How do I stop getting bit?

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Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
15
48
Harrow, Middlesex
I get bitten in the UK only, the nice foreign critters leave me alone which is nice as both Egypt and South Africa were visited on such short notice I couldn't get injections before travel.

No idea the biting things leave me alone abroad, maybe the tourism board told them off.
 

toptec

Member
Sep 3, 2009
43
0
66
manchester
So, it seems that different things, work for different people, in different cicumstances? I always new I was different, I just didn't know why...............
Maybe I'll ask the Mozzies :lmao:
 

Grooveski

Native
Aug 9, 2005
1,707
10
53
Glasgow
Nordic Summer works for midgies.
Doesn't rely on blood type or moon phase or anything, just seems to work for everyone all the time. Wish I'd been told about it years ago.
Only stops them biting though, when they're bad you still need a net just to stop from breathing them in.
 

Gray

Full Member
Sep 18, 2008
2,091
10
Scouser living in Salford South UK
Home bargains sell anti midge wipes,like baby wipes but with a small amount of deet. Not sticky or smelly, work a treat and dead cheap too.

Cant find them on the HB website but there in a green pack and made by Xpel
 
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Ronnie

Settler
Oct 7, 2010
588
0
Highland
I grew up in the West Highlands - midges were part of life. Yes, some people get bit a lot more than other people. I'm sure I've read about people eating various things to make them smell different but can't remember the details.

Liberal quantities of Deet does keep them off, at least it did in my day when there was very little understanding of Deet associated risks and they probably made it stronger. Didn't stop be inhaling midges due to the massive clouds hovering in front of my face - they home in on the CO2 you exhale.

So my advice is to use industrial strength chemicals, smoke furiously and keep moving goodjob
 

treadlightly

Full Member
Jan 29, 2007
2,692
3
65
Powys
I'm using Nordic Summer this year and the bite count is down, but not eradicated. So far I have not encountered any chiggers but that might be about to change with all this heat. I suspect it will not protect me from them, but then, what does? Maybe Xylaria's stuff is the way to go, it is certainly getting good reviews on here.
 
My main advice would be avoid scented wash stuff before you go camping.
My number permission is bug central and the only time ive been seriously munched is the time I'd had a shower and sprayed myself liberally with deodorant before I left.
Also apply repellent BEFORE You go into the area. Me and albus got bitten the other week cause we didnt apply the repellent untik we had already entered the woods and been a bit active and gained the bugs attention.
I've tried the marmite trick works for me but not for my other half.
Nordic summer or stupidly simple works well too.
So do the citronella impregnated wrist bands. I wear one on each wrist and one around each ankle when I remove my boots for bed. A novel look I admit but better than lumpy bitten.

Tomorrow we're off up the permission for a couple days camping and I'm gonna try out a new blend of insect repellent I've made up for myself out of a variety of aromatherapy oils. See how it goes
 

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I'm using Nordic Summer this year and the bite count is down, but not eradicated. So far I have not encountered any chiggers but that might be about to change with all this heat. I suspect it will not protect me from them, but then, what does? Maybe Xylaria's stuff is the way to go, it is certainly getting good reviews on here.
Midge repel doesn't do chiggers, I have come up with an anti-feedant that does. It is just on the last trial stage.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
It's clegs that seem to like me, the only way to stop them would be to wear a burka or to stop sweating.
 

Tat2trev

Native
Dec 10, 2012
1,547
0
County Durham
Has anybody tried the zip lock bag with water inside plus a few copper coins hang a couple around your sleeping area it's supposed to keep flies and wasps away I wonder if it would work with mossies.
For some reason it is supposed to scare the insects as if acting in a large predatory manner .we all know its just water in a bag and copper coins .i tried it on our back door and sure enough no flies or wasp etc.
 

Köld

Tenderfoot
Feb 2, 2012
92
0
Thule
Fun fact: The manufacturer of Wilma's nordic summer (it's a small Swedish company) is actually forbidden from selling their anti mosquito stuff in Sweden. Apparently there's a list ingredients that may be used as protection against pests, and those all natural things that make up Nordic summer are not on that list, and getting something new onto that list of approved substances would surely means years of paperwork and money for testing and redtape. No one is saying even that it might be harmful, it's just not allowed (because it has not been proven not to be bad for humans? :mad:) Wilmas was also fined a couple of years ago for selling it anyway because people wanted to buy it still. Interestingly enough, among the allowed substances is DEET in concentrations up to 20 weight % citing concerns about effects on small children. Meanwhile the US EPA says

"DEET is approved for use on children with no age restriction. There is no restriction on the percentage of DEET in the product for use on children, since data do not show any difference in effects between young animals and adult animals in tests done for product registration. There also are no data showing incidents that would lead EPA to believe there is a need to restrict the use of DEET. Consumers are always advised to read and follow label directions in using any pesticide product, including insect repellents."

Another Wilmas product called Beckolja which is some kind of refined oil from pine tar, is sold as a hunters' attractant for boar - but may be mixed a deet product to make a good insect repellant (maybe while keeping the boar attracting properities, who knows ...)

I'm using Nordic Summer this year and the bite count is down, but not eradicated. So far I have not encountered any chiggers but that might be about to change with all this heat. I suspect it will not protect me from them, but then, what does? Maybe Xylaria's stuff is the way to go, it is certainly getting good reviews on here.
 

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Köld;1350818 said:
Fun fact: The manufacturer of Wilma's nordic summer (it's a small Swedish company) is actually forbidden from selling their anti mosquito stuff in Sweden. Apparently there's a list ingredients that may be used as protection against pests, and those all natural things that make up Nordic summer are not on that list, and getting something new onto that list of approved substances would surely means years of paperwork and money for testing and redtape. No one is saying even that it might be harmful, it's just not allowed (because it has not been proven not to be bad for humans? :mad:) Wilmas was also fined a couple of years ago for selling it anyway because people wanted to buy it still. Interestingly enough, among the allowed substances is DEET in concentrations up to 20 weight % citing concerns about effects on small children. Meanwhile the US EPA says

"DEET is approved for use on children with no age restriction. There is no restriction on the percentage of DEET in the product for use on children, since data do not show any difference in effects between young animals and adult animals in tests done for product registration. There also are no data showing incidents that would lead EPA to believe there is a need to restrict the use of DEET. Consumers are always advised to read and follow label directions in using any pesticide product, including insect repellents."

Another Wilmas product called Beckolja which is some kind of refined oil from pine tar, is sold as a hunters' attractant for boar - but may be mixed a deet product to make a good insect repellant (maybe while keeping the boar attracting properities, who knows ...)

The EU list of what can be called an insect repellent is also very short, it is DEET and stuff related to DEET with the only naturally occuring substance is an extract from lemon eucylptus. Wilmas doesn't say anywhere on it "insect repellant". They could sell labelled as a perfume, and it would still be bought by people that know what does regardless of any regulation. Pine tar and birch tar have been used since the bronze age. I didnt know it attracts boar, it keeps midges off.
 
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