mosquito bites - Page 5

Nina123 · #81 08.05.2011, 04:13

So here I am searching EF at 4 in the morning for effective mosquito repellents. Saw a giant one in the room while changing my baby's diaper.

Now I need a baby friendly repellent - the window nets seem a good idea - have to wait until Monday though!

Custodian · #82 08.05.2011, 11:46

	Quote:	mark
	Good point to mention screens and where to get them! I don't think there's anything special about "Swiss" mosquitos, they are just as annoying as their counterparts in other countries (certainly in my experience). In Australia pretty much all homes I ever saw had insect screens on all windows and doors. If this is considered when the window is designed the cost is almost minimal. Mind you, there are plenty more flies down there than there are here... Giving some thought to where the mozzies come from can also be of great help, because most people don't consider this at all. Living next to a lake won't necessarily mean more mozzies. That's because they need stagnant water to breed, so the surface of the lake won't be suitable at all. If there are puddles around where the water can stagnate, this is another story. Around my flat I managed to eliminate a few breeding sites - I simply checked for plant pots which had trapped rainwater and turned them upside down, also the same for the metal tray at the bottom of my BBQ. Remember that mozzies don't tend to stray far from their birth site, so if you can get rid of the places where they lay their eggs you'll solve a big part of the problem. I also looked around for further sources - drains. Check for tell-tale signs like spider webs around the top of the drain covers - the spiders are waiting to trap them as they fly in and out. What can you do about this? If you find a source of water that you can't empty, you can put a thin layer of something like kerosine (I used lighter fuel from migros) over the surface of the water. You don't need much, but it will form a thin layer over the surface, blocking the oxygen supply to the water below. The larvae will never hatch. If you live near a farm then you'll be in trouble - mozzies also like shade so long grass gives them somewhere to hang out during the day, and stagnant pools are also easier for them to find. But if you don't live near a farm the techniques described above may help you to reduce your mozzie problem to a level that doesn't drive you insane. Singapore had an interesting approach - they made puddles illegal, with no puddles, there was no mozzie problem. That's just what I've heard, I'm sure someone from Singapore is going to jump in and correct me here... You can also get a special sense of satisfaction if you kill one - it's only the females that bite, and each bite gives each female enough blood to lay 200 eggs...

Comprehensive informative wide ranging and good ideas.
Helped already.
Thanks

Ed Pummelon · #83 08.05.2011, 13:23

I swear by the Finito plug in things. You can't smell them and they work a treat.

You can get them from most Coops I think.

little_isabella · #84 24.01.2012, 09:33

	Quote:	corrieorrie
	1' Skin so soft' body spray. By Avon cosmetics. This is not sold as a repellent but is wonderful. Crew have been using it for years and then an article in The Telegraph confirmed its effectiveness, as it was used by Mel Gibson whilst filming Brave Heart in Scotland after he was badly bitten. It doesn't smell girly at all, so good for Blokey Blokes too!

I just read this post and mentioned it to my husband, who had an interesting reply. Apparently, he was working out in the mosquito-infested woods in Alberta and they were using DEET. But it wasn't working that well. However, one of the other guys there was using the Avon stuff and didn't get any bites. They were all really surprised.

Anyone know where one can buy Avon in Switzerland?