Bug Season 2010
 

For me the bug season has started, a nice long weekend Victoria Day and the unofficial start of Summer.

Mosquitoes had a feast yesterday, I now have an unscheduled day off work and a trip to the Doctors later. I react to the bites, swelling and blistering, my left elbow is now huge and my right arm is red and swollen from my wrist almost to my left elbow.

So what is new in the bug bite remedy world people?
I am thinking about trying Moziban

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

It is bug season where I am too.

My family usually have a reaction too. It usually involves running and screaming.

Our first year, we went camping and got eaten alive. It was a very uncomfortable couple of weeks.

now we just apply a ton of insect repellant before we go out.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I used to come up in huge lumps. The good news is that as time has passed the bites dont flare up anything like they used to. I guess your body adapts, or builds up antibodies or something.

However, if I were God for a day, the first order of business would be the eradication of the mosquito.

Certainly seemed an awful lot like summer here, cant believe we have the AC on in May, its unprecedented.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Bloomin hot here too, our AC is on....... Mind you at least the mozzies don't like this part of the day!

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Yeah, thats true. I was out last night after dark, trying to find Saturn through our Telescope. I have the bitten ankles to prove it.

Time to move the skeetervac around the front of the house I think...

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

The thing i'm least looking forward to... i get eaten alive in the UK (current count 3).

Strangely though on a trip to Muskoka in June last year I hardly suffered at all

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I've heard rumours that the muskokas are mozzie free ( at least thats what the guy trying to flog us a cottage their at an expo claimed !)

Canadian mozzies are pure unadulterated evil , they get you through clothes , thats just wrong

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Nice. Is this something to look forward to in Calgary, also? Or just the damper parts of Canada?

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

He probably told you that all "cottages" cost up in the 7 figure range too eh:rofl:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

[QUOTE=rubberduckofdeath;8591144]Nice. Is this something to look forward to in Calgary, also? Or just the damper parts of Canada?[/QUOTE

This damper part of Canada doesn't have a mossie problem. Now blackflies is another issue but generally only one that is a problem for a month or so. Currently it is too darn cold for flies.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I was bitten by a mozzie in Calgary last year. The bastard was that big it moo'd as it flew toward me.


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Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I forget how big this country is ...We have a high of 31 forecast here today.




C, not F;)

and I hear it snowed in Alberta last weekend!

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

And I thought British weather was crazy ;)

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I believe he also had a bridge that crossed the river thames for sale as well as a large tower like structure in France

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Wot, no magic beans? A missed opportunity I think!

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

34 for us. This is May FFS!

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Thanks for the reminder. Those of us relying on wells at home are a bit concerned:eek: Weve never had the air conditioning on in May before! I feel a bit like Rip van Winkle, got this feeling I went to sleep in May and woke up in August!

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Apparently we're on the wrong side of the Jetstream. That's why its a balmy 7C here at present.

http://www.cbc.ca/nl/blogs/ryansnoddon/

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Forecast for Calgary this Friday is SNOW and a high of 2°C. :eek:

What was that about global warming. :rolleyes:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

At least there won't be bugs.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I've got a swollen arm to prove that they're out and about here already - that was due to 10 mins outside after dark at the weekend.

I think this year is going to be a stinker for bugs after the amount of rain we had in spring :thumbdown:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Trust Novo ever the optimist, middle name Pollyanna perhaps? :p:p

Thank you for that insight. ;)

Say aren't you supposed to on your way to Halifax or are you there now?

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I got it wrong. We're going tomorrow. :unsure:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Aaah so not Pollyanna then. More like the absent minded professor. :lol:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

:)

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

No mossies in the Muskokas! :rofl: loads of them, and blackfly and no-see-ums. If you want a cottage then buy one out our way, much cheaper and just as nice, plus you have us for company. Oh that could be a downpoint though.

I used to react badly to the mossie bites but it's much less now. This year we haven't seen many but they are coming out now in force. The next door house has absent owners so their lawn is left long and they leave stuff around that can fill with water for the mossies to breed in. A few weeks ago i went round and emptied as much as I could.

Last year I used those OFF pads and lanterns and they worked pretty well, this year I have some Watkins bug stuff, it's a cream so you don't have to stand in a cloud of DEET while you are applying it. With the lanterns of course there's no skin application. When I do get bitten I apply one of those anti bite pens straight away. Ammonia based things that stink but work.

