when eating outdoors. If a hornet lands on you, freeze. Swatting provokes them.

What About Diseases?

West Nile virus occasionally appears in northern Italy, but the risk to tourists is low. The Italian health authority recommends repellent and avoiding stagnant water areas at dawn and dusk. No travel restrictions are in place. For children and pregnant travelers, stick to repellents with lower DEET concentrations (around 20-30 percent).