DEET Alternatives
 

The Canadian government are pushing DEET as the only way to avoid catching the West Nile Virus from a mosquito bite.

There are DEET alternatives out there, has anyone tried them?

Re: DEET Alternatives
 

Somebody told me this week to try the drier sheets, like bounce, and rub that on your arms and face. Not so bad if your in your own back garden but you may smell a little strange walking out and about at large.

DEET is only used as a mosquito repellant rather than to prevent west nile virus. have you tried burning citronella? i got some burners for the decking yesterday and we used them last night for the first time. I was amazed at the lack of mosquitos buzzing around us!! theyre still there but they get in the fumes and you can watch them turn round and fly off. you still get the odd kamakazi one but on a whole you are safer. Im the one who gets bitten as soon as i get off the plane whenever i go away so not been looking forward to my first full time summer in Canada but I must admit I havent found anything better than deep woods off to rub allover. so far so good and the only bites i have are from when i wasnt wearing any repellant and put the washing out.

Re: DEET Alternatives
 

ive been told that by someone who has a young baby. apparently it works though ive never tried it myself

We grow strongly scented herbs in pots on the deck and they pretty much keep the mosquitos away - they're about as effective as citronella candles.

However ... we have got into camping this year and I'm looking for something that we can use when we go for those long walks.

I've heard of using Bounce sheets before, but as I've got no idea what's in them, I'm not keen to use them.

You are correct, DEET won't prevent a West Nile Virus infection - however, mosquitos carry the virus, so preventing mosquito bites should reduce the risk.

Recent studies have shown that DEET causes neurological damage in animals at the same dose humans are exposed to - I have young kids, so I'm pretty concerned about this.

Citronella works a bit.. but not very well

If you want to avoid the dreaded Ontario mossy.. then its DEET...

The tales and legends don't work...

You can try them... But make sure you keep the cream handy for the bites...


And If its a baby.. really think twice before testing out some dreamed up remedy..

I'm with Mike on this one, DEET is the only thing that works. For young kids put it on their clothes, and keep it off their hands so they cant eat it. You have to balance the risk of the DEET against the risk from the mosquito born diseases and discomfort of the bites.

After 3 tanks of propane and new sticky traps my "Skeeter Vac" is still sucking in thousands of the little buggers, which I guess is of some help in our biggish yard, but it seems to mainly get the tiny baby ones, not the big grown up ones. At least they wont grow up to breed more. It helps a bit in the yard i guess, but I am not going deet free! I think there are just too many sources around me for it to make a decisive difference here. At least in my experience it is catching some of them though which is good, and the deck is relatively safe. Still expensive though, but if you are desperate...

Iain

Re: DEET Alternatives
 

Originally posted by Glaswegian
    > We grow strongly
scented herbs in pots on the deck and they pretty much keep the
mosquitos away - they're about as effective as citronella candles.
    >
However ... we have got into camping this year and I'm looking for
something that we can use when we go for those long walks.
    >
    > I've
heard of using Bounce sheets before, but as I've got no idea what's in
them, I'm not keen to use them.
    >
    > You are correct, DEET won't prevent
a West Nile Virus infection - however, mosquitos carry the virus, so
preventing mosquito bites should reduce the risk.
    >
    > Recent studies
have shown that DEET causes neurological damage in animals at the same
dose humans are exposed to - I have young kids, so I'm pretty concerned
about this.


I completely agree with you when it comes to
using stuff on kids that you don't know whats in it and what we do know
COULD cause problems. The way I look at it, the effects of being bitten
and infected with West Nile is such a dangerous thing that i take the
risk of the spray and cover them from head to toe in it. To be honest
with you I haven't heard anything bad happening to people using deet but
i sure as hell know what can happen when youre infected with WN


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

I've always been a bit sceptical on the "skeeter vacs'. The bloke next door bought one a few weeks back and it doesn't seem to be that effective.

I have found though that if I keep the grass short in the back garden it seems to help. Don't know why, it just does.

I was sceptical too, but it does seem to work well for the baby mosquitos, but not for the big ones. I think a lot has to do with location, I have moved mine around a few times to find the "hot spots", but I dont think the vac on its own is a complete solution. I do feel better for killing thousands of the buggers though, even if it is just a drop in the bucket!

Yes, there do seem to be more about when the grass is longer. I think it is just that they "roost" or whatever on the blades of grass, so the longer the grass, the more are resting there, and the more you disturb as you walk across it, making them seem worse. We have a number of cedar and balsam trees, with fine needles, and these seem to be a favorite resting spot too. I moved the skeeter vac underneath one of them and overnight it caught a bumper crop of the little bastards. I try and keep the grass pretty short, but if I cut it much shorter it will get burned to a crisp when and if summer ever shows up! This weather sucks!

