mosquitoes ( Swamp Angels )

[oldsparkey]

We have been discussing hammocks on a back channel and natural the subject of mosquitoes came up in the discussion. Since warm to hot weather ( depending on your location ) is coming really soon and they will be out in full force I wanted to update the subject about keeping them at bay when camping.

I have found a couple ways of keeping them at bay while sitting around the campfire in the evening from past trips. All I can say is they work here in the Florida swamps.

Sitting outside an enjoying the supper and campfire before hitting the sack........

1. The thermaCELL which is a small self contained unit will keep them away in a 15 foot radius ( calm winds ) from where it is and each pad lasts about 4 hours. There is one gas container and two pads per pack. I sure wish someone would of told us about this earlier , is is great.

http://www.mosquitorepellent.com/


2. The Scotts Outdoor Defense Insect killer ( 20 oz can ) which is a area fogger does a nice job and it lasts 8 hours per application to the area around where you are. Spray it around the camp , into the bushes and weeds and it does work , really good.

Local garden supply stores handle this.



As far as hammocks and off the ground camping............

3. Joe ( lazyriverguy) on one trip sprayed the bottom of his Hennessey with repellent to keep them away from his hammock during the night.

4. Sleep on a thick blanket when in a hammock they can bite threw and wear your shoes to protect the bottom of your feet if they touch the end of the hammock.. A trick I learned while camping in the glades during the summer months. It was one of the old U.S. Army ( surplus ) Jungle Hammocks now I have a hammock they can't bite threw.

The old fashion way in more then one Old Fashion Way ( if you have the mix with you ) ...........

5. Or you could do like we did in the past , drink a lot of bourbon or rum and let them bite and as they stagger off swat them or let them fly by the fire and explode , the little fire balls are a nice touch to the campfire experience.

Or you could do like this unhappy camper did and just feed them during the night.

Picture from this posting..... viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6714


Chuck.

[hairymick01]

We try tp NOT camp in mosquito or sand fly infested areas whenever we can. Paralysis ticks are a much bigger problem when we go to the mountains These little nasties can kill you.A trip to the Bunya Mountains about 4 months ago saw me with a tick in the left fore arm and right shin. I very nearly wound up in hospital and the wounds still haven't healed

Where ever we go, we ALLWAYS take a good supply of quality insect reellent If the nasties are likely, we wear long pants and long sleeve shirts, use the repellent on all exposed parts and even on the outside of our clothes.

[oldsparkey]

We can't camp in the summer around here without having the Swamp Angels joining us. Florida is as flat as a pool table and filled with swamps , water , mud and sand bars. Just the type of area they enjoy breeding and living in , might call them the original Floridian.

Heck where I am in Seminole county ... Orange county , Volusia , Brevard and several other counties before they were broken up into individual counties was Mosquito County. Trust me it was the right name for it. One of the best salt water fishing areas is called Mosquito Lagoon and it is a good size chunk of water.

I really do not think you can go anywhere in Florida in the summer and not have the swamp angels as company on a camping trip.

Ticks are the same and I do treat my clothing with a tick killer before going out into the woods , slacks , shirt , socks , shoes , everything. I did not do that one time and sure as heck I had a deer tick get me and ended up with the Lyme Disease and on antibiotics for a week to get rid of it. Caught it early so it was easy to stop.

Sand Gnats , the little no see-um's which are all teeth are only around the salt water areas which is a blessing. Not only small and hard to see due to there size and all teeth , a real pain , but you will know when they are there with you.

[Kayak Jack]

Here's what works for me:
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/CAM ... permethrin

Permethrin Spray Tick Repellent Item #: 56624 $9.99

[oldsparkey]

Here's what works for me:

Permethrin Spray Tick Repellent Item #: 56624 $9.99

Same for me , it works good on keeping the ticks at bay and if they get on the clothing they are goners.The active ingredient, Permethrin, is a synthetic molecule similar to those found in natural pyrethrum which is taken from the Chrysanthemum flower.

While the theracell uses a mat saturated with Allethrin, a copy of a naturally occurring insecticide found in Chrysanthemum flowers, which is heated to create the barrier around the campsite.

[rhutchinson]

Chuck, what did the indians and older settlers do about the ticks and mosquitoes?

Richard

[oldsparkey]

Chuck, what did the indians and older settlers do about the ticks and mosquitoes?

Richard

My guess is they pulled the ticks off and squashed them.

The Seminoles ate the gar as an internal mosquito repellent. My understanding is that the gar has a high amount of B-12 in it and that does help to repel skeeters.

The pioneers sleep in bear skins so the skeeters could not get to them. That does not sound like a lot of fun , especially in the summer. William Bartram did that when he was exploring Florida from 1774 into the 1800's

The unfortunate ones just slapped them or lived with them. As time progressed they used grease on exposed body parts and eventually ended up using smudge fires , lots of smoke , to repel them.

Just a short time ago the would burn sulpher in a can and have that smoke to chase them away. Fishing down at the Glades when I was younger it was not uncommon to see the yellow smoke out of a fishing boat in the early morning or late evening. They would have a can of it burning in the middle of the boat.

As some of the old timers would tell me ( when I was a kid ) , You just get use to them and pay them no never mind.

[swampwood]

You might want to try Avon Skin So Soft.
I slept in a boat on the water and heard them buzzing, but they never landed. If you have ever been on the water at night in south louisiana shrimping they are terrible.

[WDfrmTN]

DEET, kerosene, permethrin, allethrin, Skin-So-Soft, garlic, citronella, B-12, cigars...

[oldsparkey]

DEET, kerosene, permethrin, allethrin, Skin-So-Soft, garlic, citronella, B-12, cigars...

Cigars....... You bet you they work. Back when I was working the rivers one of the best skeeter repellents was to light up a Grenadier http://www.gothamcigars.com/Antonio-Y-C ... ducts/143/ They would make the bugs run but sort of give away where you are , especially to anyone down wind.

For surveillance work while sitting in the Jeep with the windows down and hidden at a distance while glassing the area they worked really good since we could not run the motor for some AC comfort and bug control.

[Kayak Jack]

DEET, kerosene, permethrin, allethrin, Skin-So-Soft, garlic, citronella, B-12, cigars...

With all those volatile hydrocarbons around, I'm not sure I'd want to strike a match. It may be a case of, "MOMMY! See the funny man run and wave his arms!"

[loafer]

I've been told that Victoria's Secret has a product that really works. it's called AMBER ROMANCE
but so far I haven't worked up the nerve to walk thru their door

Loafer

[Kayak Jack]

I've been told that Victoria's Secret has a product that really works. it's called AMBER ROMANCE
but so far I haven't worked up the nerve to walk thru their door

I'm thinking that the mosquitoes may not be all that bad. Anyway, malaria is survivable.

More seriouser, biting bugs in the Great Lakes area haven't been all that much of a bother. Black flies in the spring and no-seeums are worse in northern Michigan (Upper Peninsula) and Canada than in lower Michigan. I've had horse flies in August that bit right through new Levi's like a blackberry thorn. But, only one year.

[mosportsmen]

I once read ferns have something in them that repels mosquitoes. I have tried it, strip a fist full of fern leaves and rub it on your skin. Does seem to work for me.

Tom

[Kayak Jack]

I once read ferns have something in them that repels mosquitoes. I have tried it, <SNIP> Does seem to work for me.

Interesting! I hadn't heard that. Thanks!

I will remain, however, faithful to trying to defeat them with internal doses of single malt. Even if it may be ineffective against mosquitoes, I don't seem to care very much. Odd?