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Ah, the feeling of summer!

docoflove1974

Entry posted by docoflove1974

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There are aspects to summer that everyone can count on. The sweet smell of blooms in the garden. The salty air experienced on a vacation at the coast. Watching lightning bugs flicker in the evening darkness.

 

For me...I can count on the fact that I'm not just mosquito fodder, but I'm a gormet meal.

 

Well, I must be...it doesn't matter what I do, I'm bitten. I've yet to find a product, either natural or chemical, which keeps the suckers off of me. I've been offered all sorts of remedies--clothing, balms, sprays, types of food or vitamins--which are all supposed to keep the bothersome bugs at bay. Nothing works. They find ways to eat me alive. There's one sure thing that works: stay indoors at dawn and dusk. This doesn't always work...sometimes, a girl's gotta go!

 

Case in point: I teach from 3-5 and 6-8pm, and during that break between 5-6pm, I eat dinner and 'use the facilities' on campus. Yep, at dusk...but I don't have a choice! This campus is, well, oddly laid out; many buildings don't have restrooms, but there are glorified outhouses--buildings that are only restrooms--sprinkled all over campus. (No, this is not typical for a college campus.) Around campus there are several redwood trees, which are famous for attracting mosquitos.

 

So, Monday at break I went to the glorified outhouse...and was the proud recipient of 'love bites' on my forehead and chin. Yes, they do bite people on the face. Tuesday there were two 'tokens of affection' on my left shoudler. Yes, they went through my shirt sleeve and bit me. Yesterday I received another 'token of affection': on my neck, right along my trachea!!!

 

When I used to live in Texas, all I would have to do is go outside for 20 minutes, and I'd come back inside with 15-30 bites all over me. It's like I'm a 7 course meal complete with fois gras, caviar, filet mignon, lobster, and a few Bordeaux all rolled into one.

 

As for itch-relief, I can say that Benadryl maximum-strength gel works decently...and doesn't stink to high Heaven. I'm still looking for a better remedy; the spray isn't as good, I'll tell you that.

 

Now I'm wondering how and where they're gonna get me tonight. Ah, yes, the special feelings *scratch scratch* of summer!

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miguel

sounds terrible :thumbsup:

 

Do you have a thingy to kill mosquitos using electricity in your area? That is a somewhat racket-like thing, and when pressing the tiny button at the side electricity will pass through the grid then you can give electric shock to the poor mosquito (and...hmm...smell like char?? :D)

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Pertinax

I believe its the Thiamin in the yeast that is the key.On the other hand it also proves what nice clean blood you have (Violentillas attentions might be a bit suspect :thumbsup: )

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Pantagathus
I believe its the Thiamin in the yeast that is the key.

Ah, hence why I've also heard about B-complex vitamins helping. Well then why do the suckers still love me! :thumbsup:

 

I hate to admit it but good old deet works for me (don't know about the ecosystem)

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Pertinax
I believe its the Thiamin in the yeast that is the key.

Ah, hence why I've also heard about B-complex vitamins helping. Well then why do the suckers still love me! :thumbsup:

 

I hate to admit it but good old deet works for me (don't know about the ecosystem)

Likewise your body and mind are pure...due to healthgiving beer and wines.

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docoflove1974

I knew there was a reason :D

 

Miguel, yes, there are 'bug zappers' here...but the range seems to be limited. Same with citronella candles.

 

DEET...Off! is a good brand...yet I swear that those damn things will go on kami kaze missions just to get to me, even when I use a product with DEET.

 

I've heard the B-complex/Thiamin argument before...and I'm living proof that it doesn't always work! I take a multi-vitamin and a B-complex vitamin, plus eat a balanced diet...I dunno what it is, but they don't care.

 

As for my blood...I guess I'd better be wary of Dracula and his buddies? Then again, I do eat a fair amount of garlic... :thumbsup:

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Nephele

I always check with The Straight Dope for answers to stuff such as "How do I keep mosquitoes from biting?" The Straight Dope Staff agrees with Pantagathus that nothing beats DEET.

 

But read further along in that link, because there's a possibility that catnip, surprisingly enough, may be an effective repellent. Straight Dope Staffer Doug says: At any rate, if I had to pick a plant-based repellent, the evidence favoring catnip sounds pretty convincing, and I'd just be careful when buying a catnip repellent to make sure it is the EXACT same chemical that was tested - nepetalactone; folks selling generic "catnip extract" may NOT be selling the right stuff.

 

The Straight Dope had this to say about ultrasonic mosquito repellers: ultrasonic mosquito repellers all have one thing in common: none of them work. At all.

 

As for me, I've a pond in my back garden, and every spring I stock it with bullfrog tadpoles. The tadpoles and, later, adult bullfrogs do a nice job of keeping down our mosquito population throughout the summer and fall. But then my dogs, who believe that they're at the top of the food chain as far as the back garden is concerned, spend the summer and fall hunting down and eating the bullfrogs. So I have to start all over again with store-bought tadpoles each spring. *sigh*

 

-- Nephele

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miguel
As for my blood...I guess I'd better be wary of Dracula and his buddies? Then again, I do eat a fair amount of garlic... :thumbsup:

 

Well I guess Dracula would see if you blood glucose level is high. CO2 probably won't attract him. :D Anyway don't forget the cross!!

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