Some of you guys are saying deet does not repel black flies????

You likely were using a bad batch or expired deet because in all my years working in the Great Northwoods of northern NH and Maine deet has always worked very well at repelling insects of every species. They may continue to buzz around, but if they landed and stayed on any part of my body that meant there was no deet on that spot or it had worn off on bushes, or due to sweat, etc.

I know some sprays are pretty weak in percentage of deet and that could be a problem for longer term protection.

If an insect were to become covered in viable deet it would live about 1/10 of a second.

Catnip oil (Nepetalactone) is supposed to be much more effective on mosquitoes than DEET. I wonder why no one's offered it as a commercial repellent yet?

What I’ve read DEET needs to be 28% or higher to repel flies. Or it will work in lower DEET concentrations if it has R-246 & R-326 in it.

I think body chemistry plans a bigger role in all this than repellent manufacturers like to let on. DW and I will walk to the mailbox in the even and she'll end up with 6-7 bites and I won't have any. Her record was 17 and I got 1. Citronella fails completely with her and she dislikes the feel of DEET. Her repellent of choice is a thick oak door, a fuzzy comforter, the couch and a good book.

I'd use this article as a guideline for trying new stuff. It told of things I'd never heard of. So see what the experts say about the choices/concentrations and give it a shot to see if it does the same for you.

-Blast

Hi Blast,



You could always try 'Mossy Off'.

http://www.thejetrest.com/MozzyOffTrials.asp

The active ingredient is Myrica Gale (Bog Myrtle)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrica_gale

I've heard Brewers Yeast works well, consumed, not topical. But it smells from a distance, even while still in the closed container, so I've never tried it. Some of the B vitamins are said to work as well.

Eventually there will be vitamin enhanced, garlic resistant mosquitoes with a taste for onions.

but seriously, on a visit to AK a few years ago I tried orange oil and tangerine oil mixed with apricot kernel oil, a 50/50 mix of apricot to one of the other oils, and got fair results, short of a flame thrower there isn't much to stop an AK mosquito. I'm one of those who doesn't like to wear bug spray, either.

While working in a friends garden in Arkansas I got bite by mosquitoes and the bites itched so much I put neosporin on them immediately, the itch stopped and it eliminated the red bumps around the bite, as well. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to use neosporin that way, but it worked for me.

Echo the thoughts on body chemistry. Bugs choose targets by scent by and large- if with deet you smell REALLY good, you'll get bit while dripping with the stuff.

Frostbite, next time, try just plain vaseline. I know oxidation plays a part in the itching, so maybe it just a matter of becoming air tight.

That sound like SUCH a good idea. Full body shell of vaseline + sparks.... Yeah, bad :P

I've had really good luck with Repel Lemon Eucalyptus:

http://www.repel.com/ProductCategories/Insectrepellents/LemonEucalyptus/

FWIW, they say:

"Oil of lemon eucalyptus, in addition to DEET and Picaridin, has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for effective protection against mosquitoes that may carry the West Nile virus."

It doesn't last as long as DEET but I find it quite effective and it doesn't have all of the negatives of DEET.

Welcome Newguy!

Lots of garlic (and maybe onions too). How is your love life?