Sand Flies

Old Mar 12th 2007, 5:01 am
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Default Sand Flies

Pesky blighters ,you have been seeked out and bitten before you even see them .I seem to be a test bed for the buggars ,I use anti insect bite repellant and they still get through.Mossies however do not seem to bother with me .Any remedies /advice/help with the crazy itching you get with the bite.I use a cream after being bitten with anti histamine in it but it still itches like mad.
Is there a season for them like bbq weather? or are they year round
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 5:04 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Originally Posted by cherry
Pesky blighters ,you have been seeked out and bitten before you even see them .I seem to be a test bed for the buggars ,I use anti insect bite repellant and they still get through.Mossies however do not seem to bother with me .Any remedies /advice/help with the crazy itching you get with the bite.I use a cream after being bitten with anti histamine in it but it still itches like mad.
Is there a season for them like bbq weather? or are they year round
I don't really get bitten that often by them, but one bite turned funny and started growing and I had to have it cut out in the end!
I think they're an all year round thing aren't they but are worse in certain parts of the country than others.
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 5:15 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Originally Posted by cherry
Pesky blighters ,you have been seeked out and bitten before you even see them .I seem to be a test bed for the buggars ,I use anti insect bite repellant and they still get through.Mossies however do not seem to bother with me .Any remedies /advice/help with the crazy itching you get with the bite.I use a cream after being bitten with anti histamine in it but it still itches like mad.
Is there a season for them like bbq weather? or are they year round
I also am a sandfly magnet - untreated, I end up with Popeye arms and, as you say, the itch is horrendous.

Sandflies tend to come out in force when there is a change of temperature/humidity - a warm day with some rain/dew is a classic - golf course/croquet lawns are a danger zone for me in those conditions.

I always keep a bottle of tea tree oil with me in those circumstances - providing I anoint the bitten area asap - despite their size, the little buggers really hurt when they bite - so I just dab a tiny amount of said oil on said bite - no more symptoms, no lump, no itching - I re-anoint if necessary, if itching starts up later.
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 5:16 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Try using Soov it seems to numb the itch quite well
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 5:27 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Don't itch them ever, no matter how much you want to, just ignore it. They go away quicker then.
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 6:09 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

hmmm not sure what a sand fly is??? but I keep getting bitten by maggot wormy looking things on the beach and they jump, anyone know what they are. They won't leave me alone.
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 6:13 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Cherry,
we got something called antibite(I think) from the health food / Holland and Barret kind of place in Porirua and haven't been bitten since I started to take it. Danny was the same - bitten to bits until he started taking it. I think it specifically mentions sandflies on the bottle, its a huge unpleasant tablet that you take once or twice a day for a couple of weeks but worth it. I only take one very few days now and its still working. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll pick you one up and pop it over in the week
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 7:05 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Posted by Donna "its a huge unpleasant tablet that you take once or twice a day for a couple of weeks but worth it. I only take one very few days now and its still working. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll pick you one up and pop it over in the week..."

its not a Horse tablet is it .We have some Tee Tree oil that I am going to try ,in the meanwhile I am itching away the day
S*^T just got bit again
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 9:08 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Here they are bad when youre on the beach and the tide is on its way out. I cover myself in suncream and they dont seem to like the taste of that too much... havnt been bitten by them as much this year as I did last year....horrible things. I dont react much to mossie bites but sandfly bites even stop me from sleeping they hurt so bad.
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 8:57 pm
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Being Top end of South ,the pesky sandflies are always around.

We have a couple of Mosquito-Clicks which we bought at Countdown. I believe you can also pick them up in camping shops. Works brilliantly. Just click the bite and that's it. No itch , pain or anything.
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Old Mar 12th 2007, 11:45 pm
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Oh dear! I sympathise and empathise with you. I have to spray myself all the time to keep them away and if I miss just one bit they're in there I use a cream called manuka magic and so long as I get the bites immediately they don't itch. I got one on top of my shoulder this morning whilst waiting for the bus - have no cream and I'm fast turning into the Hunchback of Auckland
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Old Mar 13th 2007, 12:14 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

ooo they are the bane ( sp??) of my life. But this summer has been so different from last summer. Last year I was bitten to pieces and had a terrible reaction. Tried so many things - soov and PawPaw cream work for me. This year my reaction to them has definitely got better and they last less time. There seem to be loads less this year too. However the mosquitos are out in force - last year we didnt have any! this year there are gazillions and my reaction to them is the same as ever - bad!
The only thing I've found that works for the mozzies is to cover up in the evenings.
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Old Mar 13th 2007, 12:37 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Apparently you get immune to the ones in your local area after sometime. So our mountain guides told us! We have a clicker thing and it is fine. I agree with the 'Don't scratch they go away quicker' comment also. We have just been to Te anau and milford sound and the infamous sandfly point where there are thousands. A good deet based repellant works well and cover up as much flesh as you can
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Old Mar 13th 2007, 10:49 am
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Default Re: Sand Flies

Hi Cherry,

Use a DEET based repellant about 50% spray on exposed areas, sandflies are supposed to be worse at dusk times in damp places. If your with others make them have a bit on as well, as its more effective in a "herd" environment. Cover up as much as possible. Sleep under a net if your nibbled at night.
Dont bother with the antihistamine cream, if your having a reaction almost certainly worth taking antihistamines in tablet form. Go to the pharmacy and ask for the "Chemists Own brand of a non drowsy" Or the cheapest ones which will make you sleepy, but take them at night and the effects should last all day. You will need to take daily, this will STOP the reaction happening, or at least reduce it. You will become less tasty to the little blighters after a few months. Try eating lots of garlic as they dont like the smell! (true)
there is some evidence to suggest that Mozzies dont like the smell of Vit B not sure if this is true for sandflies or not.
Cheap perfumes and bright colours to a minimum and before you know it you should be fine.
Hope it helps
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