Stroller123
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Planning Italy to Finisterre and back (20xx)
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Citronella: I splatter it on the back door to try to deter beasties from coming in for a visit. The smell is not pleasant. I would think twice about using a deterrent that could interfere with good relations in an albergue.I'm a mosquito magnet.
I start to believe that my friends invite me out during summer only because all mosquitoes will come to me and they won't be bitten.
I'm also the favorite meal of all other blood sucking insects.
Only DEET keeps them at bay completely, but I hate it since it has melted the plastic of one of my Swiss Army Knife, so now I use only plant based repellents which are not as good as DEET, but they make me less palatable.
I never encountered bed bugs (otherwise I would've been bitten) and this forum has been a wealth of information.
I will treat all my gear with a Permethrin based repellent, but since I will use essential oil based repellents on my skin, mainly against mosquitoes, I was considering using special soaps as well.
I saw that there are natural soaps (mostly bars, but some in liquid form too) made with extract of insect repelling plants, such as Neem and Citronella. I was wondering if someone has first hand experience with them, can they really help in repelling mosquitoes or other blood sucking insects such as bed bugs?
There are very few options on my side of the pond, but if they are as good as they claim to be I can eventually get a good one from the US.
Hi Annie, I am planning to walk the Portuguese route in April. What month did you walk and when you say you were bitten at night, do you mean when exploring the towns in the evening or do mosquitos "sneak" in the lodgings?I've never had mosquitos pester me on the Camino Frances.
On the Portuguese route, they were as big as buzzards but only bugged me at night.
If DEET doesn't bother you, I'd use it at night., and if you treat your gear as well, you should be fine.
I'm a mosquito magnet.
I start to believe that my friends invite me out during summer only because all mosquitoes will come to me and they won't be bitten.
I'm also the favorite meal of all other blood sucking insects.
Only DEET keeps them at bay completely, but I hate it since it has melted the plastic of one of my Swiss Army Knife, so now I use only plant based repellents which are not as good as DEET, but they make me less palatable.
I never encountered bed bugs (otherwise I would've been bitten) and this forum has been a wealth of information.
I will treat all my gear with a Permethrin based repellent, but since I will use essential oil based repellents on my skin, mainly against mosquitoes, I was considering using special soaps as well.
I saw that there are natural soaps (mostly bars, but some in liquid form too) made with extract of insect repelling plants, such as Neem and Citronella. I was wondering if someone has first hand experience with them, can they really help in repelling mosquitoes or other blood sucking insects such as bed bugs?
There are very few options on my side of the pond, but if they are as good as they claim to be I can eventually get a good one from the US.
I live in Minnesota where we facetiously call the mosquito our state bird. I am also a mosquito magnet. I had no trouble on the Camino Frances. Also, if you are into natural products, I’m not sure why you’d want to treat all your gear with such a nasty product as permethrin. It doesn’t repel bed bugs, and only kills them if you spray it directly on them.
I have used this spray very successfully in mosquito-ridden areas (not on the Camino francés) https://www.arkopharma.com/en-GB/mosquito-repellent-body-spray
It is available in pharmacies in France or through the internet...
I used that spray in France (camping near rivers!) and Italy (in the rice fields)! Are you walking the Via Francigena?For the Spanish route I was more concerned about bed bugs since I'll mostly stay in albergues. France and especially Italy will be a problem for mosquitoes also because I'll try to stay in campings as much as possible, I don't know about Switzerland. But it also depends on the season I guess.
Thanks for the reply.
Hi Annie, I am planning to walk the Portuguese route in April. What month did you walk and when you say you were bitten at night, do you mean when exploring the towns in the evening or do mosquitos "sneak" in the lodgings?
I often buy one of those plastic fly swatters ( ?) in a Chinese bazaar. Light, cheap and... do the jobView attachment 46923
Good point! I guess I was lucky being on my own most nights so could shut window and start swattingWell, those are great if the windows are closed, or the screens don't have holes.
In my VAN, the ceiling is literally less than a foot from my face.
I often kill mosquitos by shining my flashlight on the ceiling above me then squishing the little devils when they come to the light. However, in a large albergue, with windows open, this could take a lifetime.
I used that spray in France (camping near rivers!) and Italy (in the rice fields)! Are you walking the Via Francigena?
Oh how wonderfulPart of it, on the way to Santiago I'll go from Vercelli to Montgenevre and on the way back I'll do Le Puy - Geneva route, then Lauseanne and down to Vercelli, then Novara and back home.
