Stinkin' mosquitoes!!!

[shootingstar]

Vancouver seems to have alot less mosquitos than other areas where I've lived (southern Ontario). However I didn't know this until we moved here.

Mosquitoes are attracted to me...I'm often amazed how seldom mosquitoes bite my partner during the hikes we've done in mosquitoey areas. The type of bike touring rides that I don't enjoy a whole lot..is camping in a mosquitoey area after a long hot, loaded ride.

When travelling in Europe, I discovered some older places just don't have window screens.. so without ..thinking we stayed in a pension in Brugges, Belgium right by a canal (a city known for its medieval canals) for several days. I had the bed sheets nearly over my head..at night because of the critters flying in.

And in Lucerne, Switzerland in our hotel, there were these huge friggin' mosquitos cruising all night in room. I sweated under my sheets..

And in Florence, Italy I had to get my pharmacist sister and translator over to a pharmacy to buy ointment to bring down my swelling and itching. This drove me nuts...I missed the Uffuzi Galleries..for the art..

[ridenread]

Major mosquito problem here. Yesterday I was out riding and stopped for a couple of minutes at a roadside stand to buy a zuchini bread. I ended up with eight mosquito bites on my right leg and five on my left, which swelled and itched like crazy on the ride home. Then of course thoughts of Triple E and west nile virus kept creeping in since there has been so much on the news lately of birds with the virus in the area. Today I made sure to use the bug spray every time I stepped out the door.

[Jolt]

Major mosquito problem here. Yesterday I was out riding and stopped for a couple of minutes at a roadside stand to buy a zuchini bread. I ended up with eight mosquito bites on my right leg and five on my left, which swelled and itched like crazy on the ride home. Then of course thoughts of Triple E and west nile virus kept creeping in since there has been so much on the news lately of birds with the virus in the area. Today I made sure to use the bug spray every time I stepped out the door.

Yuck. Must be a general problem in this state b/c of all the rain. And I know what you mean about the thoughts of West Nile etc. especially since it has been found in mosquitoes here in Worcester recently. If I start having any flu-like symptoms, that is what I'll think of immediately. As for the bug spray, we did have it on yesterday but it just didn't seem to do anything against such a high concentration of mosquitoes; don't know if a DEET-based spray would have been any better or not. All I can say is that the mosquito situation on the trail yesterday was hands-down the worst I have ever seen in my life!

[Crankin]

Jolt, I know you are probably trying to go the natural way, but lemon eucalyptus probably is not going to cut it. There is another new chemical spray out. The main ingredient begins with a p, but I can't remember the name. My friend who can't use Deet, uses it. Why don't you check that out? Otherwise, I would go with the regular Deet stuff, especially with the amount of rain we have been having.

[Jolt]

Jolt, I know you are probably trying to go the natural way, but lemon eucalyptus probably is not going to cut it. There is another new chemical spray out. The main ingredient begins with a p, but I can't remember the name. My friend who can't use Deet, uses it. Why don't you check that out? Otherwise, I would go with the regular Deet stuff, especially with the amount of rain we have been having.

I think it's picaridin that you're thinking of, and I might try that since it seems like it's not as nasty as DEET. Either that or just clothing that physically keeps the bugs off (like what my friend and I ended up doing yesterday). The lemon eucalyptus is great for keeping blackflies away, but seems not to be as good for mosquitoes if there are that many of them!

[mimitabby]

Seattle isn't as bad for skeeters either. but when I lived in Idaho, where there is a lot of irrigation (and therefore lots of mosquitoes) I wore long sleeves and slacks in the summer if i was going to be outside much for protection.

[emily_in_nc]

Bad mosquitos in the woods here in NC this summer...last year we had bad drought and virtually none. Glad to have the rain, tho...even if mosquitos come with it.

Emily, scratching a few new bites of her own