Black fly bites to be more specific. I went to a baby shower yesterday, covered in Burts Bees citronella bug repellant and still managed to get bitten all over by black flies. Does anyone have any good old wives treatments for bites please ? (the left side of my face is so swollen right now).
I'm allergic to anti-histamines so theyre out and currently using a after bite itch eraser stick which is basically ammonia, its stopping the itching but doing nothing for the swelling

thanks in advance
Jan

Have you tried tea tree oil? To prevent the bites, I've found that Avon So Soft works best.

I feel your pain. But, I am here to the rescue!!! I've been in Wetsern New York 3 years and the bugs were eating me alive. If a mozzy or a fly so much as coughed near me I'd develop enormous swollen welts with crusty pus-oozing tips. Mmmm. Nothing worked, particularly stuff like So Soft or Off. But there are 2 things that never ever fail.

1. 3M Ultrathon. Get a shed-load of this stuff. You can get it as a spray or oitnment and it is the best stuff out there. I can pick it up at Ace Hardware, but if you can't find it buy it online. The stuff is a Godsend. Repels mozzys and other bugs so well that I can go trail running in thick clouds of the evil buggers.

2. Listerine. Yep you heard me. This is the best thing on earth to stop flys of any kind from biting you. Jut rub it over your skin. And ONLY the original Listerine works. And you might as well swig a bit of it while your at it - keep those teeth nice and clean!

Believe me, I NEEDED something to work - I would get bitten 3-5 times a week and it was extremely painful. The throbbing from the swelling was agony. The #M stuff was great - and my family in the Adirondacks swears by Listerine when they go fishing up North. It's never failed me.

I totally sympathise with you on this. Here in PR the mosquito's are eating me alive. They view my soft English skin like I do an ice cold beer. I'm working my way through all the repellents and after bites at the moment.

Best thing I have found so far is don't go out.

I'll try cuckoo's idea's next....

I just dont understand it...my wife could get bitten half to death by bugs in the Antartic. She's tried everything including hourly bathing in Deet, but still she gets eaten.

They never touch me. We can wake up in the morning and she's covered in bites and I have none. Wierd.

Whenever I've been in areas with a high mozzy bite risk(including the jungles of India) I have used good old Vics Vapo-rub to ward them off.
Yes it smells strongly initially (but wears off once absorbed in about 5 minutes) and will make you tingle a bit when you apply it all over,but believe me it is very effective in stopping the blighters from biting.I was being eaten alive until I tried it and was initially skeptical about trying it.
It worked for me,and in the humid and hot jungles there are some big mozzies around!
Fellas though,beware.....keep it away from your nards 'cos that gets a bit painful

My Grandad used to tell me that only people with good blood got bitten.

I was always the one who got bitten but since we moved here my husband seems to get more bites than me.

One remedy that is supposed to relieve the itching is toothpaste

Thanks from me also cuckoofrommars - I've copied your post onto my Wordpad for future reference - US bugs seem to love me too - problem is I never see them, the bites appear as if by magic, especially around feet and legs. Husband says it must be chiggers.

Doesn't the Listerine go all sticky on your skin?

The other thing to try is the stuff I use on my horses. It's called Zonk and really does work. It doesn't smell to bad and is pretty cheap.

Thanks everyone for help and advice. I'm now onto white vinegar to take away the itch so I smell like a chip supper

I will definately look at the 3M product as well as give the listerine a go, anythings better than this the swelling has subsided a bit around my eye but is still bad around my ear and jaw. Gotta love that moth eaten look ........ NOT !

Jan

The only way to stop chigger bites and the itching is to paint the bites with clear nail polish. It suffocates them.

Deet woodsmen stuff ain't bad...and for actual bits, pure ammonia, hurts like hell but gets rid of the itch and swelling...

Anybody know of any bug repellents safe for use on babies? We have a 7-month old son and it's too bloody hot to take him out in the afternoon, but when it cools in the evening the mosquitos come out. Can't find anything on the shelf that I can safely use on him.

(By the way - what's up with Cupranod, or shouldn't I ask? )

Dawn

There's that chemical free lemon and aloe stuff, which isn't bad, but it's a bit oily...can't remember the name, but i think i've got it around somewhere, i'll go check later for it.