Alaska... Mosquito Repellent. Spray, Patch, home remedy what works best???

jayeandjohn

New member
No mosquitos in Yukon and Alaska in late July and Augustr - unbelievable but true

Yeah - and they call me the 'Mosquito Magnet' ! Arrived in Yukon about July 24 and didn't even have to use bug spray. Left for the long drive home about Sept 5.

But June in Maine, July in Minnesota - head net, 30% deet, and a Columbia Insect Blocker long sleeve shirt. Anything loose woven (even jeans!) seems to invite bites. I have an outfit of very thin but tightly woven cotton from India (almost see-through) and that's the very best.
 

the grouch

New member
I don't meant to scare you, but mosquitoes are bad this year. Wet spring, warm June and we are having an extraordinary mosquito crop.

DEET works, but you will still have a cloud of skeeters buzzing around you. Long sleeves will help too. You May want a head net.
 

86tuning

Adventurer

Thanks for the info on this permethrin stuff. It's not readily available in Canada, and this thread is the first time I've heard of it. Managed to get some and treat my hiking clothes for a backpacking trip, and have to say it works quite well. Treated a hat, long sleeves and pants. And a head bug net as well.

My companions were being swarmed, and they mostly left me alone. Trip saver for sure.

Did a bunch of research, and will be keeping this stuff away from my fishing clothes and equipment, as the same stuff that kills bugs will kill fish.
 

Off Duty

Adventurer
Skin So Soft by Avon works well with North Florida skeeters. It's made by Avon and its by far the most effective and best smelling repellent I've used. Also, snag a couple ThermaCells, one for each of you. Maybe try the Buff Headwear Insect Shield. I use a Buff for UV protection while fishing...never tried the insect shield one though.

I use both the Avon/SSS, and the Buff Headwear when I'm on the water or elsewhere where the bugs (and the sun) are an issue.
We used it (Avon) in the Coast Guard as well, and even in the harshest areas, it always worked.

when I lived in Honduras and would go into the jungle %100 deet
around town avon skin so soft worked but the best thing was long sleeve shirts and keeping minimal skin exposed

Agreed!

Deet is nasty stuff for sure :) but it works
I know off and skin so soft and all that stuff in the jungles did not work on bare skin ! also with mention of diseases its no fun to get super sick but cant think Alaska has any issues ?
having had Dengue and some other fun stuff from Central America living I dont want to go through that again :)

I was in Suriname South America last year on a training assignment.
We were in the swamps and rice paddies, and the Skin So Soft worked like a champ against all of the biting insects down there.

One of the locals that we trained, never wore anything. A week or so after we left, he came down with Dengue, and damned near died:(
 

Rattler

Thornton Melon's Kid
Anyone know of anything to keep ticks off? They are supposed to be bad this year in teh Upper Penninsula where we are going camping in a few weeks. I just don't want the boys getting bitten by them.
 

Off Duty

Adventurer
I was in Cedar Key, Fl. this weekend. It's been raining up there quite a bit, and the ditches, etc., are full. Of course it's also right on the water, so you can imagine the mosquitoes and no-see-ums.

Used the skin so soft, not a bite, not even a nibble.
Wife "forgot to put it on" and is still scratching!

Stuff works.
 

LACamper

Adventurer
I'm down in the Louisiana Swamps. I've heard AK has a worse mosquito problem but I don't believe it... :)

Skin so soft is great for gnats here. I always bring a bottle in my tackle box for salt water fishing. It doesn't seem to make a difference to mosquitoes though.

Some people attract more bugs. One of my camping buddies attracts deer and horse flies from miles around. We take turns smacking him. Great fun! plus it keeps us from getting bitten. We always invite him on camping trips! Find someone like that to bring along...

Deet... don't get it on your glasses! It'll take the coatings off. Nasty stuff. It works somewhat but at what price. Deep woods off is ok. Better to just cover up though.
 

Rattler

Thornton Melon's Kid
I was in Cedar Key, Fl. this weekend. It's been raining up there quite a bit, and the ditches, etc., are full. Of course it's also right on the water, so you can imagine the mosquitoes and no-see-ums.

