Skeeter Beaters

Summer's here and so are the bugs! I just got back from a weekend in the Daks where we were a walking - talking -bug buffet so thought I would share some thought on how to beat those pesky blood sucking monsters!

It's not just mosquitos - ticks can be a bigger problem due to the risk of Lime's Disease. Unfortunately, Black Flies and Deer flies seem to laugh at any kind of insect repellant!

Best bet: Cover up! -

• lightweight long pants with pants tucked into socks
• long sleeve shirt
• hat and head net

Avoid being out right after dusk - that's when the dinner bell rings for skeeters. Here are my recommendations. Hey -let me know what you think or if you have any other favorite bug beaters that work!

Old Wives Tales & Urban Legends:

There is a lot of noise about alternative natural bug repellants such as taking vitamin B1, wearing Bounce Fabric Softener sheets, eating bananas, skin-so soft, vanilla and garlic. I just saw an online recipe for a topical mixture of catnip and rice vinegar. ( Let's just hope there are no mountain lions around when you use that one) There are also some electronic devices that emit high frequency noises. Most of the current research I have seen suggests that the effectiveness of these treatments are nothing more than urban legends!

Science Rules!

That's why if I am being attacked by voracious tiny flying vampires I trust in science! Give me something made in a laboratory that will kill everything in sight! Consumer Reports and The New England Journal of Medicine both confirmed that Deet wins as most effective in tests against mosquitos. But, the down side is that Deet is thought to have health risks. Another scary thing about Deet is it can degrade some synthetic fabrics such as nylon that are used in most backpacking clothing.

New Bug Dope

A recent new repellant in the US that has been used in Europe and Australia since 1988 is an ingredient called picaridin. It's supposed to be a good Deet substitute and is safe on plastics and synthetics and does not have an unpleasant odor. The Cutter company has a downloadable brochure with info on various repellants.

On our recent buggy trip to the Daks one guy used Repel Lemon - Eucalyptus. This is a plant based formula which seemed to help keep bugs away and has a strong but not too bad a smell. But...don't bug out!... fight back against those pesky varmints!

Recommendations - they come in lightweight sizes ideal for backpacking.

1. Deet: 1 oz pump -Cutter 100, Repel 100, Off Deepwoods
2. Picaridin - one brand is Cutter Advanced
3. Repel Lemon Eucalyptus