sands

and I'm not talking about the tourists

As summer is fast approaching, I'm girding my loins for the onslaught of flying beasties soon to come our way. I have the choice of being bombarded with very ill tempered hornets, strange waspy things with long legs who insist on trying to build their nests in our bookcases, to name but a few, or, when visiting the MIL near the French border, being bitten to **** by tiger mosquitoes. At least when I lived in Africa in my teens, we knew where we were and covered up between 5-7 which was the time they would try their best to infect me with malaria. It's bloomin' free for all these days!! Any thoughts?

katu

I know what you mean, we have a small wood for half of the garden and we get all sorts of weird and wonderful insects. The scorpions are the scariest, along with the mantises (manti ?). We also get strange things which are about 2-3 inches long with hundreds of legs which move in a wave-type way?? Not to mention the lizards, snakes and biting insects.

Autan is our saviour, but we are yet to find a decent cream for stopping the bites from itching, any suggestions?

sands

hundreds of legs??? I wouldn't be brave enough to hang around to count them We're stuck with Autan too, BUT we've also bought online a rather lethal looking tennis racket - with batteries! You charge it up and swing it at all approaching flying creatures. We originally saw one in Australia, a friend had sneaked one back from the Far East as they're illegal in Oz. I'm only worried I might zap the cat by mistake!!

katu

The zapping tennis rackets? They look fun

I once squished a mosquito in a supermarket, and was then stuck with someone elses blood on my hands *bbblllleeuuuggghhhh*.

Lorna at Vicenza

I had problems for two summers running with those horrible long daddy hornet wasp things. I was killing about 5 a day in the lounge until I discovered that they were trying to revive an old nest that was inside the gap in the wall where the blinds roll up.
OH removed it and sprayed the whole area with some organic but powerful stuff from the firemen and they never came back.
Best thing to keep mosquitoes away is a Skin So Soft Dry Oil spray from Avon.
Not only is it great for your skin care (and makes arms and legs look a bit shiny when tanned) but the mozzies hate the smell of it. It's now a well know fact in the UK apparently and one of Avon's best selling products.

Beep

I just bought one of those this morning in Obi.......i've had to start using the plug in thingys for the mozzies at night already,but I must try abd get some of that Avon oil because they really go to town on me

sands

Lorna, can you buy Avon products over the counter these days? It used to just be the 'ding dong Avon calling' when I was in the UK. Or maybe you can get it online?

Lorna at Vicenza

you need the spray with the blue top and not the pink one.

Lorna at Vicenza

There is a girl I know here who does Avon - it is still only the Ding dong Avon Lady but there is abritish website that will post and there is also an Avon Italy website that I haven't checked out yet.
I was once going to order some stuff from uk website but changed my mind as I was too mean to pay a fiver for postage ...... and then one day i discovered a catalogue under door from someone in village doing it. I think the Itlian webiste might even have a link that let's you find out who your nearest avon lady is. Here they pronounce it A-Vonne

sands

Thank you so much! It sounds like it will at least allow me to step foot outside for more than a minute without being chewed up. We're off to the U.K. for a week very soon so I'll stock up. Anyone else need it??

Lorna at Vicenza

P.S. My sister tells me that the UK catalohue is either behind or infront of Italy - can'r remember - but worth checking out both websites to see who has the best offers. I only buy this oil when it is on a special offer . but it really is good.

Lorna at Vicenza

god - my typing is bad today - that's what comes from being deprived this morning and now I can't get my words out quickly enough

sands

oops I answered your first reply before your second one came in! I'll look it up on the web then. Avon have changed so much - they have glamorous actresses advertising their products on t.v. these days.

p.s. sad that I can understand your spelling straight away Don't even have the excuse of too much sun yet!

jenninitaly

I am originally from Mississippi - AKA "Mosquito Heaven" - this product, which also comes in a lotion form, has been known for years to be the best. It also smells a lot nicer than your average everyday repellent - I highly recommend it too.

sands

Hi Jennifer It doesn' repel humans too does it? I guess only if you want it to!