Iain

We have the same problem in Calgary - we've had a nice wet spring, but summer is on its way - cut the grass short enough to deter the mosquitos and it'll crisp in the sun.

I think I'll try some of the alternative mosquito sprays and see what happens.

Until the West Nile Virus came along, the bears, cougars, wolves, rattlesnakes, scorpions and black widow spiders were the biggest worries we had on camping trips.

Whilst on the subject of creams.....can anyone recommend one that actually works. I've tried Larnacane as recommended by someone but it doesn't stop the damned itching. As I come up with welts bigger than toonies any personal recommendations would help (and yes, I doo wear eau de deet).

The first couple of mosquito seasons are the worst - after that you build up a resistance and the big itching welts of the new-immigrant settle down to minor irritations at worst. It is always very noticeable that newcomers react worst. None of the itch creams are particularly effective - but you might try a hyrdocortisone cream to reduce the inflammation - about as effective as anything you can buy without a prescription.

On the subject of DEET - it come in a wide range of concentrations and you don't need the strongest at all. A few years ago the US army did some tests (nice to know US soldiers have some use) on their people and found that after around 35% concentration there was no gain in effectiveness that was worth talking about. DEET lasts for several hours - the alternatives sort of work but you will be reapplying every 30 minutes ...... just keep the satuff out of your eyes and you'll be fine. Wearing longsleeves is a good idea too.

Are some people more prone to being bitten than others? I remember the last time I was in Canada (three years ago) not having a problem personally although one of my daughters seemed to be covered in bites and yet we all spent similar time in the countryside.

Yes!! Me and my dad get bitten to peices and he ended up in hospital with his last year in Ontario. My mum and my brother on the other hand don't get touched atall. We reckong we've got better blood than them!!!!
:D

Mosqitos home in on you by following the CO2 trail that you breathe out. Also the pheremones that you give out attract.

As it is the FEMALE that bites (little changes, does it!) then anything that reduces the vapour trail will help. Fans that blow across the seating area help disperse the carbon dioxide stream will help. Also UV attractor/eleectrocution systems placed a short distance AWAY from where you are will deflect some of the beasties away. do not place too near or you could be attracting more than you are killing.

Remove ALL sources of standing water. This includes buckets, pails, even a jam jar of water is enough to create a haven.

Use of a knock down spray in bedrooms will help defeat the mozzies when you are asleep and at your most vunerable.

Apart from these things, long sleeves, screens on windows and a DEET based repellant.

All of the above are based on Mosquitos in Spain, but will apply all round the world.

Thanks for the tips quebirder and liftman....

funny though I don't remember spanish mossies being the size of the monsters we seem to get here in prarieland......

Best thing I have found for the itching is Anthisan cream, but I have to get my folks to send it over from the UK as I have never seen it here (maybe you can mail order it?). The "After Bite" stick pens with the ammonia in them work OK if you use them straight away, and witchhazel also offers some relief.

Some people react to the bites worse than others because the bump itself is due to an allergic reaction to the stuff the mozzie injects you with. Some people are simply more allergic than others. At first I used to get huge bumps from the bites, but over time my body now seems to cope with them better, and it is just a "regular" bump now. I think that everyone gets bitten, but if you dont react then you wont notice?

Iain

I find Avons skin so soft works for mozzies, I dont like the smell of it too sickly for me, but it does work, and I still haven't found anything better for itching than good old fashioned calomine lotion.

I got some Great Outdoors Citronella Spray yesterday and tried it on my morning run - I usually attract mosquitos because I'm soaked in sweat and puffing out a load of CO2.

I tried ths spray and I wasn't even buzzed once this morning - the only downside is that I now smell like a citronella candle.

I've got some gardening to do this afternoon, so I'll see if it works there too.

Here's a link to Duke University Medical Centre's warning about over use of DEET:
http://news.mc.duke.edu/news/healthtip.php?id=5656

The guy giving the warning is Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and Professor of Neurobiology, so I assume he's qualified to give it.

That's an interesting read, thanks for the link. As I work outdoors a lot of the time it'll be interesting to hear what you think. Strangely I noticed I got bitten last night whilst taking the dog for a walk. I previously had a bit on my hand that ballooned up last week. Then I got bitten on the same hand and it didn't so go figure :D

Parfume de Citronella has GOT to smell way better than Eau de Deet :scared:

The 'After Bite' stuff works really well for me - it stops the itching and (in my case, inflammation- agh). Just my 2cents :)

We have been using this stuff now for a while. We used it at the zoo, Heritage Park and camping - no problems with bugs so far! And we have had some nasty bites in the past at the zoo and Heritage Park - so be warned!

The only problem is that the bottle it comes in is not good quality - the pump has failed a few times. But its worth it to be DEET free.

Would I buy more? Yes!

Just remember that the citronella wears off a lot faster than the DEET...

