Insect repellant

[jomawan]

After three days and two nights of camping on the banks of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, I'm dead serious to find a repellant that works 100%. In the past I've used lemon-eucalyptus oils that work fairly well for about 4 to 6 hours per application. I want to know what folks in places like Alaska, and the Northwest Territory of Canada deploy for use against mosquitoes with 2-inch wingspans. Seems to me just one of those would be a whole bunch worse than several dozen of the much smaller variety that couldn't carry me away in concert so decided to eat me on the spot.
Dear Flies are a big problem too. Seems like the repellant to them is a sauce or dressing on my hide.

[sledjockey]

I have been through many different types and the only thing that works for me is a 3 pronged approach.

1) Deep Woods Off Extra in the little spritzer container
2) Bug Buttons. Use several...
3) Premetherine or however it is spelled. You treat your clothes and with the other 2 it will keep all the mosquitos that Vandenberg AFB could throw at me away....

[RidgeRunner]

Here is the cats meow my brother. Set it out and light it and U will not get bit.
http://www.mosquitorepellent.com/products.asp

RR

[gijoecam]

There are two things I've found work well enough for me: First would be Deep Woods Off for Sportsmen in the little squirt bottle. It's 100% DEET. I would not recommend putting it directly on your skin (I spray it on the outer-most layer of clothing) and it'll melt some nylon material, so use it carefully.

The other thing that works is wind, whether natural or artificially generated. Mosquitos don't like wind... A small fan works wonders to keep them at bay, and a large fan works even better. Admittedly a box-fan on the back of the bike is a little impractical, but you know what i mean...

I've not found any other repellant that works as well.

-Joe

[roger123]

Long sleeve shirt and pants coupled with 100% DEET sprayed on your hat, shirt sleeves and pants legs (be careful as mentioned it will melt some stuff).

A head net also works wonders. I use the UnderArmor long sleeve shirts and a very light weight pair of pants (the kind that the legs zip off) so I don't roast when it's hot.

While everybody is swatting away, you'll be chilling sipping a cold one.

[Mtn.Strommer]

Believe it or not misting your skin w/ Listerine works very well. You have do reapply periodically but it works. The wife and I do not use anything with harmful chemicals on our skin, so we are limited and have found this to be a good solution. We do live at a high elevation so our skeeters a little baby size ones. Don`t know if this trick would work on terydactylskeeters.

[Bright Side]

Well I just got a tip from a friend of mine. He uses dryer sheet, the ones you throw in the dryer when drying your laundry.

He swears they work and work well. He stuffs them in his pockets and under his hat.

Next time I camp I am going to give it a try.

[XLonDL650]

I bought this thing at Harbor Freight that will actually kill flies out of mid-air--if you can hit them.

Electric Fly Swatter (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40122) - Requires 2 size D batteries.

Electrocutes them !

....but fast moving flies can still be hard to hit.

I plan to try it the next time I go hiking at a State Park and am harassed by those big horseflies. Those things can pack a mean bite !

[SenordrummeR2]

I bought this thing at Harbor Freight that will actually kill flies out of mid-air--if you can hit them.

Electric Fly Swatter (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40122) - Requires 2 size D batteries.

Electrocutes them !

....but fast moving flies can still be hard to hit.

I plan to try it the next time I go hiking at a State Park and am harassed by those big horseflies. Those things can pack a mean bite !

I've seen those at HF, and have been meaning to buy one. I wonder how it would handle a dragonfly... Baseball with bugs! Awesome!

[XLonDL650]

I've seen those at HF, and have been meaning to buy one. I wonder how it would handle a dragonfly... Baseball with bugs! Awesome!

I think about any insect that you get a hit on with the electric grid portion of the raquet face is going to get electrocuted with it. I've killed many flies and other insects with it that flew into my apartment.

Sometimes a little spark ignites as the bug 'gets the juice' !

[Genocache]

I bought this thing at Harbor Freight that will actually kill flies out of mid-air--if you can hit them.

Electric Fly Swatter (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40122) - Requires 2 size D batteries.

Electrocutes them !

....but fast moving flies can still be hard to hit.

I plan to try it the next time I go hiking at a State Park and am harassed by those big horseflies. Those things can pack a mean bite !

I used to go 4wheeling in Nevada and used a tennis racket on the horsefies. I also used a BB rifle, if you move slow you can get right next to them and just kill em with the air blast.
For skeeters I cover up long sleeve bicycling jacket they can't bite thru and the aformentioned zip-off pants they can't bite thru, hat and headnet. Just keep the hat off the top of your head or they will bite thru it! Otherwise DEET 100% works.

