Mountain Girl

Can anyone recommend a good insect repellent or lotion that prevents mosquito bites.

I have just arrived in Calgary and they seem to be loving my fresh English skin.

I also cant seem to find the plug-ins that you get back in Europe that you take on holiday with you. I described them to a Canadian and he didnt to have the slightest idea what I was talking about.

iaink

Off skintastic for light duty, OFF Backwoods for...well, venturing into the backwoods, or if you are going to be sweating lots (like bikin in the woods for example). If it doesnt have DEET, it wont work for long. DO NOT GET IT ON PLASTIC like sunglasses lenses.

For the initial itchyness those cheapo ammonia "After bite" pens work pretty well, and for the big bumps over the counter 1% hydrocortisone helped me. Fortunately after a few years you will(hopefully) have the antibodies that canadians do, and the bumps wont be as viscious any more. I used to get inch wide welts, but I'm down to a small pimple now. Havent seen "Anthisan" here, so I ask family to bring it with them when visiting.

Canadian Tire is a good starting point for a wide selection of anti mossie products. Are you talking aboutr those ultrasonic thingies you plug in the wall? Havent seen anything like that exactly, but fortunately most houses in the "mosquito zone" will have screened windows, so hopefully they are just an outside nuisance.

Ruby Murray

We've been using the Skintastic for families repellent but are still getting bit by the little gits Superstore are selling the Citronella lotion so might give that a trial. For actual skeeter bites, I swear by Polysporin Pain & Itch Relief clear lotion - it really really works

Steve_P

I'll just repeat what Iaink said for light duty Off Skintastic seems to do the job. If you are going to be out in the woods then Deep Woods Off with DEET. The higher the concentration of DEET the better.

We have a small bottle of stuff called Muskol purchased some years ago at Canadian Tire, I don't know if it is available any more however it is 95% DEET supposed to be good for 8 hours, smells bloody awful but it works.

It is still available here's a link to their webpage on products.
http://www.muskol.com/products/
Also scroll down and check out the do's and don'ts especially if you have kids.

For itch relief After Bite and if you can stand the smell Absorbine Junior works pretty well too.

Cheers
Steve

debiharper

Tea tree cream I found really good

acer rose

Unless you are a youngster.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/west..._repellent.htm

If you wear cotton (hat, long sleeves, long pants) you can use high concentration DEET on the fabric rather than directly on your skin (concerns about adverse neurological effects have been raised for products containing more than 50% DEET). If you don't cover up, be aware that DEET can reduce the effectiveness (SPF) of sunscreen (I think - I didn't claim any points for French ).

http://www.pasteur-lille.fr/fr/sante/pdf/soleil.pdf

DEET (and other repellents) will also wash off over time - I always get bitten on the backs of my hands. But for the record, I use 95-100% DEET, and I do apply it under my clothes (shirt neck collar and socks/lower pant legs - I know, I know it is NOT recommended) when I am going to be out in wild country or tick country. No adverse neurological effects as yet. Also no West Nile virus, Lyme disease, Yellow fever, malaria, encephalitis, dengue fever...etc, etc to report (though you are not likely to encounter most of these in Canada

iaink

There are low concentration formulas for kids (but not babys..who shouldnt have too much exposed skin on show anyway). Id rather risk DEET over West Nile and the general itchy discomfort of the bites, but its good to make an informed decision.

purple moose

I recently posted about mozzies too, they just love me, and I swell up badly, but I have found the OFF deepwoods and taking Benadryl antihistamines (or the wal-mart cheaper equivalent) has really helped a lot.

Hope this helps. P.s. Raid mosquito coils seem not to do anything over here in Chilliwack... they were swarming around with two of them going last night. OFF ones are much better.

Grah

Tea Bags

Butch Cassidy

Black Tea?
Green Tea?
Herbal Tea?

hot wasabi peas

I wonder what it is that attracts mosquitos. I've been in very buggy places since being here (Calgary) and apparently the mosquitos are bad this year and I don't have a single bite and I don't wear repellent. I guess I'm repellent enough on my own! Seriously, does anyone know what attracts them?

Butch Cassidy

Thats right rub it in!!!!!!
I think its the tie dye socks that repels them.

Janietrz

Not sure if this will help, but I was told this from my daughter who works with horses, that they give horses marmite so they dont attract Mosquitos and get bitten as much , I have also this read somewhere? if you eat marmite you get bitten less, because when you sweat from your skin it comes out in your sweat the smell, and apprentley they dont like this , dunno if its all true, but its worth a try, hope you like marmite?. Just found this link http://www.ilovemarmite.com/marmite.asp?id=79

BritBob

If it`s bad out then I use `off` and it generally does the trick, but I try to avoid using anything. I hate putting stuff on my skin like that, especially when it`s hot and humid.

As for bites, I just leave them be. I find all the various remedies never work for me. You`ll get used the mozzies after being here a few years.

Steve_P

Perhaps you did.

I wouldn't like to generalise to that degree. Some do, some don't.

I've been here 43 years and I still have adverse reactions to mozzie bites.

My wife (born here) is like HWP they don't bother her for the most part.

Cheers
Steve