Whenever I walk through a mosquito- or fly-infested forest or swamp, I light up a cigar. A strong one preferably. It keeps these rowdy little animals at bay.

Now I am happy to have discovered that this is no excuse that I made up, but that historical research supports my theory. From Charles C. Mann’s book 1493: How Europe’s Discovery of the Americas Revolutionized Trade, Ecology and Life on Earth:

Tobacco was embraced by Ming soldiers, who disseminated it as they marched around the empire. In the southwestern province of Yunnan, one physician reported, Chinese soldiers “entered miasma-ridden (malarial) lands, and none of them were spared disease except for a single unit, whose members were in perfect health. When asked the reason, the answer was that they all smoked.”

Don’t forget the cigars on your next hike!