The link below provides excellent resources on bed bugs from someone who researches them for a living. What they’ve found is that the sprays only work if you spray them directly on the bugs. Sprays have limited residual effect. Given the number of people who never encountered bed bugs on the Camino (including me), it is highly likely that those who did use permethrin and didn’t have bed bug problems simply never encountered them.The North of Italy where I live is plagued by mosquitoes and each year there are more and more cases of Chikungunya, West Nile and Dengue Fever transmitted by them. Plus, I have bad reactions when bitten by Tiger Mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus). The fact that I prefer natural products on my skin is because DEET ruins my synthetic clothes (at a % that is effective in repelling bugs) and because it leaves a nasty oily feeling and smells (on my skin). So I rather use plant-based repellents which I can apply and reapply without too many concerns.
I will get into contact with Permethrin for an extended period of time only through my sleeping liner and when is already dried and aired for days, so I hope it won't do much damage to me.
Regarding bed bugs I found many discordant views on what repels them, I'm just trying to be a less inviting meal for all blood sucking bugs overall and I hope that every little helps.
Bats!?Got bitten by a couple giant bats. I think were flies Or mosquitos. I had allergic reaction but didnt see any bed bugs . Walked in April/may
Hahah. I wasn’t sure they were bigBats!?
Ok....Hahah. I wasn’t sure they were biglike in a 1960 Japanese B movie
It seems to me that March in Portugal is cold enough not to be a problem with mosquitos? When you say "late spring", what are you referring to? Thank you!I walked in the late spring. The mosquitos were in the albergues at night.
The link below provides excellent resources on bed bugs from someone who researches them for a living. What they’ve found is that the sprays only work if you spray them directly on the bugs. Sprays have limited residual effect. Given the number of people who never encountered bed bugs on the Camino (including me), it is highly likely that those who did use permethrin and didn’t have bed bug problems simply never encountered them.
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/bb-millerbasics.pdf
Got bitten by a couple giant bats. I think were flies Or mosquitos. I had allergic reaction but didnt see any bed bugs . Walked in April/may
It seems to me that March in Portugal is cold enough not to be a problem with mosquitos? When you say "late spring", what are you referring to? Thank you!
Muito Prazer. Love love the Azores lived and worked on Teceira 2 years. Traveled to mainland several times, Faial, Pico (climbed Mount Pico), Graciosa , Sao Miguel and Sao Jorge. Amazing place with beautiful people and beautiful culture.It's been too many years. I'll ask Joe today. I honestly don't remember, I've walked so many Caminos and I have been to Portugal many times. I have family in the Azores.
They were fast ...the giant buggersThe big ones are easier to catch
You are one blessed lady, Annie!It's been too many years. I'll ask Joe today. I honestly don't remember, I've walked so many Caminos and I have been to Portugal many times. I have family in the Azores.
Muito Prazer. Love love the Azores lived and worked on Teceira 2 years. Traveled to mainland several times, Faial, Pico (climbed Mount Pico), Graciosa , Sao Miguel and Sao Jorge. Amazing place with beautiful people and beautiful culture.
I dont remember mosquitos being a problem on the mainland or Azores but this was back in the early 90’s
Should we expect mosquitos on the Camino Portugal as early as March? My husband always gets eaten alive and if so I need to prepare him!!! Hope it’s too cold!They never bothered me in the Azores, but ate me alive on the Caminho
Should we expect mosquitos on the Camino Portugal as early as March? My husband always gets eaten alive and if so I need to prepare him!!! Hope it’s too cold!
just found this. you are such a scream! bitten by bats, indeed! prove it! oops, sorry, forgot this is not my favourite thread...They were fast ...the giant buggers
Kirkie, YOU are such a scream! Funny that you noticed the 'bats' as I'm sure she meant 'gnats'! I got a good laugh after you observed the poopah!just found this. you are such a scream! bitten by bats, indeed! prove it! oops, sorry, forgot this is not my favourite thread...
Hahahjust found this. you are such a scream! bitten by bats, indeed! prove it! oops, sorry, forgot this is not my favourite thread...
Hahahah. Gnats would imply smallKirkie, YOU are such a scream! Funny that you noticed the 'bats' as I'm sure she meant 'gnats'! I got a good laugh after you observed the poopah!
I only recently learned that gnats are ... mosquitoes. Never too late, but much more important, the missing partner has been found!Hahahah. Gnats would imply small. Actually I think it may have been a horse fly.
I had a bad allergic reaction in the form of 3 giant itchy red welts same as I do with mosquitos. I use a plant based repellant but forgot to use it that day. I always wear long sleeves and long pants, carry a antibiotic cream and a epi pen for severe allergies.
No wonder!Maybe. To kill this ? I had a good laugh with the descriptions View attachment 48820
Maybe. To kill this ? I had a good laugh with the descriptions View attachment 48820
Hahahah.If you see on e of those run for your life !
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