Mosquito Bites

[Golden Paws]

I had a mozzie bite on my arm about 30 years ago and remember struggling to drive home as I could hardly change gear as it was so swollen and it lasted for a week.

After that, nothing. I can't remember getting bitten in all that time. There are several threads on here about the merits of jungle formulae, Avon skin so soft and burning coils but didn't really need to act on it.

Two weeks ago I got bitten, luckily just on my ear lobe and it was only a minor inconvenience. I decided to get some jungle formuale just in case and stuck it in my bag. Just got back from a Sunday to Tuesday session on another lake and on the Sunday, I had some buzzing around my ear and when I woke up the next morning I had been done with a series of bites across my forehead, neck and cheek. I try to avoid putting the door panel on my bivvy  during the warmer months as I prefer to be able to look out and watch the water, even after dark. The second night I sprayed some jungle formulae on my chest and head  and heard some mozzies approach during the night but they seemed to fly straight off again which was encouraging. I found one outside my bivvy the next morning and he got squashed into the chippings under my size 12! 

I've been up the chemist and got some Anthisan bite and sting cream which will go in my bag for future sessions.

I wonder if the long hot summer we have had increased their numbers and activity time as conditions are still unseasonly warm.

 

[framey]

If I get stung/bitten 

I use after bite, the sting of it working is a relief itself 

[commonly]

Everyone I know within a 5 mile radius has been bitten in the past 5-6 weeks.

I had jungle formula on, sprayed the sheets (mmm that sweet aroma), but still had about 5 bites.

Thankfully none in the past week.

[salokcinnodrog]

I have hardly even had to resort to the Jungle Formula or Lifesystems this year, but the majority of the swims I have fished are tree or bush free and quite open. 

I do hardly get bitten though compared to other people, something to do with blood type apparently. Just my luck, I can't even pull a female mosquito 😒 😅

I have seen plenty of chironomid hatches, seeing and hearing massive clouds of them above my bivvy.

I'm wondering if the long dry warm weather possibly reduced numbers as boggy areas, streams and ponds have been dried out, and what has hatched recently on the occasional rainy day is facing increased competition to reproduce.

 

On the occasion of being bitten or stung, I do have Savlon antiseptic cream in my rucksack.

 

Stung: In June I was bivvy free opposite the island at the shallower end of the lake and woke up to something crawling just above my ear.  Without thinking I attempted to grab it, it turned out to me a wasp and stung me on the head. 

 

 

 

[yonny]

1 hour ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I do hardly get bitten though compared to other people, something to do with blood type apparently.

I've also read it's something to do with blood type. I'm the opposite of you, they love me. I react to the bites too. Still wont go near Jungle Formula/Lifesystems (DEET) though. Horrible stuff. Dyes your clothes and melts plastic. The Skin-So-Soft tends to work for me in the UK, as does Incognito. Abroad I really struggle.

I've defo had fewer mozzi problems this year. I think most insect species are down in numbers.

[salokcinnodrog]

4 hours ago, yonny said:

I've also read it's something to do with blood type. I'm the opposite of you, they love me. I react to the bites too. Still wont go near Jungle Formula/Lifesystems (DEET) though. Horrible stuff. Dyes your clothes and melts plastic. The Skin-So-Soft tends to work for me in the UK, as does Incognito. Abroad I really struggle.

I've defo had fewer mozzi problems this year. I think most insect species are down in numbers.

It's blood type O that is most susceptible to bites, I did have to check it up.

I did look at my Jungle Systems this morning and I know that they have moved away from DEET. It used to give me a real headache, and took print off t-shirts.

Skin-so-Soft was good, but apparently the amount of citronella has been reduced, and I could only get the original from Avon Poland.