Mozzie repellent

[DiamondEcho]

Some people get bitten much less than others. I've spent year in the tropics, had numerous house-guests when I've lived there, spent months doing my prof. diving quals up in Malaysia seeing tourists from all over come and go, and I still haven't figured it out.
Locals just seem to get bitten less, they'll say 'Ah but your blood is sweet'... Some people incl. tourists get bitten less, some what ever they do seem to get eaten alive.

[AleisterCrowley]

I dont seem to get bitten - no idea why , I dont use anything.

How bad are the mosquitos in deepest Berkshire this time of year?

Nightmare , down by the river. But they are Eton mozzies so only feed on blue blood

[DiamondEcho]

'Asian Tiger Mosquitos', or 'Little stripey F'ers' as they are also known, colloquially Immediately distinctive due to their stripey legs - http://www.mosquitoreviews.com/Aedes_albopictus.jpg Absolutely the most aggressive mosquitos I've encountered.

That said out in S. America they have tiny little yellow flies, so small you can hardly see them, they look more like aphids. 'Little custard F'ers' as we styled them [Side-thought: I wonder if there is any x-over with Scottish 'No see ums']

You need to know what the particular local problem is like before planning how to defend against it.

[roger4]

CK, you have been so helpful to so many others I am delighted I can help. I too suffer from mosquitos and on my island in the Indian Ocean, they are a real problem at the moment as the vector for Dengue Fever.
I use Citronella Oil and it works. It needs to be replenished about every 3-4 hours and the smell is much better than DEET preparations. I urge you to try it. It can be used on the face and ears. I usually just put a fair amount on my hands and then "wash" my face and neck and ears as if with soap. If you use a long sleeved shirt just apply it to your wrists. Otherwise just cover the exposed parts. The bottles contain 25mls and it soon goes.
As has been stated elsewhere in the thread, the bumps are a histamine reaction and a topical anti-histamine will take care of those. I use Anthisan. There is a caveat however, people using topical anti-histamines should avoid direct sunlight because in extreme cases it can lead to photosensitivity.

[JMN2]

For the itchy bumps go to the sauna and scratch like crazy for an hour or so, afterwards feel so much better!

[PinkDalek]

For the itchy bumps go to the sauna and scratch like crazy for an hour or so, afterwards feel so much better!

Yes, well, I did just that in Suomi Finland in the seventies. Where they know how to grow mosquitoes and how to pronounce sauna!

Lucky the local medics spoke English as they treated my infection a few days later and explained where I'd gone wrong.