Mosquitoes!!!!

[Mike]

If you have been camping already in 2014 in northern USA, then you know that the mosquitoes are out in epic proportions

Everybody in these parts is talking about it.

Much of it is due to the heavy snow and rains this winter and spring

What are you folks doing to deal with this years overwhelming mosquito hatch?

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

My long camping trip is near a natural skeeter loving marsh. One year I booked a site that directly abutted the marsh. Will nevahhhh make that mistake again:p. Ya build fires and wear yoga pants / zip front hoodies at night no matter the temperature cuz it helps to keep the biters away. Last year I discovered this stuff:

http://www.rei.com/product/768970/sa...mp-spray-24-oz

I'll never camp w/o it again in this neck of the woods.

[coloradowalt]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

Turkey season down in Georgia was the worst for mosquitoes we have had in years. Thermacells make the difference, without them it would be miserable.

[Mosquitoman]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

Up here in British columbia we have bad mosquitoes too and there is this new product out we have been hearing about so we tried it and wow its called zap strapz have you guys heard of them?? they like a bracelet but you can pretty much put them anywhere my wife puts one arounf her camping chair works like a charm and our kids love them too best thing ever and no toxins all natural oils i think.. just asked my wife for the website its www.zapstrapz.com we highly recommend them they are super popular up here best of luck all

[actad]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

Mosquitoes are bad this year. I am scratching at welts on my chin and arms as I type and that is just from bringing in groceries from my driveway to the house tonight. I live on a river, and there seems to be much less bat activity, which usually keeps a check on the mosquito population. In years past, we would watch them catch insects at dusk. Now, I pretty much have to hibernate inside at dusk from the bugs.

Bought a screen house for the first time for sitting outdoors. I got the Ozark Trail 10x10 screen room for the next camping trip.

I'm considering an insect protection system for sleeping when camping. I am going to put it over the cot if tent camping, or over the bed if using the travel trailer. They can actually be used as a stand-alone one person tent, as well, as they come with rain flies.

There are two that are within $10 of each other in price. I am leaning towards one from Kamp-Rite. It is the taller of the two I am considering, but needs the poles threaded through, It is specifically designed as an insect protectent mesh tent http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

The other one is slightly shorter in height, but has a cool (to me) gadget that pops it open and is a quick close. It is the Teton Sports Outfitter. It seems that the mesh is more for airflow, than for insect protection. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[kcscout]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

My thoughts are
1. Nice raging bonfire
2. Lots of DEET sprayed on everyone
3. Citronella candles or other things that help ward off bugs in general.

[hwc1954]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

Skeeters were abundant in Maine last week, but they didn't really bother me. As soon as I set up the tent and the tarp and the camp chair, I gave them their annual spray with permethrin. Then, I wore permethrin treated clothing at night, including a long sleeve shirt and ExOfficio BugsAway floppy hat. Worked fine. I heard and saw them, but never got bit.

For hiking during the day, I wore permethrin treated clothing, but added some DEET protection to bare skin -- arms, lets, neck, ears, etc. I just can't stand the stuff at night after I've showered, so I was glad that I could get by with the permethrin treated clothing.

I buy bulk bottles of permethrin that let me refill my Sawyer spray bottle a dozen times for the price of one Sawyer bottle, so I treat EVERYTHING that I wear or use outdoors.

Plus, I found a fantastic deal on some Ex Officio Bugs Away shirts at Sierra Trading Post. The factory treated stuff isn't any better than the DIY version, but the treatment lasts for the life of the garment and these were really nice shirts in any case. The stuff I treat, I redo every spring because it does wear/wash away over time:

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

I bought Permethrin spray last year for the first time and all I can say is: "Babeeeeeeeeee.... where have you been all my life?!?".
Stuff of beauty:idea:
I concentrated the spraying on the tents and chairs and then DEET exposed body parts.
Someday "P"d clothing will happen in my life.

[hwc1954]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Martins-Permet.../dp/B002TMB4DE

Here ya go. $14 at Amazon for 16 ounces. Mix one ounce of this concentrate with 19 ounces of water in your Sawyer spray bottle to get 20 ounces of the same 0.5% solution. It works out to about 13 bottles of Sawyers for $14, so you can spray treat your clothing with wild abandon. I was concerned with ticks, so I have spray treated all my hiking socks, pants, shorts, shirts, caps, etc.

