Insect repellent that doesn't eat plastic.

[oldtimer]

I was once advised to buy repellent at my destination as what the locals used was likely to be best for local insects.

I found that when I lived in the tropics, my tolerance to insects increased and I no longer got troubled by them despite hitherto sensitive skin. After a couple of months I no longer bothered with repellents. I recalled this when I watched a recent Ray Mears programme from Scotland where he was swathed in a head net, while the local he was talking to just seemed to ignore the midges.

I wonder whether it is possible to get acclimatised to insect bites?

 

[cranmere]

Yes it is. I can't remember where I came across it now but I'll see if I can find the reference. Apparently most people go through a process of first not reacting to the bites, then becoming sensitive to them, and eventually becoming acclimatised and not reacting as much again. I know that when I lived in New Zealand I eventually got to the point where I didn't take much notice of the biters and I still don't get bad reactions from the bites.

I discovered by accident that the old Wrights Coal Tar Soap was surprisingly good as an insect deterrent but of course they changed the formula because coal tar really isn't very good for you. So, since I make soap I started experimenting and pine or birch tar added to soap does seem to help.