Glaswegian

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?

SimonG

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.

ukjo

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.

ukjo

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

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.

MikeUK

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..

iaink

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

Ukjo

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


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SimonG

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.

iaink

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

Glaswegian

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.

Smokey

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).

quebirder

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.

stepnek

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.

ukjo

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!!!!