I've even spray treated the base layer tops and bottoms I wear as camping PJs.

I used pretty much a whole bottle on the tent and Kelty tarp the other day when I pitched them for the first time this summer. Just let the tent dry from being sprayed before putting the fly on. The mesh on my tent is now a veritable killing field for bugs...

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

Thanks hwc!
Ordered from the link and hope to be using at least for my August trips.
Hiking clothes and sit by the fire wear will be my target.

[hwc1954]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

I just start in the spring. Every nice sunny day, I hand three or four pieces of clothing outside on the porch and spray them. The next nice day, I do three or four more.

[Shortpants]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

Last year I got a recommendation from a friend that mows out in the country where he normally almost gets carried away by the skeeters for the Bugables wristbands. So I ended up finding them at our local mom n' pop for only $0.99 ea, so figured "what the heck" and we got one for each. By jove, they worked! Our youngest was only 8 mos at the time, so not like I could douse her with DEET, so I actually used the wristband and dryer sheets with her. Yes, dryer sheets. Find the stinkiest cheapo ones you can (although some people say the Bounce ones work the best, I refuse to pay that much for dryer sheets!), and rub yourself down with them, then stick them in your pockets, or with little kids I tuck them in sweatshirt hoods too. Keeps the bugs at bay and you don't stink or feel all sticky. I actually used only the wristbands and dryer sheets on all of us and we camped right by a pond that trip. Hubby and DD(5) got a little chewed up, but I have to admit to being a little lax with keeping up with DD with re-rubdowns and refreshing her dryer sheets, and hubby is a BIG guy (6'5" and about 350) so one weenie little bug bracelet and a dryer sheet in his pocket didn't cut it for him. LOL! I actually got him two bracelets this year and just had to spray his legs and he said it was much better. We still use good `ol spray on, whatever is 30% DEET and on sale, bug spray as a backup. I have also used the Badger Brand bug balm when the kiddos were really small, and that worked fairly well for an infant bug protection option.

The Bugables bracelets I got:


And the Badger Bug Balm I used on the littles:

[hwc1954]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

I don't think citronella wrist bands are going to be very effective in repelling mosquitoes while camping. I know that would provide no protection against ticks. Depending on where you camp and the presence of ticks, you might want to consider whether your strategy is enough. For the price of six Bugables wristbands on Amazon, you could get a 24 ounce bottle of Sawyers Permethrin spray and at least treat socks and pants to fend off ticks. Or for the same price, you could buy a bottle of Permethrin concentrate, mix up a dozen bottles of Sawyer spray yourself, and treat all of the clothes you and your family will wear camping this summer and the tents.

[Shortpants]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

I know, I read horrible reviews and scoffed at them myself. If I hadn't had them work twice, I wouldn't believe it either. I mainly only tried them in a pinch for a non-DEET solution for our infant at the time. Our oldest DD swells up like a stinkin' balloon with skeeter bites (ended up in the ER one time) so anything I can do to keep that at bay without potentially making her glow with all the chemicals, I'll give it a whirl. And I agree, a major drawback is the no tick protection. I do keep the pants socks and shoes pretty doused with DEET spray to try and keep that lovely little pest at bay. I just learned of the Permethrin this year and am VERY intrigued. It really does sound like a great solution and good for the kiddos now that they are older.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Mosquitoes!!!!

I still remember how milky soft my now old and stinky (family joke) youngest son's skin felt wayyyy back when dinosaurs walked the Earth.
I also recall doing everything in my power to keep chemicals off his skin because if someone could have an allergic reaction it was him.

He went on his first vacation when he was 2 months old and I decided couldn't keep up w/ his cloth diapers and opted in to then fairly new disposable diapers.
Imagine my horror when I changed the Pamper for the first time and his tush had broken out in horrible welts and a rash. Fortunately I had a few cloth diapers with me so we used them as liners(hand washing diapers daily on a vac. What fun!) for the disposables or just let him go au natural. No way was I gonna DEET his body; he became the "tulle tent" boy and whatever biters made it through did.

When your kiddos are old enough do try the "Perme" stuff; stinks when ya first spray it on but that odor dissipates fast.