I am literally curled up under a blanket right now in the back of my SUV with Girl Ninja (we are camping). It’s 5:33 am and for some reason I’ve been up for 45min. Part of me thinks my lack of sleep is inversely correlated to the excessive amount of mosquito bites I have on my body…seriously uncomfortable.
While Girl Ninja and the rest of our friends are sleeping soundly, I’m on my iPhone tryin to find the nearest store and reading reviews on Amazon about bug repellent. We bought OFF mosquito repellant, but based on the number of mosquito bites on my right thigh alone, I’m just gonna say it doesn’t do the greatest job.
These little freakin bugs just don’t quit, and what’s more, they are out ALL DAY LONG!!!!! I’ve heard the bug repellent candles work well, and one of our fellow camping homies said the battery powered OFF clip work wonders. I have no experience with either, but what I do know is that I don’t want West Nile virus and something needs to happen NOW!!!!
I’m to the point where I would pay $20+ for something that worked. Do you all have suggestions? What’s the last thing you wanted/needed/craved that you would have been willing to pay a BIG mark up to get (candy, concert tickets, wine)?
Not sure about any mosquito repellents, but get some AfterBite for the bites you have!
Off deep woods!
Get a small fog machine. My friend has one and uses it in his back yard. It works great!
I live in MN where the mosquito is the state bird. Many products are trying to replace DEET (which is proven to work the best) with other chemicals (proven time and time again to not work as well as DEET).
Step 1: Go to store
Step 2: Compare ingredients of bug sprays
Step 3: Buy the one with the highest concentration of DEET
Deepwoods OFF is usually your winner, winner, chicken dinner.
I got eaten alive by mosquitoes when I lived in Tokyo. I had to adapt to wearing long pants even when it was really hot (still don’t often wear short to this day, unless I am exercising or something). Unless they are super aggressive, they usually won’t go inside your clothes. So if it’s not unbearably hot, wear long pants and maybe long sleeves or a light jacket.
If they are a problem at night, indoors, I would recommend getting a mosquito net. I’ve heard they work well.
Off deep woods
I second the battery powered off thing. My parents go to the caribbean twice a year and often use that. it works like a charm.
I’m to the point where I would pay $20+ for something that worked. Do you all have suggestions? What’s the last thing you wanted/needed/craved that you would have been willing to pay a BIG mark up to get (candy, concert tickets, wine)?
I’m a little confused by today’s post. Is this just an awkward way of trying to connect mosquito bites to personal finance?
Is your comment an awkward way of poking fun? I’m bit by Mosquitos. I’m about to pay a huge mark up to get mosquito repellant from the campground store. I, therefore, asked if anyone else has a story of a time they were willing to pay a huge markup for something. That simple.
I think once you recover from the misery of your mosquito bites you’ll acknowledge I meant no harm. And no one so far has come up with such a story; instead, they’re all offering advice on Insect Repellent.
Mosquitoes don’t like vanilla. When I was in high school, I frequently wore vanilla lotion and never got bit. Get some vanilla extract and put it on pulse points. Plus, it smells a lot better than most bug repellents!
Off Deep Woods spray is pretty heavy duty and helps, and (unfortunately) long pants and long sleeve shirts with a hood. I just went through this last weekend when we went camping, the bugs were so bad at night we had to stay inside our rented cottages, not fun!
Bugs are major at my cottage and I am horribly bothered by them. Recently I have found a patch that helps keep the bugs away. (Insect defend patch) while it doesn’t keep them off me 100% my bites are cut WAY
Bugs are major at my cottage and I am horribly bothered by them. Recently I have found a patch that helps keep the bugs away. (Insect defend patch) while it doesn’t keep them off me 100% my bites are cut WAY down. my only tip where these are concerned is that you definitely need to make sure to not leave time in between when switching (they are usually good for 36hrs)
My wife has been on an organic kick lately and bought some EcoSmart Insect Repellent at Home Depot. She thinks it works well and even if it doesn’t, at least you don’t have to worry about the health risks of using DEET products.
