Insect Repellent, Mosquito Netting, and Other Insect Issues

[ellie]

I wear long sleeves and a hat.

[convextech]

The dryer sheet trick really does work wonders, especially on gnats. Just wipe it on any exposed skin. And you smell nice too, instead of like bug spray. Easy to take with you too.

Skin So Soft (S3) is too greasy for me. Gets on everything and I hate the bug carcasses.

I recently discovered Citronella Incense. One stick burns for about an hour, but the scent stays much longer. It's perfect for a porch. I light one stick on each end.

[Mistermobile]

Basically other than mosquitos, I hand a bug light in my apt. which kills everything else flying. Outside bites are not a problem, except mosquitos eat me alive. Eight bites at a time. Some people aren't bothered at all which is strange.

Me, I put aloe on my exposed skin, then sun lotion, then Deet. Sticky stuff applied works too but if it wears off, you are toast.

[Halothane]

Skin So Soft now actually makes an official bug spray that is VERY effective.

AVON - Product

There is also a combination of natural oils, very aromatic, that we use when boating or out in the season of the biting flies that are very effective and I think are pretty kid safe:

No see um repellent - All natural bug spray mosquito repellent (http://nonoseeum.com/ - broken link)

and

all natural bug spray

Always wear a hat and spray liberally with the bug spray above of your choice. Works for us.

[Melissa82]

Neem oil works best for me better than any other topical repellent. I just slather it on my skin that is showing.

[gentlearts]

What are y'all putting netting on?
I just swat them if I see them, and if it is ever a real problem (like if someone left the screen open) I put on some repellant.
I do not hang out in the marshes, so it's not a big issue for me.

[ellie]

Netting? Did something get deleted? Netting hanging over your bed looks pretty, but what do you do if a mosquito gets in there with you?

[littlelou]

I have been eaten alive this year. Okay, I am spending more time outdoors working in my new yard, but daymn!!! My scalp feels like you could read braille on it. they love my skin. right now, i have 15 bites in various stages and I use Skin so soft every morning, and if i'm going outside, it's spray with Off or the Avon bug repellent and if I'm working in the yard, i use my Off Fan, citronella bracelets around my ankles, I even spray my hair and still I'm eaten up... I don't use scented products because I have a coworker who is "allergic" to scents.... yeah right, she lives with a heavy smoker who wears enough cologne to fumigate a cruise ship.... anyway... nothing is working for me this year. Past years, the Skin So Soft has done it, but then I wasn't working in the yard. Since my new house is near a small pond and the marsh I am looking to invest in the "mosquito misting' services. It may be the only way I can be out in my yard and not end up covered with bites.....

[Sunny_Isles]

The netting was originally about using netting around open porches.

I'm one of those people who can't use citronella, so some of those "natural" sprays really get me coughing terribly. I like the Deet-free version of Cutter, as I mentioned in the original post.

Some of us just attract the bugs and are more sensitive to the bites than others. For those who aren't, consider yourself fortunate.