[Warhammer]

Start taking additional Vitamin A about a week before your camping trip. The bugs won't like the smell/taste of you and will leave you alone. No kidding... it really works.

[aharbi]

This is the best I've found and have used while canoing in northern Canada. I recall one evening we were sitting around the campfire and two mosquitoes landed on the log behind us. I heard the one ask the other if they should dine here or take us back with them. I turned quickly and gave them a shot of Ben's 100. You would of thought I hit them with tear gas, they coughed and chocked and gaged and finely flew away never to bet seen again. We never had any more problems with biting insects after that, guess word got around.

Ben's 100 -- $4.95 -- BR-01 Bens 100, 95% DEET Insect Repellent 1.25 oz. lotion $4.95. This formula repels up to 10 hours mosquito, ticks, black flies, noseeums, sand flies, chiggers, fleas, and stable flies.

Bens 100 Max Pump -- $5.95 -- Bens 100 Max Pump BR-02 Bens 100, 95% DEET 1.25 oz., Pump $5.95. This formula repels up to 10 hours mosquito, ticks, black flies, noseeums, sand flies, chiggers, fleas, and stable flies.

[Big B]

Where do we get this Ben's repellent? Think I might try the vitamin A/dryer sheet method!!!;)

[Toto]

Up here we use a 12 guage.

[bumper]

Use any product containing at least 15% of DEET. Be carefull if it contains 90%. It is effective but it can dissolve plastic and be harfull to your health. Wear light colored clothes.

Do not use any kind of perfume. Use citronella shampoo and soap. I always use Druide brand that I find very effective. http://www.druide.ca/catalogue/product_info.php?products_id=98&language=en&language=en&keywords=

[T3/T4 Hybrid]

I have been through many different types and the only thing that works for me is a 3 pronged approach.

1) Deep Woods Off Extra in the little spritzer container

....

I've had the best luck with Deep Woods Off also. One of the few products that still uses DEET.

I like the Vit A idea from Warhammer and will try it myself on the next long hike. :cool:

[clovett]

I think the original poster was referring more to an external repellant rather than something for his skin. Products with Linalool are pretty good for about a 100 - 250 square foot area. Thats not a huge area but placed at the front of your tent it kicks butt. Linalool is a concentrated basil product that is natural and won't hurt pets. It confuses the mosquito and keeps it from finding you.

[KZDon]

I suspect I'll get some odd feedback here, but I use the same stuff we put on our little people, Off-Skintastic, which is about 5% deet. I've found it works well against the two national birds of Muskoka in May and June, blackflies and mosquitoes. It's better than Deep Woods Off or any of the other backwoods, high deet products I've tried.

I suspect the main reason for that is my reluctance to put much of the heavy duty stuff on me, whereas with the children's stuff I'm less concerned that I'm killing myself by spraying it on and less off-put by the scent.

[randyo]

I find the 100% deet repellents no more effective than repellents that are 50%-75% deet

100% deet to me feels oily and makes my skin crawl

the most effective reppellent I have found is US Military issue, I think its 75% deet and 25% isopropyl, feels drier on the skin

Repel brand makes a 52% deet pump spray that I can also recommend

premetherin clothing works well......

I've been thru the cronic lyme thing, don't need to be doing it again, 22 minths of antibiotics is not fun

[SRT]

Use any product containing at least 15% of DEET. Be carefull if it contains 90%. It is effective but it can dissolve plastic and be harfull to your health. Wear light colored clothes.

Do not use any kind of perfume. Use citronella shampoo and soap. I always use Druide brand that I find very effective. http://www.druide.ca/catalogue/product_info.php?products_id=98&language=en&language=en&keywords=

Nice!!! Thanks for the link:) And they take PP :thumbsup:

[The Golden Monkey]

I am a walking mosquito magnet, so this is a hot topic for me. I started using repellents with picaridin instead of DEET a couple of years ago, and they seem to work well. Cutter Advanced Sport (15% picaridin) is my current favorite.

Picaridin is almost odorless, doesn't irritate the skin and mucous membranes like DEET, and won't harm plastics. The WHO says it "demonstrates excellent repellent properties comparable to, and often superior to, those of the standard DEET." It's also the first repellent since DEET to be recommended by the CDC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icaridin

[biggyfries]

the most effective reppellent I have found is US Military issue, I think its 75% deet and 25% isopropyl, feels drier on the skin

+1 on this--I used the small plastic GI tubes, and as soon as you open the lid the mosquitos are headin out. Best repellent I've ever used. Didn't bother my skin, I only had to have a dab here and there and no more skeeters!

[stevestrom]

I've worked outside for many summers in forestry related jobs (some near Dease Lake - my record is 23 mosquitos in one slap!).

