Treating insect bites in the field(or woods etc)

susi

Nomad
Jul 23, 2008
421
0
Finland
i could break out the DEET but considering how badly it ruined an old compass of mine i get scared putting it on me

What strength DEET are you using? I find the "100%" stuff dissolves plastic more than "50%", and 50% should be plenty strong enough. Just be careful to spray it only onto skin and never onto the palms of your hands.

Also consider pre-emptive measures, like taking a general hayfever type anti-histamine (e.g. loratadine) during peak season (start a couple of weeks before).
 

susi

Nomad
Jul 23, 2008
421
0
Finland
now usually i have anti histamine cream and tablets in my first aid kit/medicinal pouch

Start taking these a couple of weeks before mosquito season starts, I've found them to be useless after you have already been bitten, you need to build up the drug level in your system before being bitten.
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,307
3,090
67
Pembrokeshire
Commercial "Afterbite" (smells of public loos though as it is mainly ammonia!) and a bite zapper for me.
Plantain works OK if I have forgotten the Afterbite (no - dont drink it ... you are thinking of AfterShock....)
 

TurboGirl

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2011
2,326
1
Leicestershire
www.king4wd.co.uk
I was providing a veritable mozzie banquet at NW Fair last weekend (and the workparty the week before) and I'm stunned how long it takes the broken skin bites to heal.... I had the soft skin/ 50% deet and was alternately rubbing with my beeswax, cleavers oil n lavender bar as its a good healing barrier for all that chemical dowsing.

Since then, I've used the recyclings of my lemonbalm and honey brews to pat over them which seems to be helping, with a oil on water cleavers cold infusion which had gone stale, warn me if I'm risking Darwinning myself please ;)

I have some aloe plants, Barethrills, and a surfit of nettles needing harvesting, that'll cheat the council compost pile a bit ;) Can anyone tell me how I can incluse the aloe gel from the plant into wax & oil preps? Do you just include it as a final ingredient into skin preps?
 
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TurboGirl

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2011
2,326
1
Leicestershire
www.king4wd.co.uk
You must give off one hell of a lure! :)

Can I ask which brand of DEET you were using?
Jungle Formula maximum. What can I say. I am a beloved of the Mothers smallest creatures :) I was on a wee workparty the first weekend, puffing and panting occasionally so making too much co2 attractant.... and the woods have a medieval most system that was full after alternate sunshine and showers, they were out in force! I was taking antihistamines for the second weekend and still blew up with reactions, complete pain in the.... well, hands, although they had a go through my deet'd moleskin trousers too, they're tough tongued!
 
Jul 18, 2012
2
0
Bristol
Hi first post so please be gentle with me :)
Avon skin so soft, works for me and is a regular recommendation on fishing sites for application prior to "getting out there".
 

TurboGirl

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2011
2,326
1
Leicestershire
www.king4wd.co.uk
Hi first post so please be gentle with me :)
Avon skin so soft, works for me and is a regular recommendation on fishing sites for application prior to "getting out there".
I tried that last outing and got eaten... but then I got eaten despite everything else I put on too, the only effective cure was retreating into the mozzie netted hammock or being close enough downwind of the fire to boil my eyeballs ;)

Congratulations on your first post, TrueBrit :)
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,120
68
Florida
Hi first post so please be gentle with me :)
Avon skin so soft, works for me and is a regular recommendation on fishing sites for application prior to "getting out there".

If the internet is to be believed then it is popular among the military in the Middle east.
Anybody on here have 1st hand knowledge?
 

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