Buggy Critters, How to Deal With Them!!

[weirdstuff]

I've been in Southern California so long, that I've almost forgottten about weather and bugs!

In preparation for our cross country trip this summer, I realized that we're heading into buggy territory.

Last time I went somewhere buggy (Mammoth Lakes), I broke out in a rash on my legs from the DEET. Time before that (Asheville, NC), no DEET, but I got bitten to death.

Please re-educate me on how to best deal with skeeters and such awful critters. Need ideas for both inside and outside the rig.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Last time I went somewhere buggy (Mammoth Lakes), I broke out in a rash on my legs from the DEET. Time before that (Asheville, NC), no DEET, but I got bitten to death.

Spray permethrin on your clothing, including shoes and socks. Do this about half an hour before putting them on, to give the permethrin time to dry before it makes contact with your skin.

If that doesn't work, try smoking menthol cigarettes. Back in the days when I still smoked, menthol made an effective insect repellent; it made my blood taste bad!

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Spray permethrin on your clothing, including shoes and socks. Do this about half an hour before putting them on, to give the permethrin time to dry before it makes contact with your skin.

If that doesn't work, try smoking menthol cigarettes. Back in the days when I still smoked, menthol made an effective insect repellent; it made my blood taste bad!

Menthol... Is that found in any food or mint? I am a skeeter magnet, and if there is anything I could eat to make them think I smelled or tasted bad, I'd do it. Don't suppose a garlic necklace would work would it?

Deet works but I don't like it on my bare skin, and Avon Skin so Soft - doesn't do much at all. I do put citronella candles out around my campsite - but don't like to burn them unless I'm right there watching. Too many children could play with them and get hurt.

Paula

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Menthol... Is that found in any food or mint?

Not that I know of. Chemically, menthol is similar to camphor, which is found in mothballs and also repels insects other than moths. You could set out mothballs in place of the citronella candles, I suppose, but I can't guarantee it would work as well as it does inside a closet.

[pappy19]

Just take along a bunch of fabric softeners and wipe around your face, neck arms, etc. Stuff a couple in your socks for ticks.

[mimiandrews]

The last couple of summers, I've tried something I read in a health food sort of publication years ago. I take a 250mg tablet of Vitamin B1 every day. It has worked. For the first time in my life, I've stopped being a mosquito magnet!

[noreen&sal]

Originally Posted by mimiandrews

The last couple of summers, I've tried something I read in a health food sort of publication years ago. I take a 250mg tablet of Vitamin B1 every day. It has worked. For the first time in my life, I've stopped being a mosquito magnet!

Ditto on the B1. I started taking it but the only problem I couldn't stand my own odor. It was so bad I decided to let the skeeters have their way. Sal

[Skooter]

Thermocell is highly recommended on an amateur astronomy forum I frequented about a year ago. These are folks who sit calmly outside just after dusk, so they ought to know what works. I've never tried Thermocell but bought one yesterday to see how it does this summer.

[Minno]

Permetherin works on all kinds of biting bugs including ticks and black flies. You do NOT put it on your skin but on your clothes as stated above. It will last through rain and a washing or 2 before it needs to be renewed if you do it right by thoroughly dampening your clothes and letting them dry first. I always do my hat and jacket. I use DEET on my socks, and tuck my pants into them if I'm in tick territory. You can always get mosquito netting to wear to keep skeets off your face when they're REALLY bad! It works, but is hard to eat with...


Kay

[masseyfarm]

Blackberry has an app that repels mosquitoes. It may be available for other brands also?

Seems to work good.

Dave

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

Blackberry has an app that repels mosquitoes. It may be available for other brands also?

Since it's ultrasonic, and uses the built-in speaker, as long as the app is running you can't make or receive calls without stopping the app.

Being that it's ultrasonic, I kind of wonder if it will set dogs to howling if they're within earshot…

[masseyfarm]

I suggest you don't test this app for the dog HOWL this week during FULL MOON! It might compound the problem.

Dave

[dkottum]

I would rather have mosquito bites than the chemicals on me so I try not be available when they are at their worst, near sunset and sunrise, especially late June and July. In heavy woods they may be active most of the day, set up camp in the open. Unfortunately campfires attract them late into the evening so wear a long sleeve collared flannel shirt and long pants in light colors (tan), never black or red.

You could give your neighbors one of those bug zappers so they all go over there. Or give them lots of perfumes, after shaves, deodorants, hair spray and such to attract various bugs.

In the spring if you go walking in tall grass near trees prepare to pick off wood ticks. Tucking you pant legs into your socks helps keep them outside, if you know what I mean. Deer ticks, the little ones, are the dangerous tick.

Like anything in nature, try not to fight it but learn how to live with it.

[SeeMore]

I'll ditto the B vitamin stories. Since I started taking Super B Complex daily I noticed my wife complaining about biting bugs whenever I thought, "How nice the bugs aren't out." However, it doesn't seem to work on Noseeums.

A few friends, including my brother, swear Garlic pills work well, but that did not work for me. Body chemistry is an individual thing and the sweetest people are always targets.

[Pagey]

We have had good luck using the mosquito coils that can be bought at Walmart. They have been swamp-tested in the Okefenokee during mosquito season and performed admirably. We also have mosquito jackets. They have a rope-like inner layer over a light fabric outer layer. The little blighters - er biters, cannot stab through the layers.

[Pagey]

And I have also read that peppermint oil, strategically placed, can dissuade ants from intruding.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Pagey

And I have also read that peppermint oil, strategically placed, can dissuade ants from intruding.

I use Comet cleanser placed arounf the tires and around the legs of the picnic table.

I also spray my patio mat with wasp spray; it works well to keep ants off the mat, and thereby off anything that's on the mat.

[noreen&sal]

I have had great success eliminating sugar ants in the kitchen counter of the house by using 3 cups of warm water, 1 cup of sugar, and three tablespoons of boric acid mixed together and poured on a cotton ball placed in a jar cap. Sal

[noreen&sal]

Also, this mixture will attract every ant in the vicinity, But you leave them alone and they carry it home to the queen, eliminating the colony. Have used the Comet with success in badly infested areas in Fla. Sal

[weirdstuff]

This is hilarious!! Pants & sox, flannel shirt, mosquito jacket....isn't it gonna be like 90 degrees out with 80% humidity?!! I'm gonna swelter and die with all those clothes on!!

Well, great bunch of suggestions, and I'm gonna try some of them. Probably start with the bug coils, and the vitamin B's, and work my way to other things from there. Permetherin...that seems like a good one...can spray on a hat.

No way to test any of these out until we get out of San Diego!

Thanks for the great ideas.