I've found that the deet % doesn't matter that much just so long as its there (With the lower percentage stuff I found that I was applying it more often though). "Off" makes a 'sports' spray that smells a little better in my opinion.

If you are going to be staying in one location for a while and it is not windy, light some mosquito coils. I truly beleive that these have helped me keep my sanity. "Off" brand have worked the best for me. Just don't use them indoors.

As for the deer flies, black flies, and horse flies the only thing that I have found to work is layers of clothes. Nasty bastards!

[AGirl]

Hey you Canucks, while I was in Fundy Nat'l Park (er, Parc de Fundy) last week I encountered road construction delays. On one particular occasion as I waited with the person holding the stop sign in the road and as black flies swarmed around me, I noticed the t-shirt wearing flagger wasn't bothered by any bugs at all. I asked about what kind of obviously special repellent they were using and was told "we all use Bug Dope out here, it works great". I looked in every store I've gone in since and I've not found any product specifically called "Bug Dope" so I'm assuming this is a reference to something. Any ideas what that product might be? I've never heard the term before in the US. Thanks in advance for any suggestions to clear up the mystery.

AGirl

[Warhammer]

From what I understand, most "bug dopes" are home-brewed. Unfortunately, finding someone who will share the recipe with you is like finding a BBQ competitor who will give you his rub recipe. I did, however, find one commercial product: http://www.predatorpee.com/old_woodsman.html. Also, here's an article about a soap from Avon that apparently works like bug dope: http://realindy.com/avon.htm. I hope that helps!

[stevestrom]

Hey you Canucks, while I was in Fundy Nat'l Park (er, Parc de Fundy) last week I encountered road construction delays. On one particular occasion as I waited with the person holding the stop sign in the road and as black flies swarmed around me, I noticed the t-shirt wearing flagger wasn't bothered by any bugs at all. I asked about what kind of obviously special repellent they were using and was told "we all use Bug Dope out here, it works great". I looked in every store I've gone in since and I've not found any product specifically called "Bug Dope" so I'm assuming this is a reference to something. Any ideas what that product might be? I've never heard the term before in the US. Thanks in advance for any suggestions to clear up the mystery.

AGirl

I think that you may be disappointed, AGirl. I, and many others that I know, have always refered to the store bought stuff as 'bug dope'.

But know that I think about it, maybe it has something to do with another kind of 'dope' that I have heard about. :rolleyes:
I may need to borrow Janice's bong and do a little experimenting:cornut:

(Try to find the Canadian branded 'F**k Off!!', much stronger than just regular 'Off!")

[TravellingStrom]

From what I understand, most "bug dopes" are home-brewed. Unfortunately, finding someone who will share the recipe with you is like finding a BBQ competitor who will give you his rub recipe. I did, however, find one commercial product: http://www.predatorpee.com/old_woodsman.html. Also, here's an article about a soap from Avon that apparently works like bug dope: http://realindy.com/avon.htm. I hope that helps!

Thanks for the links

As I am intending heading into bug territory soon, can anyone who had used this stuff up there tell me if it works?

I am a pin cushion for mossies, but I don't want to poisen myself either, it might make my hair fall out or something.

But, if there is first hand experience with this stuff, please let me know good or bad. It is expensive to buy to find out it is a scam.

Cheers
TS

[Big Stosh]

Been looking into insect repellent ideas for our folks at work (foresters). For what its worth:

According to the Dept of Defense, the military uses a 3M product called Ultrathon that contains 31% DEET which supposedly works fantastic when paired with products containing permethrin. Need to make sure you apply the permethrin products to clothing, equipment only - not skin. DEET products can be applied to skin. The higher the concentration of DEET, the longer it lasts and reduces the number of times it has to be applied.

The combo allegedly works great when you pair them up against mosquitos, ticks, chiggers, no see ums, etc.

Permethrin actually kills insects after they've been in contact with the treated surface like tents, clothing, tarps.

More info on sites like this one... Good luck.

http://www.tickinfo.com/ultrathon.htm

[GeauxStromin]

I grew up in Louisiana, we had skeeters of all sizes, the worst ones had black and white stripes. Many people including me use Avon's "skin so soft". It's a girly oily lotion, my wife uses it after showers for moisturizing. It works very well and has no harsh chemicals or smell. The only thing is I don't know how long it will last in various conditions. I always used it on the boat when fishing in the bayou. The application process makes your hands very greasy so get it in a spray bottle and use a small towel to rub it in.

Call your AVON lady! <--- That's got to be a first on here

[BOURBON BOY]

Skin So Soft works well, used to use Off until it ate the finish off my $800 compound bow! Took the custom paint right Off!! BB