Used the skin so soft, not a bite, not even a nibble.
Wife "forgot to put it on" and is still scratching!

Stuff works.

I hope you stayed away from the Bonish guy there!
 

Off Duty

Adventurer
I hope you stayed away from the Bonish guy there!

LOL- yes, but only by default- LOL

I got so wrapped up in the granddaughter's excitement, and what we were doing on the Keys, that I lost track of time.
By the time I thought about it again, it was we were in the middle of a nasty thunderstorm, and headed out of town:(

Definitely going to catch up with him next time we're there.
I owe him for the lighthouse tip:)
 

Honu

lost on the mainland
funny just catching up on facebook friends
from the island I used to live on in the Caribbean someone posted this as they have really bad ticks there
again just something I copied no idea if it works or not but might be a starting point ! when I was there nothing seemed to work on ticks other than closed off long clothes and checking yourself or have someone do it :)



here is the post:
This could be the most important thing that you see me post! Its an epidemic this year, and these things are as lethal as a venomous snake in the wrong senerio! Please not only read it, but share it! Make sure we get the word out about these tics and the disease they carry!

It's summer! Time for camping, hiking and getting outside to play. Don't let those pesky annoying ticks stop you. Here's how with a simple homemade solution!

Repellent for your pets:

For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone. Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).

To make a repellent that will also deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, any of which will repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent. Spray onto the pet's dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray this solution on two to three times per day.

For you and your family:

In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water. To make a scented solution so you do not smell like bitter vinegar all day, add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

Eucalyptus oil is a calm, soothing scent that also works as a tick repellent, while peppermint and citrus oils give off a strong crisp scent that also repel ticks.

After mixing the solution, spray onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when back inside to make sure no ticks are on the body.


Anyone know of anything to keep ticks off? They are supposed to be bad this year in teh Upper Penninsula where we are going camping in a few weeks. I just don't want the boys getting bitten by them.
 

Rattler

Thornton Melon's Kid
LOL- yes, but only by default- LOL

I got so wrapped up in the granddaughter's excitement, and what we were doing on the Keys, that I lost track of time.
By the time I thought about it again, it was we were in the middle of a nasty thunderstorm, and headed out of town:(

Definitely going to catch up with him next time we're there.
I owe him for the lighthouse tip:)

Pat & Cindy are awesome folks! I wish they would come up and do another UP trip with us! Pat is one of my photo mentors.
 

madmax718

Explorer
nothing beats permethrin for treating your clothing and equipment. I use it on my hunting gear, tents, backpacks, pants, shirts, hats. mosquitoes don't really like to go near it, and ticks will die shortly after contact with it. Its good stuff, and lasts for weeks without reapplication.

I've got a thing against ticks and mosquitoes. I hate them so much I've spent probably weeks of my life trying to find ways to remove them from my life.

For home, I have both a bug zapper, and a mosquito magnet executive (it uses propane to generate heat and co2 to lure the female mosquitoes in). And it does a pretty damn fabulous job, I've got a cup of dead ones since april. It has cut down the population immensely.

For large mosquito clouds in your camp, make it a game. You can get electronic mosquito zappers (look like tennis rackets) for a few bucks each, and hand them out to the kids. Heck, Im going to bring EXTRA just to give to the kids running around camp sites just so they can kill the mosquitoes for me!

Thermacell: It works pretty well out east here. Here's some other options for you if you are traveling: The same active ingredient is used in the Off "candle" with the blue rectangle cartridge, the off "coil" , and the other company (I cant remember) sells green "sticks" which you light and it smokes. All three use the same ingredient, and works rather well for east coast buggers. But it *DIDNT USED TO.*


In the past few years, the asian tiger mosquito has grown in population.

Asian-Mosquito.gif
these pesky !@#! holes fly slow, but they are persistent, and don't seem to have the same "buzzy" sound as regular mosquitoes. the bad part is, they come out during DAYTIME hours.

