What's your best Insect repellant?

[Rick Murchison]

Little suckers can swim in SkinSoSoft, although you *can* slather it on thick enough to drown em.
Stick with DEET. Last time I was in the camping section of Walmart they had some 100% DEET - can't remember the brand name, but that's the ticket. And as Doc Vickingo said, wear long trousers and shirts (I like loose fitting cotton personally), especially at sunset. Noseeums *love* ankles and wrists, so be sure to apply a good coat of DEET there.
I have no experience with "Cactus Juice" which sounds interesting - I'll probably try it the next time I'm in noseeum country, but I'll have my DEET along as backup... just in case, you understand...
Rick

 

[Tom]

We've tried Skin-so-soft fishing in Ontario. Seems to work great in the beginning but wears off real fast. Subsequent applications have less effect on the bugs, more effect on your ability to hold on to anything.

Over the years everybody has switched to DEET in the highest concentration we can find. Watch the labels. It can say DEET on the front but the back shows 1% or some dumb number like that.

Dee - I'll take a bottle of cactus juice this year and see what happens. Thanks

Tom

 

[Iguana Don]

I thought cactus juice was Tequilla, you just never know.

Is there a worm in the bottle?

ID

 

[Natasha]

LoL Don. Quick thinking. If only that darn worm could scuba dive, and eat the little bugs..now then you'd have something.
Dee, I checked out the web site you posted. Very cool. I would try the natural stuff next time, but like Rick said, still bring along the bad DEET stuff just in case ...
I wonder if I need to bring something to Bonaire in 15 days? Anyone know?
:sunny:

 

[Rick Murchison]

Bonaire's not even in the same league with the Bay Islands, but they do have mosquitoes, and (gasp!) fleas, so some insect repellant is in order.
Rick

 

[Dee]

Natasha...On our second trip to Roatan, I also took Deep Woods Off, 100% DEET, and Skin-So-Soft in addition to the Cactus Juice just in case the first try was a fluke and it really didn't work. I mean, gee...what could possible work better than all those chemicals and perfumes, right? Well, I never even unpacked the others. The Cactus Juice filled the bill on all fronts.

My favorite is the pump spray but the creme has a really good UV rating and helps with sunburn.

Oh, and Don...Prickly Pear Juice doesn't have a worm in it, it has a Tarantula!

 

[Natasha]

Thanks Rick. I better order some quick. Wonder if I can get it in time.
Dee, you had me at "smelling like a dreamcycle". Sounds yummy.
But what if someone wants to lick me! Oh My! (wink)
:sunny:

 

[scubadoc]

A very useful insect repellent product is permethrin (one common brand name is Permanone). Usually sold as a spray, permanone was created for the U. S. Army; it is not DEET or citronella or the like. It is sprayed on clothing, insect nets and the like (NOT applied topically).
Permanone is generally found in outdoor sports and fishing/hunting stores and catalogues.

The clothing or nets so sprayed repel insects quite well, and the substance persists enough it will actually survive a couple of washings!

It is often recommended that people heading for insect-ridden areas use permanone on some of their clothing, and protect themselves with DEET 15 - 20% (higher percentages are no more effective, but they can be bad for children, plastics and synthetic materials used in clothing) on areas they will be exposed to malaria mosquitos (night-biting
Anopheles) or dengue mosquitos (day biters).

Check these sites for more information on insects.
http://www.http://www.scuba-doc.com/exerdcs.html/insects.htm
http://www.acponline.org/journals/annals/01jun98/mosquito.htm

 

[King_Neptune]

Flame throwers, Napalm, hand held nuclear reactors, I'll try anything ...

It sounds like scubadoc has mentioned one I haven't tried. And by the sounds of it, the WARNING LABEL might just be long enough to work! hehe, it seems the bigger the warning label the better it works!

Doc,

How about AFTER you have been turned into a pin cushion by these pesky blood suckers? What is the recommended course of action?

It seems what I have coursing my veins is on every Blood suckers list of fine foods, they always come back for seconds! The only 2 KNOWN things I am allergic to is a) penicillin and b) mosquitoes ... When they get me I don't fair to well.

I've been told everything from rubbing balm this and elixir that, but what is the best application to apply for this kind of infliction?

Thanks kindly,

=-)

 

[bio guy]

LOL...Just a heads-up. Whatever you choose, make sure if you have any residue left on, that it doesn't eat your equipment. A few years ago I put on some bug spray...sat down and melted a small section of the vinyl seat in my boat. And no this wasn't some toxic homemade potion. This was a commercially prepared solution. Worked great on the thick swarms of mosquitoes and blackflies though. Just make sure your equipment is safe.