Try to avoid perfumed soaps and shower/bath gels. On Friday evening we were at the neighbour's for drinkies ( a breakthrough there but that's another thread subject). Flederman had showered so was clean and fragrant, the rest of us were unwashed. The mossies found Flederman irresistible. The Canadians were saying that if you want to avoid being bitten invite an Englishman to the party.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Ok what is the bug/mozzie situation likely to be in Nova Scotia in July?

Need to forewarn parents

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Some people are just more attractive to mosquito's than others. Mrs AX is one of those people. It's a terrible cross for me to have to bear.;)

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Noah let a pair of Mossies onto the Ark.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I realise you are no spring chicken, but didnt realise you had witnessed the event:)


I figured that as they fly, and breed in water, that unfortunately there was no need of the Ark or divine intervention to save them:(

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Someone older than me?:p:rofl::rofl:

Nah that prize goes to Auld Yin.;)

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I am going to try Mosquito Barrier - concentrated garlic. A Canadian told me it was good so it must be true! I will let you know how we get on.

Also, we sprayed listerine all over our deck last night and didn't get bitten once (everything crossed). :thumbsup: They have been tucking in like crazy so far.

http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Blackfly will have gone, but mozzies will be in full on attack mode :thumbdown:
July is usually our hottest month, so the humidity will probably be their biggest worry.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I had not heard about Mosquito Barrier, will look at that one. My mother told me about Listerine, crazy eh?

I am considering myself very lucky today, the swelling on my arm literally went as far as far as the Doctor had drawn and then stopped, I am now covered in gauze and tape with a good dollop of the prescribed antibiotic cream on. Hopefully this means I cannot accidentally scratch anything, I have four infected bites, within 12 hours of being bitten I get cellulitis, I only get this with mozzie bites!

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

On the same vain, has anyone got an suggestions on where you can buy the best value window screens (either supply only or supply and fix) - we have a few windows where we need to install them soon! :ohmy:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

It is - 3 days ago it was 30 degrees (C), yesterday it was 17 degrees (C). I put it down to (1) me buying some maternity shorts (the minute I put them on, the clouds came out); (2) me waxing my legs in preparation for said maternity shorts (ditto the above); (3) us going away tomorrow night to the Lake District (at least the hotel has a pool / health suite if the weather's bad!); and (4) it's Bank Holiday Monday in 4 days... :thumbdown:

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Apparently it's the eucalyptus in Listerine that they don't like. I have started a list that I am working through in my war against the mosquito (not that I am paranoid about them or anything......:fingerscrossed:


Palmolive soap. Ivory soap
Soya bean or Canola Oil
Vit B-1 and B-6
Garlic supplements
Avon so soft,
baby oil - they cannot get hold of you - they just stick!
rosemary,
Beautyberries
Sage
Linseed oil
Mint
Sesame
Thyme
Vanilla (vanilla and water spray in bottle)
Rub bounce sheets on self
Caress soap
Vinegar

1 part clove oil- 1 part peppermint or spearmint oil- 15 parts water

Rubbing alcohol

Marigolds
Basil
Lavender
Geraniums
Lemon Thyme
Citronella Grass
Chamomile
Lavender essential oil

Vanilla extract on pulse points

Mix 1 teaspoon of soybean oil (available from your grocery store) and one quarter of a teaspoon of Palmolive liquid soap into one cup of water. Mix well and spray onto your arms and legs and wipe on your face and neck.

Neutrogena body oil with some body lotion

Fan on low speed when eating!

Geranium essential oil

Plants – mosquito shocker? Purple plant - lemon geranium
Guinea hens
Beauty berry bush
marigolds

1 part vinegar, 1 part oil, i used mineral oil but you can also use baby oil to make the smell better. mix together in a spray bottle and spray away

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

I use a special mosquito avoidance suit and so far it's working quite well.

http://wearenotarockband.files.wordp...09/10/tron.jpg


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Re: Bug Season 2010
 

Not to Poo Poo your list, but the ONLY things CLINICALLY proven to have any effect on mosquitos worth worrying about are

1. DEET
2. Soy/ Geranium Oils (as found in bite blocker)
3. Picaridin
4. Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
5. Er
6. Thats it

Anything else is just old wives tales with little or no science to back it up.
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/skeeters.asp

Comparative study results...
http://www.homs.com/NEJM.pdf
http://www.homs.com/July2004_USDA_marked.pdf
etc (see links from here), all of which show that even the best non Deet based products simply dont hold a candle to DEET in terms of level or length of protection.

For little kids who put their hands in their mouths its worth avoiding DEET...bite blocker was good as long as it was applied fairly often, but DEET is really the way to go, that and local mosquito eradication around your home.

Re: Bug Season 2010
 

http://www.muskol.com/en/home/ :thumbup: