I've tried everything, even the Skin So Soft which my sister swears by. Nothing seems to work for me. Have you ever noticed how some people never get bit and others always do? My husband can sit outside with me with skeeters everywhere and he gets bitten not once. I, on the other hand , am itching like a dog with welts all over!
There is a lot of BS circulated regarding electronic mosquito repellents. Actual scientific tests have been performed with human volunteers and the evidence is reliable but NOT in general agreement with many of the various specious claims for, among others... Skin So Soft, citronella, wearing pink, and on and on and on.
DEET works. There is no increase in protection from DEET as you go above 33% concentration but there is increased chances of side effects for you.
The best way to use DEET is in the micro-encapsulated time release form. One product is Ultrathion, microencapsulated time release DEET in a cream base. It was developed for the DoD to protect our troops and is available at Wally World and other places.
To protect our troops the DoD had a competition to develop stuff to protect our troops wherever they may be deployed (think jungles and such.) Permethrin was the winner. Permethrin is not just an insect repellent but an insecticide. It became the active ingredient in shampoo for kids coming home from school with lice. You do not apply permethrin to your skin but instead you spray your clothes with it. Permethrin bonds tightly to cotton. Cotton blend fabric works but high cotton content is desirable. Permethrin spray is available at Wally World and other fine emporiums vending insect sprays.
The recommended concentration for spraying your clothes is 0.5%, i.e. one half of one percent and that is what Wally World sells. I don't buy from WW. I buy from the Ag supply stores like Orcheln's, Atwoods, or Tractor Supply. I buy 10% concentration in a gallon jug for about $50 (+/-) and dilute it with water to the working strength of 1/2 of a percent. A gallon of 10% makes about $1800.00 worth of spray at WW prices.
You spray your clothes to dampen them but NOT to the point of dripping and run off (not while you are wearing them.) Let them dry till the petroleum distillate evaporates before considering putting them in the dryer or just dry them completely outside. Once dry there is no "funny smell" and they are ready for use. The permethrin bonds so tightly to cotton that this treatment is good through 50 hot detergent washings or a year of use. Very very little permethrin is transfered to the wearer of the clothes so it is way safer for sensitive people (after the clothes are thoroughly dry.)
Mosquitoes and other flying insects will not bite through the treated cloth. Chiggers and ticks are confused by contact with treated cloth and do not bother you. In fact, ticks will fall off and die.
The DoD approved "system" is treated long pants, treated long sleeve shitrts, and treated socks. You then use the Ultrathion on exposed flesh. when you come in from outside you can wash off the rest of the Ultrathion and further reduce your DEET contact.
Nowadays the troops don't have to spray their BDU's (Battle Dress Uniforms, i.e. fatigues, cammies) The cloth is treated before it is made into uniforms.
Before I researched the topic we were plagued with ticks, chiggers, mosquitoes, gnats, and so forth. We treat ALL our "out on the ranch or into the woods" pants and shirts and all our cotton socks every year. We have had NO TICKS attached to us since using the permethrin.
This stuff works! It is backed up by good statistical data not wishful thinking. It is safe and effective and not very expensive. We use a lot of it treating dozens of garments and dozens of pairs of socks and spend about $20/yr.
Unless I will be in really bad insect infested areas or sitting still where they can get to me I often skip the DEET cream but considering West Nile Virus, and all the tick spread fevers I should use it more often. When we have guests we offer to spray their clothes. The smart ones accept. The others accept on subsequent visits. I spray my hats and that helps keep flying bugs away from my head. With the DEET cream you can still hear the mosquitoes buzzing around your ears but the frustrated little vampires don't drill you.
For folks who won't use "CHEMICALS", get a mosquito net to put over your head. They are readily available, cheap, and effective.
Permethrin was developed from a flower with natural repellent characteristics. I think I recall that it was the chrysanthemum.
Another use for permethrin is a perimeter spray for around the outside of our house. Spray the thresholds and window sills. It is safe indoors too. Spray where the floor joins the walls (under the base boards.) It is safe for kids and pets when it is dry. It doesn't hurt or stain carpets. It is "sort of effective" for scorpions. Cypermethrin, a close cousin of permethrin, is great for scorpions, roaches etc. It too is water soluble, safe for kids and pets after it dries, and doesn't smell up the house. You don't realize how many bugs are living in the house till you spray and you get heaps of dead ones to vacuum up.
I don't want to get into a hassle with anyone offended by my comments about junk science type insect protection. If a pinch of salt over your left shoulder on the winter solstice, wearing Old Spice, using Skin So Soft, burning citronella, or keeping your fingers crossed protects you the next bug season then I'm happy for you but for 99.99999999% of the population permethrin and DEET cream as used by the troops is a reliable approach.
My grand niece's husband and father of her three kids is serving in Afghanistan (second time over) he was returned to the states for medical treatment and returned to duty in Afghanistan. He contracted malaria and nearly died. How did he get malaria? He didn't reliably take the provided medicine to prevent it.He didn't use the DEET cream that was available because he didn't think there was a mosquito problem. Yes, there are mosquitoes in Afghanistan.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
I heard something once not too long ago and I am not sure it is true or not. I heard if you eat bananas that they mosquitos tend to bit you more than if you do not. Does anyone know if this is just a myth?
When our hummingbirds arrived in full force, the mosquito population plummeted. It is common to see one flit off a feeder or branch to snare a mosquito. While deet is very effective it also has it's affect on the body, especially where I have skin grafts. I use an Off battery powered clip on down on the Jersey sod banks. I will see just how good it is when the greenheads come out. They are the only fly that I know of that bites you with a built in power drill.
Gnats are my biggest problem. The best thing for them so far has been a product called Maxi Deet. It's 100% Deet. I don't put it on my skin, I spray it on a straw hat and the Gnats go away. I have read several places where putting Deet on the skin is not a good idea. Does anybody know why, or what the effects may be.
Geez, this has been great!! The place i just moved to is beset by the little state 'birds'. I have used a zapper in the chicken house, it is really funny for them to look up each time it goes off and see who can get the tasty treat on the way down!!!
No fun, change the rules!!!
No plants have ever been proven to repel mosquitoes.Originally Posted by MaggieMay
Unless they're on fire.
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