Trains.com

Mosquitoes out already!

2403 views
30 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 18, 2004 6:39 PM
I definately recommend using anything to keep them from draining your blood. I was outside in shorts (my first mistake) without any type of repellant or Skin So Soft (my second mistake ) and when I came in maybe 20, 30 minutes later, I counted 14 bites on my left leg alone. Odd thing is that there was only 1 on my right leg and none on my arms (so I get to at least keep the scratching to one general area.) I don't guess the 5 inches of rain we got this week is going to help either.
  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 18, 2004 8:36 AM
Tree - I use SSS and can repel most anything! Kin included! It seems to work ok, but you do have a tendency to slide out of the front seat of the car until it really soaks in......

Mook

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,021 posts
Posted by tree68 on Friday, June 18, 2004 6:53 AM
Is "Skin So Soft" still formulated so it repels Skeeters and kin? (That's kin of skeeters, not your family[:p])

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 17, 2004 6:28 PM
Think of it this way....She needs to feed too.
"SHE WANTS TO SUCK YOUR BLOOD AND NEEDS TO FEED!" hehehehehehe.
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 437 posts
Posted by BNSFNUT on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:57 AM
Mosquitoes are bad here in the Southern Tier of NY. I just use a lot of deet based repelent. There is a product that is usually sold in the Adirondaks for repelling black flies (these things make moquitoes look tame) called Woodsmans Dope. It works well for mosquotos but also repells small furry animals, birds. the paint on your car and peaple for about 300 yds[:D]

There is no such thing as a bad day of railfanning. So many trains, so little time.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Bottom Left Corner, USA
  • 3,420 posts
Posted by dharmon on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 10:24 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by cherokee woman

Walt says that while he was still in the Guard, they took a summer camp at Ft. Campbell
KY and the mosquitoes down there (he swears this, too) have Red Crosses on their
wings. And the military insect repellant sucks swamp water!!



That's why you chuck the military issue stuff away and get dome deep woods off.


Nuthin beats a Maine mosquito for tenacity though. They may be small, but their poor and malnourished so when they get a meal, they eat like it's a buffet.
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 9:56 AM
Walt says that while he was still in the Guard, they took a summer camp at Ft. Campbell
KY and the mosquitoes down there (he swears this, too) have Red Crosses on their
wings. And the military insect repellant sucks swamp water!!
Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Bottom Left Corner, USA
  • 3,420 posts
Posted by dharmon on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 9:26 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard


Weird little fact: only the female skeeter buzzes, and she feeds the most![:D]

Ed


What's weird about that? [dinner]


Yeah..cause the females in my house make most the noise too......

running for cover[:0]
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Bottom Left Corner, USA
  • 3,420 posts
Posted by dharmon on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 9:25 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard

Dan,
You listening to these guys whine about skeeters?
Grew up in the swamp called Houston, trade ya skeeters any day of the week!

Macguy has your answer, DEET.
Most of your comercial products, Deep Woods Off, stuff like that, has a 2% concentration of deet in it.
Our railroad issued a small, 4oz pump bottle to each of us, 52% deet, the rest inert ingredients.
Spray it on your cloths, not a single bite.
You cant buy this in a store, but you can read the labels on the products sold, and find the highest concentration.

Warning for most folks, try any product with deet in it on a small patch of skin, inside forearm first, before applying to the rest of your skin.
Quite a few people have a very bad reaction to more than 2% deet, from skin ra***o headaches and bloody noses, so test first.

Weird little fact: only the female skeeter buzzes, and she feeds the most![:D]

Ed




Yeah, them Texas skeeters.......have to swat them with 20 gauge. Gets you trained up for bird season though.

As far as DEET goes......nothin like having some on your fingers then taking a big old furry dip of Copenhagen........talk about you head rush....as strange loss of sensation...
  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 6:44 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by edblysard


Weird little fact: only the female skeeter buzzes, and she feeds the most![:D]

Ed


What's weird about that? [dinner]

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • 9,265 posts
Posted by edblysard on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 5:33 AM
Dan,
You listening to these guys whine about skeeters?
Grew up in the swamp called Houston, trade ya skeeters any day of the week!

Macguy has your answer, DEET.
Most of your comercial products, Deep Woods Off, stuff like that, has a 2% concentration of deet in it.
Our railroad issued a small, 4oz pump bottle to each of us, 52% deet, the rest inert ingredients.
Spray it on your cloths, not a single bite.
You cant buy this in a store, but you can read the labels on the products sold, and find the highest concentration.

Warning for most folks, try any product with deet in it on a small patch of skin, inside forearm first, before applying to the rest of your skin.
Quite a few people have a very bad reaction to more than 2% deet, from skin ra***o headaches and bloody noses, so test first.

Weird little fact: only the female skeeter buzzes, and she feeds the most![:D]

Ed

23 17 46 11

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Australia
  • 786 posts
Posted by Kozzie on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:49 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Yea, but your "cold" isn't even very cold is it Kozzie. Certainly not like Indiana cold.