I say didn't used to because the first time I lit one of the coils, It reminded me of a smell I remember from when I was a kid traveling in asia. It was the mosquito coils from "back in the day!". So the increase of tiger mosquitoes have made these devices more effective.

The off "personal clip" doesn't work here. Tried it, didn't work for me. I did use some stick on citronella patches that *sometimes* works, just depends on the type of buggers you have.

And then there is deet. the Ultra thon does work well. I carry a 100% deet pump spray (the little stick) for those times that I wasn't planning on being outside, (impromptu bbq?). And yes, sometimes Im a bad person, and I put it on discreetly, and let the others get bitten, so that they don't bite me.
 

Crom

Expo this, expo that, exp
nothing beats permethrin for treating your clothing and equipment. I use it on my hunting gear, tents, backpacks, pants, shirts, hats. mosquitoes don't really like to go near it, and ticks will die shortly after contact with it. Its good stuff, and lasts for weeks without reapplication.

I've got a thing against ticks and mosquitoes. I hate them so much I've spent probably weeks of my life trying to find ways to remove them from my life.

For home, I have both a bug zapper, and a mosquito magnet executive (it uses propane to generate heat and co2 to lure the female mosquitoes in). And it does a pretty damn fabulous job, I've got a cup of dead ones since april. It has cut down the population immensely.

For large mosquito clouds in your camp, make it a game. You can get electronic mosquito zappers (look like tennis rackets) for a few bucks each, and hand them out to the kids. Heck, Im going to bring EXTRA just to give to the kids running around camp sites just so they can kill the mosquitoes for me!

Thermacell: It works pretty well out east here. Here's some other options for you if you are traveling: The same active ingredient is used in the Off "candle" with the blue rectangle cartridge, the off "coil" , and the other company (I cant remember) sells green "sticks" which you light and it smokes. All three use the same ingredient, and works rather well for east coast buggers. But it *DIDNT USED TO.*


In the past few years, the asian tiger mosquito has grown in population.

View attachment 172088
these pesky !@#! holes fly slow, but they are persistent, and don't seem to have the same "buzzy" sound as regular mosquitoes. the bad part is, they come out during DAYTIME hours.

I say didn't used to because the first time I lit one of the coils, It reminded me of a smell I remember from when I was a kid traveling in asia. It was the mosquito coils from "back in the day!". So the increase of tiger mosquitoes have made these devices more effective.

The off "personal clip" doesn't work here. Tried it, didn't work for me. I did use some stick on citronella patches that *sometimes* works, just depends on the type of buggers you have.

And then there is deet. the Ultra thon does work well. I carry a 100% deet pump spray (the little stick) for those times that I wasn't planning on being outside, (impromptu bbq?).

I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks.

And yes, sometimes Im a bad person, and I put it on discreetly, and let the others get bitten, so that they don't bite me.

ROFL!!! :hehe:
 

Rattler

Thornton Melon's Kid
funny just catching up on facebook friends
from the island I used to live on in the Caribbean someone posted this as they have really bad ticks there
again just something I copied no idea if it works or not but might be a starting point ! when I was there nothing seemed to work on ticks other than closed off long clothes and checking yourself or have someone do it :)



here is the post:
This could be the most important thing that you see me post! Its an epidemic this year, and these things are as lethal as a venomous snake in the wrong senerio! Please not only read it, but share it! Make sure we get the word out about these tics and the disease they carry!

It's summer! Time for camping, hiking and getting outside to play. Don't let those pesky annoying ticks stop you. Here's how with a simple homemade solution!

Repellent for your pets:

For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone. Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).

To make a repellent that will also deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, any of which will repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent. Spray onto the pet's dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray this solution on two to three times per day.

For you and your family:

In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water. To make a scented solution so you do not smell like bitter vinegar all day, add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

Eucalyptus oil is a calm, soothing scent that also works as a tick repellent, while peppermint and citrus oils give off a strong crisp scent that also repel ticks.

After mixing the solution, spray onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when back inside to make sure no ticks are on the body.

Thanks for that. I may take a bottle of the mixture for ticks up if we start seeing them or hearing about others having probelsm with them.
 

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