The Romance of Mosquito Nets

Mosquito nets tug on that childlike part of our imagination that wants to build forts out of cushions.

The western world may have eradicated malaria, but going to bed is much more fun when you can look forward to cuddling up inside a sheer cloud of mosquito netting.

The aim of bed netting is to prevent nocturnal moquito bites and therefore mosquito-bourne diseases like malaria, encephalitis, dengue, or yellow fever. These diseases are much more widespread than AIDS, but they get much less press. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that 300 to 500 million people are diagnosed with malaria annually, causing 1.1 to 2.7 million deaths.


Netting can feel smothering if you're not used to it. Some of it is hard core, soaked in DDT or similar chemicals, so it may skeeve you out if it touches your skin. If you're tall, cut a big swath to leave yourself stretching room. Netting should never touch your skin at night anyway because then mosquitos will be able to land on you and/or bite you. That would defeat the whole purpose.

Mosquito netting is also fabulous because it keeps out other critters. Specifically, I mean snakes. In chilly climates, many a warning tale addresses waking up with snakes on or under beds. Netting tucked into the mattress or draped in piles on the floor can thwart slithery visitors seeking warmth in the cold night.