Id recommend you just stay in your car and periodically roll your window down to let fresh air in. You will need to time it right though so that while the window is down you have a consistent stream of OFF firing into the air. Good Luck.
Get the “Deep Woods” Off. Only repellent that works in Louisiana.
Mosquito repellent in any form (wipe, spray cream) with at least a 20% concentration of DEET. I used Ultrathon cream, my brother used Cutter products this past February in Tanzania, where 2% of mosquitos carry malaria. We also pre-sprayed our clothes with peremethrin (which good mosquito nets are often saturated with) – but you need to do that in advance and wash everything after spraying.
Another vote for Deep Woods Off. Spray it on nice and thick, and they won’t come near you.
ThermaCell – butane powered repellant, comes in personal and larger sizes but I don’t recommend the “lantern” version.
Maybe you need a hazmat suit? Mosquitoes either “like” you or they don’t. Luckily they don’t like me, but I’ve been on camping trips where others get eaten alive. If you can get your hands on some coconut oil (it will be in solid form), rubbing that on might help keep them away, but it will also soothe the ones you have.
This may sound werid, but Bounce dryer sheets work great. Buy the original scent, then take a few sheets and rub them all over yourself. My husband’s aunt taught me this trick a few years ago at a 4th of July BBQ. His whole family does it, even on the little kids. It works great! Plus, a pack of Bounce Dryer sheets is a cheap option! Avon Skin So Soft is also an amazing bug repellent – that’s all my mom used on me growing up – but that may be harder to find on such short notice.
Although mosquitos are a pain, keep in mind that West Nile Virus typically only affects people with undeveloped or weakened immune systems. As a healthy 27 year old, you could become infected with West Nile Virus and not even know it. Although you may be on vacation, your immune system isn’t. Your body can defend and eliminate many viruses without you even knowing about it. Eat right, drink right, sleep right, and you’re body will do the rest (most of the time). You might feel off your game a bit for a day or so, but you probably wouldn’t go to a hospital, get diagnosed as a West Nile Virus case, and end up on the news about it.
Might I suggest Avon Bug Guard (skin so soft). I just reviewed it and it worked great for keeping away the deer flys, mosquitos, horse flies, ticks, ect.. Just not sure where you will find an Avon Rep. in the woods… Google one!
Use dryer sheets! I swear! You can carry one around in your pocket.
Spray not only your exposed skin but your clothes too! Mosquitos can bite through clothing. Don’t forget to spray your socks & shoes – reduces ticks & chiggers. Good luck!
And right now I’d pay an outrageous sum for an energy drink & the ability to drink it (I’m preggo & can’t have very much caffiene).
Stay near the campfire (they don’t like the smoke) and the off fan thingy has helped me, but you get your own little buzz. It’s like a soundtrack.
The last thing I did ridiculous like that was take money out at the Casino – got hit with a $6 charge there and $2 on my side! I needed cash to gamble since they didn’t let me bet my good looks lol
Bounce Dryer Sheets. Seriously. Rub it all over your body.
I read an article recently that said to put dishwashing liquid in a shallow cup and the mosquitos are drawn to it. It does not protect your body, but instead of being drawn to you, they are drawn to the dishwashing liquid. Isn’t camping fun!?
What would I pay a huge mark-up for?
Nail clippers- after being on my feet for a ten hour work day when my toe nails were just a touch too long and my shoes a touch too small….probably would have paid up to $18 for some clippers.
I think everyone has overlooked the real question here: Why are you sleeping in the back of an SUV when you’re supposed to be “camping”?
Anything with DEET will work. Military grade stuff will remove nail polish.
On a trip to Hawaii, I thought I got enough sunblock put on — DIDN’T — paid through the nose for Banana Boat’s Sooth- A-Caine for the sunburn, and boy that stuff worked! Glad to have bought it. (Still using the stuff….can’t find it here, though….I’ll have to find where to order it online.)
No idea what works to prevent bug bites….you could be fashionable and buy the full body mosquito net…for the welts I get after the bite, I find the AfterBite stuff doesn’t work well, but Aveeno’s Anti-Itch Cream is awesome!
I’d be more worried about a tick bite…lyme disease