Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Hi we are considering retiring to Italy next year. We were in Lucca in 2016 and were eaten alive by mosquitoes. It was so bad you couldn't really enjoy being outside on the terrace. They even flew through the holes on the insect screens.
We are looking at Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna as possible places to live. I read that Ferrara and Ravenna have a mosquito problem. Does Imola?
We have travelled to this area in October for many years and never had an issue. But maybe they come earlier in Summer.
The little darlings seem to think I taste delicious so I get eaten alive.
TIA

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

I would reckon you will get mosquitos throughout Italy unless they spray in the area (not too sure what is worse). Where we are we have seem tiger mosquito during the day in January, but at times this year we encountered weeks whereby we were not bothered by any. At other times they were as bad as ever, so I would suggest the weather at the time has a lot to do with it. My OH sprays with “Autan tropical” in the morning as tiger mozies are out most times and then again late on in the day. No chance of going out on the terrace at night without covering up, whereas I can go out in just my shorts and sit no problem. Although I mention a particular spray here, note we are pretty sure that what works for one does not necessarily work for all… Granted this is whilst working in the garden, buy my OH has often been bitten through base layers supposedly designed to keep mozies out! Regards them flying through fly screens, I suspect that is not the case. I would suggest this is something else i.e a “no seeum” , mozies that got in before the screen went down or bites from something else. Since our arrival in 2010, in an area where there are mozies outside, I could count on one hand how many we have caught in the house beyond the fly screens. I’m charged by the OH to not allow any to get in the house, so if opening or closing shutters at night during summer I first spray the net to chase off any sitting there that might get in whilst I’m busy. So as you can tell it’s a very detailed war going on. I have a great deal of sympathy with you as although I’m not bothered by mozies I do occasionally get bitten by blackfly, which are much worse I can assure you as individual bites and of course the OH tells me all the time how evil they are. Italy is a beautiful place and I would not be put off visiting, so I would suggest you come armed with as many types of spray as people recommend and try to find one that works for you.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Thanks Geordieborn for your reply.
The mosquitoes in Lucca were tiny little things. When we sprayed the screens they didn't come in for 48 hours. But after that they mysteriously appeared again.
I like your tip of spraying the screen before opening to close the shutters. It is definitely war.
I have read Ferrara has a problem. I thought Ravenna might be better being by the ocean. I can't find any information on Imola though.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Mosquitoes and other nasty bitey things will be more prevalent in areas near water and for anyone with the tastey blood that you and I have I would steer clear of such places if possible, especially the Po delta

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Umbrian Mosquitoes seem to prefer flying near the ground. Our neighbour on the ground floor battles with them but they don't cause a problem on our first floor terrace. I am not sure if that would be the case in Ferrara. If you don't want to be troubled by insects I would opt for a more mountainous location away from any stagnant water.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Mosquitoes apparently do not fly very well, hence nearer the ground and the use of a fan to blow them away. All I can say on that is that our observation is that the OH is not bitten as much when it is windy.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Plan B are there any areas that you would recommend that don't get excessive numbers of mosquitoes? I don't mind that you have to use repellent. We do here in Perth Australia as well. I just don't want to be swarms of them around me even when you have repellent on.
I don't want to live in the mountain areas as I'm prone to car sickness. All those windy roads - eek!

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Hi philat98 and Geordieborn totally agree avoid stagnant water and the wind will help. That's why I was thinking Ravenna being near the coast the ocean water isn't stagnant. Although I have now been told there is marsh land in that area. And I thought the sea breeze might help to blow the darlings away.
I will be sure to look for an apartment at a higher level. Good to know :)
Do you know which side of Ravenna the marsh lands and stagnant water are on? We found in Lucca the closer you were to the moat or the canal in the city the worse it was. When you were right in the centre it wasn't as much of a problem.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

If not mountains, then hills. We are in the foothills of the Dolomites (Prosecco land) and have less trouble from mossies than those living 20km away on the plain. We started renting 7km away but there we were blighted by the little b****rs because of the lake 300 metres away: great view but bitten alive.
If I had had a free choice of location I would go for the Marche region, across from Lucca, against the Adriatic coast: it has a mixture of glorious rolling hills, good beaches and a seriously rugged interior to choose from. The Marche is quieter than the area around Lucca.
Hillside temperatures where we are are a couple of degrees cooler in the summer than the villages in the floor of the valley. We are also less troubled by the smog that often afflicts the industrialised plain just to the south.
Good luck.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

I agree Plan B. One thing I've noticed in the Marche is how welcome the staff make you feel in a museum. In some other regions they dont want you to go in and when you are in they are waiting for you to leave. There are some nice towns away from the coast and not too touristic. I visited Pergola and Sassoferrato a few weeks ago and found both to be very pleasant small towns.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

My wife suffers with the mosquitoes and even up north in Trento she gets some fearsome bites in the city on a summer evening. The mosquito season is shorter here than further south and in the villages above the city it's not so bad as the evening breezes keep them away.

Personally, I would suggest keeping away from the Po plain, I believe places like Mantova are notorious for their mosquitoes.

Plan B - I was over your way at the start of December for the "Prosecco Run" half marathon, a glorious place for a day out and Treviso is a great city.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Ah, unfortunately my days of running are behind me Mr. Geordieborn. Yes, Treviso is a nice town, but I would not like to live there; being on the plain means it becomes dreadfully stuffy and humid in the summer. Those from Treviso that can afford to often have a summer house in the foothills around here to escape to.
In this area I could recommend Bassano Del Grappa to Julesh53: it's a good size, interesting history, beautiful bridge, great shops and the location on the Brenta and just south of the Dolomites gives it some wonderful scenery.
Unfortunately I haven't explored the Trento area but only driven through on the autostrada on the way to or from the Brenner Pass.

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

Ahh I'm afraid I can't take credit for such salubrious post of those of Mr GeorgeYoung:o

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

:ohmy: I do apologise to Messrs. Geordieborn and GeorgeYoung for mixing you two up. :o

Re: Mosquitoes in Imola, Ferrara or Ravenna
 

I lived in Ferrara for 7 years and mosquitoes were certainly a problem, even more if you went towards the Po delta with its marshes!
But they're a problem in the whole lowland area - I live in Milan now and we get plenty of them here too. The trouble is that with pollution there are fewer swallows and bats, which are what you need to keep the mossie population down.

I've had holidays in Sicily where there wasn't one mossie - but there were other horrible little things, like horseflies!