Waa! I wanna go outside!

[applestar]

It rained buckets yesterday, which is a GOOD thing for this area.
This morning, it's foggy and hazy out there, the morning sun has yet to break through so it's not too hot (67º in the "sun")
I REALLY want to go outside! But I'm a mosquito magnet -- I get bitten in 3~5 places when its sunny, dry mid-day I'm getting bitten EVERY DAY. Even now, I'm scratching at 3 spots.
I need to give my body a break so I'm TELLING myself I can't go out there... but WAAA! I WANNA GO OUTSIDE!!!

[petalfuzz]

Stop whining and get yourself some Deet or Off! It really works, you know.

[cynthia_h]

Or maybe the clothing recommendations for "hiking in a wooded area" would help?

=> Wear long pants tucked into your socks. Make sure your shoes don't have holes (I.e., that they aren't sandals--must have covered toes). Wear long sleeves and don't roll them up. If the looseness of the sleeves bothers you (as it does me), use large rubber bands to hold them in place around your wrists. Tuck your shirt into your pants. <=

Garden gloves will take care of your hands, leaving only your face exposed to the nasty critters. Maybe non-perfumed make-up with a good SPF factor will help; I'm usually a mosquito feast, but they don't like my make-up. *whew*

The DEET things give me migraines, so I've developed my take on "appropriate garden wear" which differs by weather condition and time of day. If it's windy, I can get away with short sleeves. If it's really sunny, I add a hat. Early morning/early evening--MOSQUITO ALERT--use the full-drill gear.

Good luck, and I hope this helps make gardening a little happier for you very soon.

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[Jess]

Feel for you apple. I too am a magnet for mossys and any other biting insect for that matter. As is my older son. He was bitten by something last night and when I got back from work today I took him straight up to the doctor. His foot (2 bites from something on it) was swollen like a balloon. He has never had a reaction like that before. I would love to know what bit him.

Cynthia I sat outside reading a book whilst camping once wearing a waterproof jacket, rubber gloves and walking boots with my thick jeans tucked into my socks. Then went to sleep inside a net inside a tent. The next day I was completely covered in bites! Those #$!%$ always find a way.

[Charlie MV]

We got rain yesterday and they are out in force. I ate four of them. They're still biting but I feel better. Rubbingthose mosquito plants on your skin helps and it has a nice citrus smell. I really don't get bitten when I use it.

[NewjerseyTea]

I don't know if it works for everyone but a B complex supplement helps keep the mosquitoes away from me. I try to eat some maramite each day but it hard to find in the states. I also use Buzz Away Extreme an herbal bug repellent. I've found both in Whole Foods but they only carry the maramite occasionally.

[Jess]

What no marmite?!
Could never live in a country that didn't sell marmite !

[applestar]

Had some suspicions about what "marmite" was so I looked it up. Yep. I think I had it just once, a long time ago when that group was singing about "vegemite sandwich" and a friend with a Mum from Wales offered to let me taste some as they always have a jar at her house. Don't remember as I liked it very much... Is there a better recipe than just smearing it on bread?

I do remember seeing it around here though.. maybe it was Whole Foods, or maybe Trader Joe's. Too bad I didn't see your posts before I WENT to Whole Foods today. (and yes I came home with 3 mosquito bites )

I'm chemically sensitive and can't/won't use chemical repellents/insecticides on my skin or my kids. One time, a thoughtless woman sprayed OFF all under her chair without warning while I was sitting right next to her with my nursing baby. I jumped up and ran away with my baby, but I collapsed before I could get away 10 feet and went into a severe asthma attack. It was pretty bad.

Anyway, thanks for your support and suggestions! I'll have to try the B-complex idea and remember to wear the protective clothing. I do make a home-made repellent spray that works fairly well. I'm also going back to using my home-made shampoo mix and taking 2Tbs ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) every day. I did this last year and I was down to 1 or 2 bites per day. Just forgot how bad it can get for me without taking all the precautions since it didn't seem so bad last year.

[Charlie MV]

Have you tried the mosquito plant? It is organic and I've never heard of anybody having a reaction to it.

[webmaster]

I'm presently on the East Coast. Overall there's a marked decrease in the amount of them where I'm at. The other evening a bat flew into the garage so I suspect there's a healthy amount of predators out. Lots of dragonflys all over the place, too.

I'm not liking the rain though, not at all.

[applestar]

Charlie, is that the geranium kind like this? [img]https://www.organic-growers.com/bfarm/Plants/Photos/citronella.jpg[/img]

I haven't tried it, but I guess I'll look for one. I'm a bit reluctant because I haven't been very successful at overwintering geraniums in the past. I don't have a suitably cool room with a sunny window. A couple of years ago, I tried the "bareroot in a brown bag" method in the garage, and only 2 out of 6 survived. (There is no completely frost-free area in my garage) Hmm, maybe I'll try tossing them in the cooler with the Venus Fly Traps this time... but no, I don't think that'll work since VFT can withstand freezing but the geranium can't... but maybe if I combine the brown bag method and the cooler... I guess I try it.

[Charlie MV]

that looks like it. We don't keep them over winter. They're 3 bucks a piece in the early spring. We pot a few and plant a few. The ones I planted got huge and I have one by the back deck. I just pluck some leaves , crush them up and rub down as I go out the back door. I love the smell. Sounds like you're extra sensitive though so you may want to test it on your forearm a few times before you do a full body treatment.

We rubbed down the 3 year old grand nephew the other day before I towed him and his grandma in the trailer behind the tractor for some hot laps around the back yard. He loves the speed [7mph] and the skeeters left him alone. We had to dose him all over because he gets to go outside in his tighty whities. They wont let me even though I run through the sprinkler with him. Not fair.

[Jess]

Now how come I didn't know that?
My mum used to have an enormous lemon geranium at the top of the stairs when I was a kid. I brushed past it every single day of my childhood which is why I cannot stand the smell of it now but if it will keep mossys at bay then I will just have to hold my nose. Anything is preferable to itchy, painful bumps.

We had to dose him all over because he gets to go outside in his tighty whities. They wont let me even though I run through the sprinkler with him. Not fair.

You sound like a fun Granduncle Charlie.

Don't remember as I liked it very much...

Is there a better recipe than just smearing it on bread?

Nope thats it. Big hunk of homemade bread, torn of while still warm smeared in butter and marmite and scoffed....hhhuhhmm.
Never stopped me getting bitten though.

[Charlie MV]

I think I'm fun Jess, my wife thinks I'm fun with the kids because I am one but why does she draw the line when I try to get her to peel down to our skivvies and run through the sprinkler? She says we'll scare the squirrels. I say the squirrels need a jolt now and then. They have it too easy anyway.

[JennyC]

Applestar, I rub on straight garlic juice -- back of neck and arms. Keeps them off for at least half an hour, and I can reapply as needed. Once my wild onion has made seed pods, I switch to that -- one seed pod, squished and rubbed on back of neck and arms, works for closer to an hour. And since that's growing in the garden, reapplying is easy. Of course, I smell really interesting most of the time!

[Jess]

I smell really interesting most of the time!

Personally I love the smell of onions or garlic. Perhaps not as an all over body perfume though. Prefer them on pizza!

[dinker]

Guess I'm right there with ya all feel like someone rings the dinner bell as soon as I walk outside and it's the one's that go where no bugs should go that drive me crazy. I have heard the B work's I was told to start taking it in the winter so it is built up in your system by summer . I used off but not so sure about it any more they sprayed my grandson with off the next day I had a circle off dead grass where they went around him spraying my sometime maybe son in law swears by deluted skin so soft I cant get past the smell