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Mosquitos!

3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I've done the VdlP twice, starting from Seville in mid April both times.
The firsst time I went straight North from Salamanca and joined the Camino Frances in Astorga.
The second time I turned west and went through Orense to Santiago.

I recommend the second route.

As for mosquitos. None in April / May.

Buen Camino
David, Victoria, Canada.
 
Yes, you're lucky. Last September, they were horrible in several sections, and actually forced me to run a few miles through the worst wooded sections.

Melanie
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Mid-Aprl-Mid-May 2011: No sight of mosquitos on Sevilla-Salamanca.
I am starting from Salamanca around 18-20 of April. Bending off through Ourense..

Buen camino!
 
Only female mosquitoes bite. Mosquitoes hatch in the warm summer months, so May is on the cusp -- you can get mosquitoes if the weather has been warm and they are hatching. The dry winter may result in fewer breeding grounds for mosquitoes. I take a small bottle of DEET for arms and legs, and a sun hat with a drop-down mesh for my face and neck (mostly for the more-pesky gnats). DEET works against bed bugs, too, so can do double duty if there is an outbreak of them along the way (also usually after May).

Only female mosquitoes bite animals and drink blood. Male mosquitoes do not bite, but feed on the nectar of flowers.

Aedes mosquitoes are painful and persistent biters, attacking during daylight hours (not at night). They do not enter dwellings, and they prefer to bite mammals like humans. Aedes mosquitoes are strong fliers and are known to fly many miles from their breeding sources.

Culex mosquitoes are painful and persistent biters also, but prefer to attack at dusk and after dark, and readily enter dwellings for blood meals. Domestic and wild birds are preferred over man, cows, and horses. Culex tarsalis is known to transmit encephalitis (sleeping sickness) to man and horses. Culex are generally weak fliers and do not move far from home, although they have been known to fly up to two miles. Culex usually live only a few weeks during the warm summer months.

Those females which emerge in late summer search for sheltered areas where they "hibernate" until spring. Warm weather brings her out in search of water on which to lay her eggs.

Culiseta mosquitoes are moderately aggressive biters, attacking in the evening hours or in shade during the day.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Try this:
http://www.lessmosquito.com/
bottle_large.jpg
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Thanks for all your comments!
I've been a mosquito target all my life: yes, I know it's only the females that bite! They are attracted to perspiration and also to carbon monoxide - exhaled breath. So I'll just stop breathing at night! No, seriously, I've found a very light weight mossie net that folds up to next to nothing, so will take that - and the aerosol spray.
Having once lived in Spain for 8 years, I know they start to be a nuisance [for me] late April. Thank you for all your thoughts and ...
Buen Camino!
Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm
 
I'm a little concerned about mosquitoes. Seriously they LOVE me. I purchased a headnet and citronalla bracelets, and some sort of spiral bracelet. I want to try more natural approaches and stay away from chemicals. Any suggestions? Should deodorants and perfume items be totally avoided? I can understand sweat attracting them...it's water.

Will mosquitoes be a problem?
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Only the females bite. Make sure you keep away from females..... they are attracted to dampness [sweat] and also exhaled breath [carbon monoxide?]. So stay away from females, and stop breathing and you'll be fine.

Stephen,
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm
P.S. Johnnie Walker is absolutely right - you can buy anti-mossie aerosols in most chemists.
 
Mosquitoes (and biting gnats) only do two things, and do them really well:
1. find mammals (such as people) by smelling their breath and their skin
2. make more mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can only smell carbon dioxide from your breath and your skin chemicals. They cannot smell perfume, food, roses, stinky socks, car fresheners, etc. They do not care about the color of your clothing.

Anything you can do to confuse THEIR sense of smell will keep you from being bitten.
DEET is proven to be very effective at confusing mosquitoes' sense of smell.
Citronella is also effective, though less so.

Someone may think "I put on so much cologne all my friends stay away, certainly that will help keep mosquitoes away". But no, mosquitoes do not have human noses and may not even notice.
 
Permethrin spray is an insect-killing repellent for your clothing and it's effective against ticks, chiggers, mites and mosquitoes. You can buy a non-aerosol pump bottle contains 24 fl. oz. of repellent, or enough to coat four full outfits; a full outfit consists of shirt, pants and socks.
One treatment will last up to six washings or six weeks before clothing has to be treated again. I spray it on my hat (wash it only when my trek is done!), my pants, which will not be washed daily :), my shirts, and my socks. Works perfectly! I also have a bug shield silk liner for my sleeping bag and it protects agains the infamous bed bugs!! :p
DEET is powerful and effective. I have used it in the past but not on my skin; a dab on the hat by the ears, the neck and the front brim, on the collar and cuffs of my shirt, the edge of my shorts and on my socks. Regardless of what others might say, this practice never harmed my clothing and kept skeeters at bay! In Minnesota the ongoing joke is that our state bird is "The Mosquito". We only have 2 seasons here: winter & mosquito season :D We learn quickly how to survive and enjoy the outdoors!

Buen Camino!

Mary
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Stephen, your post about female mosquitos made me chuckle.
You are right, of course, but should one carry a magnifying glass to determine the sex?
It reminded me of that old Bill Cosby "Noah" spiel about mosquitos - :lol:

'Course Noah had a heck of a job really
He had to go out and collect
All the animals in the world, by two's
Two mosquitoes, male or female
And, uh, he had to keep telling the rabbits
Only two, only two, only two.
 
I forgot to mention that I bought my liner at Campmor:http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___45969
It weighs only 5.6 oz and costs $69.99 (U.S.) This is what it looks like:
45969.jpg


Mary
 
Thanks for all your comments!
I've been a mosquito target all my life: yes, I know it's only the females that bite! They are attracted to perspiration and also to carbon monoxide - exhaled breath. So I'll just stop breathing at night! No, seriously, I've found a very light weight mossie net that folds up to next to nothing, so will take that - and the aerosol spray.
Having once lived in Spain for 8 years, I know they start to be a nuisance [for me] late April. Thank you for all your thoughts and ...
Buen Camino!
Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm
Hi Stephen,
I too am mosquito bait. I'm hiking the Frances in mid June and I'm sure to make a tasty meal for zillions of them. I can't handle Deet on my skin, but I'm going to spray my gear. The stuff burns and itches. I'm guessing I have some sort of an allergy. I make my own skin stuff, using a combination of purified water, witch hazel, and essential oils of citronella, cedar, lavender, and rosemary. I also use one made of just cedar and patchouli because it smells so nice. The first seems to work better, but I've never tried out the natural stuff on anything but my own backyard skeeters. Maybe it won't be powerful enough. I hadn't thought of a face net, as I'm not very experienced, but now I'll go get one.

Thanks for your post and the idea of a net.
Christine
 
Join our full-service guided tour of the Basque Country and let us pamper you!
I put deet on the edges of my hat and wear long sleeve shirts. I recall using deet to loosen wheel lug nuts and removing indelible marker marks from plastic ... and destroying the plastic in the process ... so I am reluctant to put it on my skin.

I recently purchased a device that emits sound at a frequency that apparently deters mosquitoes ... I've still been attacked and so cannot recommend it works as advertised. It could be the noise is getting drowned out by the ambient sounds such as running water in the vicinity of the campsite. It could also be that without the device the mosquitoes could be so thick as to pick up the tent with me in it.
 
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