Toggle sidebar

Tick and mosquito repellants in 2024

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August) available until March 31st, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Chris

Chris

Life Member
Staff member
Sep 20, 2022
1,476
1,922
Somerset, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire
I’ve not had to use any repellant in a long time but I got eaten alive by mosquitos on Sunday and my dog was crawling with ticks after a trip into the woods. Planning on doing a few overnights and really don’t fancy losing 40% of my blood to the little beggars.

Is DEET still the most effective? Not fancying apple cider or any of that, as I tried it once and just got dive bombed by flies instead.
 
one cannot find the 11% permethrin concentrate to mix your own 0.5% clothing treatment any more, but the pre-mix is still available if you are willing to pay.
www.lifesystems.co.uk

Anti Mosquito Spray | Permethrin | Lifesystems

This Anti Mosquito Spray can be used on clothes, tents and sleeping bags to protect you from mosquitoes and tropical diseases.
www.lifesystems.co.uk www.lifesystems.co.uk
I remember reading of tests done by the US Forestry Service where plenty of ticks were found slogging around on boots that were actually wet with DEET, but the folk with permethrin treated clothes picked up none, or nearly none. That said, there is published evidence of DEET working as a tick repellent, it is just that permethrin is more effective on clothes and more pleasant, no melting of plastics.

As for on-skin repellent, I don’t like DEET and have been using something with 20% picradine for a number of years. I find it works, and again there is research showing comparable results to DEET, although it does seem to depend a bit on which product is used.

For camping in tick crawling woods, a tent with sewn in sleeping area, or a hammock, is the way to go. Nets keep the mossies off too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and Toddy
I get eaten alive, does my nut in!
Last year i did loads of research on it and ended up buying Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent, i got the 4oz bottle and it worked very well indeed, I'm impressed enough to buy ore this year and I've jsut seen that it's cheaper than last year which is great!
There's lots of different things that work for different people but they don't generally work for me, hence something with a bit more potency...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and Broch
Tony said:
I wonder how much our own chemical skin/aura mixes with the repellants and affects their effectiveness on individuals
Click to expand...
Certainly any kind of perfume has been shown to attact, including all these "smells like a summers day" laundry detergents conditioners and scent boosters. Definitely worth avoiding all that stuff.

To me the best "Summers day" smells are mud and campfires anyway :D
 
mikehill said:
Recommended lots of times to me is Avon Skin So Soft. No really ! Google it
Click to expand...

Just make sure you get the "old" formulation. Mostly keeps midges off, although in a bad season you really need long sleeves/trousers and a headnet.

C_Claycomb said:
one cannot find the 11% permethrin concentrate to mix your own 0.5% clothing treatment any more, but the pre-mix is still available if you are willing to pay.
www.lifesystems.co.uk

Anti Mosquito Spray | Permethrin | Lifesystems

This Anti Mosquito Spray can be used on clothes, tents and sleeping bags to protect you from mosquitoes and tropical diseases.
www.lifesystems.co.uk www.lifesystems.co.uk
I remember reading of tests done by the US Forestry Service where plenty of ticks were found slogging around on boots that were actually wet with DEET, but the folk with permethrin treated clothes picked up none, or nearly none. That said, there is published evidence of DEET working as a tick repellent, it is just that permethrin is more effective on clothes and more pleasant, no melting of plastics.

As for on-skin repellent, I don’t like DEET and have been using something with 20% picradine for a number of years. I find it works, and again there is research showing comparable results to DEET, although it does seem to depend a bit on which product is used.

For camping in tick crawling woods, a tent with sewn in sleeping area, or a hammock, is the way to go. Nets keep the mossies off too.
Click to expand...

Just be aware, Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats, and some products can cause problems for aquatic life in quite low concentrations.

Pine tar/birch tar salve (and use of birch tar/pine tar soap routinely) seems to be somewhat deterrent of flying bitey bugs, and for me, certainly reduces the itch reaction if bitten.

GC
 
GreyCat said:
Just be aware, Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats, and some products can cause problems for aquatic life in quite low concentrations.

GC
Click to expand...
Yes, have read that too. My neighbour's cat is a regular fixture around my place and I have to be careful when and where I spray my gear so that I don't leave any overspray on areas he walks through while wet. I tend to throw down shirts and trousers and use them as backing for spraying socks, then work things around so that overspray goes on an under-sprayed area of another garment.

Regarding the effect to aquatic life, I used to use permanganate to treat my rain barrel when it gets too many mosquito larvae in it, but that is hard to find these days. A few years back I put the last little un-sprayable dregs from a 100ml bottle of 0.5% permethrin into the full water butt. It killed every mossie in there and they didn't come back for quite a while. It was quite an eye opener.
 
I bought some Smidge and some Life Systems something-or-other.

So far only tried the Smidge but it seemed to work well, even though it was humid and I was sweating like a BCUK member at a torch auction.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE
Top Bottom