Dealing with Mosquitos

...great to see you online @WilliamV!

 

I am a mosquito magnet - have been all of my life. I am swatting away while everyone else is looking at me like I am a madwoman.

So... I use unscented bath and hand soap, as well as unscented laundry soap. I wear light colored clothing. I stay inside at dusk, which is when they are the worst for me.

For camping, I bought my Kamprite IPS specifically to sleep/hang out in it to keep away from all the biting things out there. I have even used it inside of another tent (without the rainfly, just the mesh.)

That has worked for me.

 

I take a garlic substitute daily. I started about 8 years ago because it was supposed to be good to help lower cholesterol and good for your skin. It has helped my skin condition, and maybe my cholesterol, but the added benefit that I have noticed is that mosquitoes don't bother me as bad. I get an inexpensive brand, and I have noticed a difference with a different brand. I don't know why, but it's odorless and seems to work for me. Not saying it works for everyone. It may just be that I think it works, physiological???? Yes I know, I ain't quite right.

Work LeSS CAmp MoRe

 

My mother always said that eating sugary foods attracted mosquitoes, and she said that brewers yeast tablet would repel them, because it made you smell bad to the mosquitoes. Perhaps the garlic does the same thing. I read that mosquitoes do not like the smell of mint, and I planted some all around our front porch, which is where we like to sit and have coffee together sometimes. However, I can't see where the mint has stopped the usual invasion of mosquitoes.

We also ordered some of those little bracelets that are supposed to repel skeeters. I didn't get any mosquito bites on that arm; but they still went after my legs, the same as always when I am outside watering the flowers. I have also read that they are attracted by the carbon dioxide on our breath, and if that is what really is attracting them, then I am not sure that anything short of not breathing is going to discourage these summer pests.

I seem to only have any success at all when I put on some type of regular mosquito repellant.

 

I used the Thermacell system combined with Deep Woods Off this summer. Worked beautifully on mosquitoes and flies. With only chigger bites to contend with on my ankles, it has been the most comfortable summer I have had.
Got the best prices on the Thermacell kit at Rural King and the replacement pads and butane online at Walmart. Best price on the Off was at Family Dollar. Got my bargain nail polish for the chigger bites there, too

 

Back when I was growing up, and we used to go camping and fishing almost every weekend in the summer months; we didn't always have the mosquito repellant along, and we had to just fend them off as well as possible. I remember trying to hide in my sleeping bag at night with the top pulled securely over my head in an effort to keep them out long enough that I could at least get to sleep.

It seemed like , invariably, one or two would find their way into my sleeping bag and just about the time i was dozing off, i would hear that tell-tale high pitched whine right around my face and ears. And of course, waving your arms around, trying to find and swat the mosquito usually only resulted in sore ears and letting in more mosquitoes from accidentally opening the top of the sleeping bag.

One natural plant that does help with mosquito bites is fern, at least some types of ferns. We had those kind that have a curled up tip on the head of the fern. I think they are called fiddlehead ferns. In any case, if you take those little heads and squash them on the mosquito bite and rub the juice in around it, it will almost instantly stop the itching.

 

"Don't make no difference!"
At base camp I have regular fly [mosquito] swatters for my tent and kitchen shelter. I have a fold up one for tripping. Before hitting the hay I turn on the flashlight and swat them all away...then I lay me down to sleep.

My statement on the use of sprays and creams are online and I don't have anything better to offer.

 

We have one of those, too ! It is handy for when the little pests come right in the front door and attack me here in my recliner. It would be good for taking along on camping trips, and the batteries seem to last a long time. We got ours at Harbor Freight Tools, on one of their discount sales that they have every so often.
I have tried usingit for those pesky stink bugs because they always like to buzz-bomb me and then fly around the light that is next to my reecliner. However, they fly faster than I can swat, and I am not sure if it would be enough electricity to actually kill one of those big tink bugs or not. I think it would definitely make him think about attacking me again though, if I could ever hit one of them before they dash off or up intto the lampshade where i can't swat at them.

 

Wow! I'm really learning a lot from this forum. Just like @killeroy154, I actually use a garlic clove in repelling mosquitoes away because they don't like the smell of garlic. We also have an electric fly swatter at home but I don't usually bring them with me when we go camping. It just adds to my packed stuff. I'm a super paranoid mom though so I make sure that I bring with me a tube of insect repellent lotion, mosquito patches, and a multi-purpose ointment which also deals with insect bites whenever my family goes out camping.