Mosquito bites

[marliejaneca]

Here is a thread from a while back with some good suggestions as well.
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php...ight=mosquitos
Good luck!
Marlie

[Mirador]

I read somewhere that the local aborigines of the Island (Taino and Arawak) would cover their entire bodies with a paste made of achiote (achote) seeds (bija), and obtain full protection against all kinds of insect bites. I understand the achote paste was a mixture of ground achiote, lard, ashes and clay. Anybody heard of anything similar currently in the market?

Mirador

[CyaBye3015]

tired boy,

I'll put my 2 cents worth in too. I'm from Minnesota and we grow mosquito’s here the size of birds! 26 bites on one leg in one night,,,,,, hell, I've had 26 mosquito’s on one leg at the same time!

Over the years I have tried all of the above, (except a mixture of ground achiote, lard, ashes and clay.) In my opinion none of it works very well except for DEET. I, like Jan don't much care to putt chemicals on my body, but sometimes it's lesser of two evils.

Joe

[leeshy813]

I purchased a special Skin so Soft that's called "Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus IR3535 Insect Repellant." It comes in a moisturizing lotion w/ SPF 30, a spray w/ or w/o SPF 30, sunblock lotion w/ SPF 30, and an expedition aerosol spray. They're not expensive, I think they're having a sale -- save 50% when you buy 2.

[Fiesta Mama]

I have a cottage in Northern Ontario but never have my legs been so attacked by mosquitos as when I am in the DR. The crazy part is that I never see the little buggers biting me... I just wake up in the morning with 50 new bites a day. I have yet to figure out a way to prevent the bites (have tried every repellant out there), but for relief I find that Afterbite (widely available at Drugstores in Canada) works great as does Brugal (rubbed on the bite, not ingested... although as some have pointed out that does tend to numb the itch or at least take your mind off it).

[Dominican Babe]

I've tried absolutely everything, and nothing stops the little buggers biting me! Last year I bought a little device from Boots called Zanza Click - it's a little green plastic thingy which you use on bites by clicking it - it sends electronic pulses or some such thing and it takes the itch/pain away. It cost about £4 and it's brilliant.

[Bok]

I've used all kinds of chemicals (Bayer, OFF, etc) and I can't recommend one brand over the other. They all did the trick for me.

However be careful and read the product instruction well. A friend of mine went to the farmacy to get something to keep the little bastards off him while he was fishing at his favorite spot by the river. He covered himself in the liquid only to return looking like the Michelin bobble head doll.
He didn't have an allergic reaction but he was supposed to spray it on the nearest tree to keep the interest of the mosquitos somewhere else.

Malaria researchers found out that mosquitos are attracted by sweaty (not necessarily smelly) feet, so first priority should be your ancles if you're wearing shoes and the whole foot if you're wearing sandals.

Hopes this'll let you enjoy your rum in peace.

Cheers,
Bok

[tired_boy]

Originally Posted by Bok

He covered himself in the liquid only to return looking like the Michelin bobble head doll.
He didn't have an allergic reaction but he was supposed to spray it on the nearest tree to keep the interest of the mosquitos somewhere else.

that is a very funny story!

Thanks for all the help so far! It's so annoying when i have a friend who doesn't get 2 bites all holiday and i get big ones on my chest that resemble a third nipple!

[carsey700]

Originally Posted by emendoza

Just came from the travel nurse--it's vitamin B1 (thaiamine) that acts as a natural mosquito repellent (not B12 as I previously indicated)--take 300 mg per day (or 100 mg 3 times per day) beginning 2 days prior to exposure. Do not exceed 3 weeks continuous use of Vitamin B1. If you don't perspire much this may not work as well. Also, wear light colored clothing.

Also don't underestimate garlic tabs--they're starting to do research on garlic & mosquitoes due to West Nile Virus here in the midwest US.

Deet's a given.

I noticed 10 years ago on My annual fishing trip to the Maniwaki Quebec
area ( I am a member of a fish and game club there ) that a bountiful feed of
wild leeks a type of garlic , 2 days before going on the long weekend in May
which I am sure Eddy will attest to is the worst week in any part of north Eastern Canada and a doe skin jacket that reeks of chainsaw exhaust and pine or spruce gum is the best defense . I have tried all of the so called good bug sprayes to no avail . I know it may sound gross , but if you avoid soap when you shower there is no girlie scent or perfume smell to attract them . After bitten, vinegar takes away the itch and You will smell like a French fry, this will remove any evidence of Your lack of personal hygiene as well . I realise
that a doe skin jacket with aforementioned spruce gum and exhaust is not very appealing in the DR and I do not recommend applying spruce or Pine gum directly to the skin so I guess deet, rum, and vinegar are the best options .

[Music]

I had two mosquitos in my room and I couldn't get rid of them, so I slept with the sheets right up to my neck to avoid getting bitten. Did it work NO WAY, I woke up with a bite on my eye lid and it swelled up through out the day. I had to ice my eye down, it's funny now but than I was a bit fustrated but I didn't let it get me down. By evening the swelling had gone down and I was good as new. The joke of my trip was how much the mosquitos loved me!