Yellowknife (Jun 16/06) - The bugs may be bad, but for Keri-Lyn McLeod they're good for business.

McLeod has her own line of made-in-Yellowknife kid's clothing, Gilly Gear, and in summer one of her more popular items are children's bug shirts. The sizes range from newborn to about age 6.

Eight-month-old Davyn Ball models a Gilly Gear kids' bug shirt made by Yellowknifer Keri-Lyn McLeod, at Overlander Sports. - Jennifer Geens/NNSL photo

McLeod recommends buying a size larger than usual.

"That way you can get more than one season out of it," she said. "It's OK if they're a bit baggy, the elastic cuffs and bottoms are adjustable."

But the smaller size isn't the only difference between these bug shirts and the usual adult versions. Where adult-sized bug shirts tend to come in dull colours such as khaki or camouflage, McLeod uses bright, kid-friendly prints like Spongebob Squarepants or ladybugs and butterflies.

Aside from keeping babies indoors or swathed in mosquito netting, mesh bug shirts are pretty much the only option for parents to protect their very young children from insect bites.

Health Canada advises against using DEET-based insect repellents on children under the age of six months, and advises using repellents on children between the ages of six months and two years only if there is a risk of serious complications from insect bites.

McLeod started making kid's bug shirts about seven years ago, when her 16 month-old niece came up from New York City for a visit. McLeod couldn't find a bug jacket small enough to protect her niece from Yellowknife's ravenous skeeters, so she made her one. Now McLeod makes anywhere from 50 to 100 in a summer, depending on demand, and sells them through Overlander Sports.

But despite the fact that June usually brings a bumper crop of biting insects, which is a boon for her business, McLeod wishes things looked more promising on Yellowknife's mosquito front.

"I'm not looking forward to it," she said with a laugh.