Due to west nile in Ontario they have released a leaflet on the usage of the DEET and its alternatives..... might be worth a look up..

Yes this is true - time spent reapplying to us is preferable to being sprayed with DEET - but thats a personal choice. So far its working!

I think it depends on how allergic your are to their bites, not whether you are bitten. My Mom is not allergic, she gets bitten just like I do but shows little reaction...so it looks like she's not bitten (but I've seen them land on her, biting, then killed with a nice swat).

As for me...I'm have a bad reaction. We moved to a place with lots of trees and brush...little b*stards bit me right and left...each bite was the size of a toonie!!! :eek:

Juliet

Ouch. If its any consolation, it seems that over time you get a bit more used to it. What would have been a toonie five years ago is now just a nickel.

A good tip....

Don't swat them, flick them...

If the body parts such as the proboscis are left in you then it will get infected... flicking reduces the chances of this...:

And I can promise you this kind of infection is not nice…..

People here warned me about the mosquitos and I thought, can't be that bad surely. I was wrong! They just LOVE me! They must think - hey, fresh blood. I've been swelling up like a balloon. My ankle swelled so much I had problems getting my shoes on. And they are so BIG but so difficult to spot. They use stealth technology to attack - damn things. Usually my motto is live and let live, but I've taken great delight in using the swatter every evening. It's turned into a warped sense of entertainment! Quite how it is that SO many can sneak through the door every time it's opened is amazing. They must sit outside waiting.

I think the use of lemon scented soap seems to help out a bit. It's a theory I'm testing out. I'll let you know the results from the count of lumps after a week! I also read something about the use of DEET and I also have two small children, so was reluctant to use it. So far though, the children don't seem to attract the mozzies.

I would guess that the kids are getting bitten, but arent as allergic as you are. As Juliet pointed out, whether you come up with a bump or not is not really an indication that you have been bitten or not.

The danger is that they are still exposed to West Nile etc through the bites. Every parent has to weigh up the pros and cons of the danger of DEET vs the risk of disease.

You could also try tea-tree oil shampoo (Thursday Plantation - Superstore) on the children - it keeps the head lice at bay and might just have the side effect we all want for the mosquitoes!

If's a baby you better follow the Guideline and not use DEET a drier sheet appears to be a lot safer for them.

Here's about an honest answer as you'll get.

http://sheknows.com/about/look/1999.htm

For the itch
 

A used tea bag.

We tried the creams and the lotions and blah but as soon as the dried out the kids woke up or would rip the tops of in their sleep.

Found a web site ( can find it now ) that told about grinding leaves and picking this and doing that well 15 pages later it said failing that use a Tea bag.

So I tried it Daughter was a goalie ant the time and 35 bites on the back of the would drive her mad.

just dabbed it on and made here leg a little damp and not a sound all night. so when ever we get a bite. Dab Dab.

here anyother site on about tea bags

http://www.stashtea.com/ydwwtea.htm

Re: For the itch
 

So which brand? And does it matter?
:D

Re: For the itch
 

No idea we've used Red Rose and Typhooo, haven't tried anything else.

For a baby I’d use a mosquito net, I’ve just come back form northern Quebec, and even with DEET I’ve got a few nasty bites where I’d didn’t get the coverage right…

Sorry but with West Nile Virus, and a few other diseases and even just the local infection… one bite swelled up and gave a reaction that was about 30mm in diameter…I’d take no risk’s with my Children’s health..…… and I’m not happy about other fools advising that some daft ideas work…

Did you read the last few lines from that doctor…
I know I began this answer by stating that I would tell you what I do with my toddlers, although I can't endorse it as a physician: I spray the kids' pants, waist and back of their clothing with a DEET product. This way, I'm not directly exposing their skin and systems to DEET, yet they have the advantages of its protection.
Dr Jane Forester
Family Physician
Glencoe, IL

Follow the crank advice if you want to… but do the rest of the kids out there a favour and avoid endorsing methods that have no substance to back them up…

I'm sure the rest of us do not take risks with our childrens health either.

Please don't tell me we are being bitten and just dont know it - our bites swell up and are very painful. Right now thats a much more immediate problem than West Nile disease! Bite prevention will prevent West Nile.

Did you read this thread all the way from the start? Most of the "crank" advice is in relation to dealing with the itch - not the bite prevention.

I will state again - so far citronella spray is working for us.

and if you care to notice I'm dealing with the crank drier sheet advice..... which has nothing to do with the itch...

and yes I've been on this thread from page 1!

for the itch i use lanacane... for what its worth.....

i take it i should be stocking up on Anthisan before i head back to canada then! :)

My mistake - sorry! I interpreted the plural to include all of the methods!
:(

I agree with you on the drier sheet issue - as I have previously stated. Putting them straight on skin in my opinion is madness - I wont even use them in the drier!

For the itch - my approach is avoidance as nothing else seems to work for us.