Ahhh! modelcar [:0] You've got me! [;)] At least for us here in Queensland. [:)] You lot would laugh at what temps we call winter. [(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

But it does get cold down south in Victoria, Tasmania and parts of New South Wales. Their temps would be closer to what you Hoosiers put up with [:0] [:0]

But the skeeters have even left our corner of Queensland..hee hee...and that's the main thing! hee hee [(-D][(-D][(-D][:D][:p]

Dave
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: US
  • 725 posts
Posted by Puckdropper on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 10:37 PM
All the orange barrels are around Peoria, IL. They have got some roads just torn up there! (I-74 construction is affecting everything!)
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Rockton, IL
  • 4,821 posts
Posted by jeaton on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 8:40 AM
Here it's called winter and orange barrel season, except this year the barrels have disappeared. Hauled off tp the breeding grounds?

"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 8:32 AM
....Yea, but your "cold" isn't even very cold is it Kozzie. Certainly not like Indiana cold.

Quentin

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Australia
  • 786 posts
Posted by Kozzie on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 12:25 AM
Ahhh! [;)] So that's where all our skeeters have gone! It's too cold now downunder, so they're headed north for you "up over' folk! [}:)] hee hee [;)] [}:)]
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 11:21 PM
Here's what you gotta do... if you have one of them there antique carbureated cars- you take the air cleaner off, fire up the engine (that's en-jine!) and slowly pour a quart of tranny fluid down the throat of that there carbinator- but keep the r's up or yull stall er! Pretty soon y'all won't have no skeeter problem, maybe a FD problem though. You may hafta do this several times during yer outdoor activities but it works! Trust me- I had the FD at my door twice for this years ago!
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Athens, GA
  • 549 posts
Posted by Dough on Monday, June 14, 2004 3:17 PM
LMAO, Puck. I was thinking the same thing. I would be jumping for joy if they were just now coming out in the middle of June...It can be brutal down here in GA.[:D]
  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Monday, June 14, 2004 12:13 PM
Mookie bug here! Mosquitoes have no value - except as occasional bird feed. June bugs are those ugly white grubs as adults - ugh - but cicadas - now there is something nice. They don't bite, they climb trees and give you an old dry skin to wear on your shirt and they aren't nearly as noisy as my next door neighbors! And they can add crunch to your diet.....

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: US
  • 725 posts
Posted by Puckdropper on Monday, June 14, 2004 2:27 AM
miniwyo, we have a vaccine for horses and not humans because many humans act like part of a horse (As in he's a real horses...)... (Think about it.)

Mosquitoes go in? I thought they stayed out all winter in Hennepin, IL (20' above the Illinois River.)
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Rock Springs Wy.
  • 1,967 posts
Posted by miniwyo on Monday, June 14, 2004 1:54 AM
OH CRAP!!!!! NOT THE MOSQUITOS AGAIN!!!! I already gave blood this year! :) :) :)

But seriously does after getting all my horses vaccinated for WNV i got to thinking why do we have a vaccene for horses but not humans?? Kinda makes you think.

RJ

"Something hidden, Go and find it. Go and look behind the ranges, Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go." The Explorers - Rudyard Kipling

http://sweetwater-photography.com/

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Anywhere there are trains
  • 578 posts
Posted by Train Guy 3 on Sunday, June 13, 2004 10:44 PM
Part of my train watching gear now is a candle..... it seems to work.

TG3 LOOK ! LISTEN ! LIVE ! Remember the 3.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
  • 10,820 posts
Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, June 13, 2004 10:27 PM
What, no junebugs yet? (or have the cicadas back east driven everything else off!)
Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 13, 2004 9:26 PM
Just make sure you use a spray that has Deet in it.

Apply it before you go out.

Seems to work for me, dark clothes are also something to stay away from try to wear white...wear long sleeves and pants and a hat.

That should help.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,319 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, June 13, 2004 9:04 PM
Mother nature dropped a lake in a park off my back yard so there will be plenty of misquitos around.at least those cicadas are dying off now.
stay safe
Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 13, 2004 8:02 PM
Its the same in New Jersey. All those darn mosquitoes. Ive got bitten like 30 times this week.
  • Member since
    October 2002
  • From: St. Louis Area, Florrisant to be specific!!!!!!!!!
  • 1,134 posts
Posted by bnsfkline on Sunday, June 13, 2004 8:01 PM
dbld1218, You are brave, espcially when West Nile Virus out there
Jim Tiroch RIP Saveria DiBlasi - My First True Love and a Great Railfanning Companion Saveria Danielle DiBlasi Feb 5th, 1986 - Nov 4th, 2008 Check em out! My photos that is: http://bnsfkline.rrpicturearchives.net and ALS2001 Productions http://www.youtube.com/ALS2001
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 13, 2004 7:22 PM
i was out around Savanna and Galena, IL this weekend and i must of been bit 3 dozen times. i sprayed OFF by that seemed to atrat them more. But nothing will stop me from railfanning.
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Aurora, IL
  • 4,515 posts
Posted by eolafan on Thursday, June 10, 2004 4:57 PM
Here in Illinois at this time of year think the skeeter is the state bird!
Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim)

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy