Mosquito bites

[jerryme]

Here is my 2 pesos worth.

I was a US Army Special Forces Medic for six years and sometimes we spent up to 30 days in the woods without a shower. I noticed after about the third day the little pests leave you alone. As I was taught in Army Medic school, mosquitos are attracted to Carbon Dioxide and there is basically nothing that you can do to prevent them.

We used amonia to relieve the itching after being bitten. I live on the coast in NC now and I have been to Panama, Grenada, Honduras, DR, Nicaragua, etc. and I have never seen bugs worse than in NC. The difference I notice between NC and the DR, is that in NC you can feel them on you biting and you can kill them. In the DR I can't feel the bite until after they are gone.

One other Army remedy was good ol Calomine lotion on the bites, they seem to dry out within 12 hours.

[Fiesta Mama]

Originally Posted by jerryme

We used amonia to relieve the itching after being bitten.

Amonia is the active ingredient in Afterbite.

[jerryme]

Army cannot aford such luxuries as afterbite

[Hillbilly]

That prevention is better than trying to cure the sting.

Mornings, early evening are the worst times. The golf course is a natural habitat for little "No-see-'ems" That have a vicious bite.

You might bring a small insect spray for your room if you see or hear those suckers...

I laughed at that Achiote (bija) lard and ashes thing. You would be looking like a red-skinned aborigine...Citronela works by itself-stinks but it works.

There is a brand that I have used here-DEPORTE- that works. Stinks, too, and will ruin anything plastic you touch or rest your arms on. It will take the paint off a car...

The Vitamin cure is probably very good, as is the garlic cure, and if you and your mate are BOTH doing it, there will be no offence given or taken for the smelly body odours... Lots of mothers hang a piece of garlic around their baby's neck.

I do hope you enjoy your vacation..

HB

[angie35]

You could try The Body Shop Lemongrass Deodorising Footspray. They don't like the smell of Lemongrass, Citronella etc so you could spray this around your lower legs.

Somebody recommended it to me, but as I havent been yet, I cant tell you if it works or not. I also use Avon skin so soft (the pink one) and found that to work when I was in Cuba. The mozzies like my blood!

Also Johnsons After Sun with Anti-Mosquito, is very good. I got mine in Cuba and haven't seen it in the UK, but then again never really looked for it!

Hope this helps

Angela

[CyaBye3015]

If some of you have trouble finding various insect spray products where you live, here is a site where you can order on-line. A friend gave me a bottle before I came down in March. She said it works great, but I didn't get a need to use it.

www.buggspray.com

Joe

[timelessdreams]

Although citronella is repellent to some insects, the fact that mosquitos are attracted to sweat, this proves to be a double-edged sword. Living in NJ most of my life (the mosquito breeding state), I had used AVON's skin so soft for many years just to keep skin moist after a shower. When all the hoopla on citronella entered the market, I tried using it as the newly purposed 'insect repellent'. To tell you the truth, I experienced more mosquito bites and they were attracted to me more than ever, constantly hovering before their dive attack! The fact is high concentration citronella CAUSES higher levels of perspiration to emit from the body, whch mosquitos are attracted to. Whether after they bite you, then die of intoxication of the oil is a mystery to me. Citronella can also cause some side effects. High level content Citronella is best used AWAY from you, (ie, place candles and or torches AWAY from you or on outside perimeters.)

It keeps them hovering busy away from your body and attracted to the citronella. Combinations added to a citronella base may be more effective such as the one below.

For those not wanting the chemical exposure to DEET, there is a product called Dschungel Juice. This unique combination of essential oils of clove, eucalyptus, geranium, orange, palma rosa, rosemary and sage in a natural base is free of chemical preservatives, alcohol & colorings. This spice scented formula goes on smooth and stays smooth with no sticky feeling.
Dschungel Juice Insect Repellent is Deet free, Water based , and works by the slow evaporation of the essential oils from the surface of the skin. (which original Skin so Soft over produces) Insects find the fragrance repellent and so stay away. The product has been tested by REAL people out in the Jungles of the world and has been proven effective. You can spray your entire body (even your face and doesn't smell bad like DEET). Not too expensive either. About $5.50 US for 100ml pump spray.

List Of Insect repellent Ingredients:
Citronella Oil 1% - Derived from fresh grass grown in Asia. Known use as an insect repellent. Slightly allergenic, the most common reactions are stuffy nose, hay fever, asthma and skin rash.
Essential Oils - including clove, geranium, eucalyptus, orange, palma rosa, rosemary, and sage. These oils lend the spicy fragrance and assist in the repellant activity.
Inert Ingredients - Botanical plant waxes, water and essential oils. These ingredients act as fragrance and as carriers for the active ingredients.

All in all, it's best not to use perfumes, deodorant soaps and such. These are real culprits. Using a fews drops of sage and rosemary oil through the hair also proves effective from keeping the mosquitos from your face. Also smells quite nice. You can be sure I'll be bringing some along next month!

[carribean_mom]

[quote=tired_boy]One year when we came to the DR my wife got many mosquito bites.
We landed in the afternoon and by the next morning she had got 26 bites just on one leg.

Whats the best things to do to avoid them (or at least - get less bites)?



Hi There
Subject: FW: Mosquitoes

Rub orange peel, the outside part, on your skin. I used this at my sister's ranch and there are lots of mosquitoes there. It worked for me. And it smells nice too.

It's about that time folks--

so thought I'd send out this reminder!!!!

OK, mosquitos...

prepare to be repelled!!!!!

Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets...Best thing ever used in
Louisiana..just wipe on & go...Great for Babies


Bob, a fisherman, takes one vitamin B-1 tablet a day
April through October . He said it works. He was right.
Hasn't had a mosquito bite in 33 years. Try it.
Every one he has talked into trying it works on them.
Vitimin B-1( Thiamine Hydrochloride 100 mg.)


If you eat bananas,
the mosquitos like you, - something about the banana oil
as your body processes it.
Stop eating bananas for the summer and the mosquitos
will be much less interested.


This is going to floor you, but one of the best
insect repellents someone found (who is in the woods
every day), is Vick's Vaporub.


Plant marigolds around the yard, the flowers give off
a smell that bugs do not like,
so plant some in that garden also to help ward
off bugs without using insecticides.


"Tough guy" Marines who spend a great deal of time
"camping out" say that the very best mosquito
repellant you can use is
Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil mixed about
half and half with alcohol.


One of the best natural insect repellants that I've discovered
is made from the clear real vanilla. This is the pure Vanilla that is sold in Mexico. It works great for mosquitoes and ticks,
don't know about other insects.


Rub orange peel, the outside part, on your skin. I used this at my sister's ranch and there are lots of mosquitoes there. It worked for me. And it smells nice too.

Good Luck

[Fiesta Mama]

Why is it the mosquitos do not seem to bite Dominicans as much as foreigners/tourists? I know it's not just because they are used to it because the people I was with were just not getting biten and could not understand why I got eaten alive!

[SKY]

I find a nice strong Cuban cigar works for me.