Insect Bites - Page 2

witham · #26 (**permalink**) 10-06-2008, 09:51 AM

Vinegar is very good for stings and bites etc, the acid in it soothes and can kill help to infection the down side is you smell like a bag of chips for a while though

Pythia · #27 (**permalink**) 14-06-2008, 06:17 PM

Vole-woman. Do you have any idea what bit you? My husband has been bitten a couple of times in our garden and has a reaction like you describe.

He was bitten a year ago on the ankle. Six months later the site came up like a little blister and clear fluid came out. He's still got a scar where he was bitten. Someone suggested it might have been a Clegg bite.

A good repellent is Jungle Formula. We find this keeps the biting beasties away.

vole-woman · #28 (**permalink**) 15-06-2008, 06:07 PM

Six months later! Good heavens. No, I don't know what bit me but the reaction was pretty immediate and lasted five days.

Since I've been wearing "Ben's Safari Strength Insect Repellent" I haven't had any bother, though - touch wood.

NatureTrainee · #29 (**permalink**) 16-06-2008, 11:46 AM

I had 2 bites on my wrist which swelled up causing the wrist joint to be REALLY painful - I went to the pharmacy where I was advised to take antihistamine and ibuprofen. These worked a treat although when the ibuprofen wore off I knew about it!

brianwaugh · #30 (**permalink**) 16-06-2008, 04:35 PM

Avon product Skin so Soft helps to protect me....usually
However on a recent trip to Norfolk chasing a red data book dragonfly I got over 70 bites on my arms and legs. Serves me right for wearing a short sleeved shirt ! I had arms that felt like a bag full of pebbles.
Covering up unprotected skin is the first priority against bites.

naturegirl · #31 (**permalink**) 17-06-2008, 12:28 AM

Not heard of Duct tape but.........
Did you know that mosquitoes HATE the smell of Garlic!!!! Apparently it is true, that Garlic is why the Indians do not get bitten!! So, get to grips with toutes suites garlices!!

hammock monkey · #32 (**permalink**) 17-06-2008, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naturegirl

Not heard of Duct tape but.........
Did you know that mosquitoes HATE the smell of Garlic!!!! Apparently it is true, that Garlic is why the Indians do not get bitten!! So, get to grips with toutes suites garlices!!

absolutely, garlic and chilli, as much of it as you (and those around you) can stand.
they do however like sweet blood - so buy everyone else around you lots of cans of full-fat fizzy drinks!!!

there's a website that forecasts midge's, well worth a look.

also not lying down in a wood in canterbury where they have armchair sized red ant nests is good... i had a several hundred bites on my back the next day, cool showers helped but just waiting it out was the only plan. its just part of being out and about i think, cant be 100% avoided.

vole-woman · #33 (**permalink**) 17-06-2008, 10:59 AM

"they do however like sweet blood"

- That's interesting! I like to suck a boiled sweet or two when I'm out and about because when we do surveys, we're always miles away from toilets and so I daren't drink much. I had no idea my sugary blood was making me a midge-magnet!

Pythia · #34 (**permalink**) 18-06-2008, 12:21 AM

Hubby and I went to the Forest of Dean with friends at the weekend. I took our Jungle insect repellent...and forgot to take it to the Forest. Left it at our friend's house

Yep. We got eaten alive. The worst bite is on the top of my head. It's itchy and sore.

Still, seeing the wonderful forest and the bats swooping over our heads was worth it. Next time I'll remember the insect repellent though.

naturegirl · #35 (**permalink**) 18-06-2008, 01:25 AM

I told you guys before, eat garlic well before travelling to these dangerous places!

Insects HATE garlic bigtime!

Take garlic pearls daily for a month before travelling and you will be fine

Naturegirl

brianwaugh · #36 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 10:11 AM

quote
He was bitten a year ago on the ankle. Six months later the site came up like a little blister and clear fluid came out. He's still got a scar where he was bitten. Someone suggested it might have been a Clegg bite.

Got one exactly the same and its been there for 5 years every now and again it turns itchy for a few days.

Ringleywood · #37 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 10:57 AM

Hi! just to let you know that anyone in a room with me is safe from any biting insect 'cos I'm the one they always go for!
I've always used Autan all-over spray, or Boots spray, which is the same, insects do prefer women(got good taste) and I once had over 30 bites at one time. If you get bitten a lot taking anti-histamine will help to reduce the amount of histamine in your blood. Good luck, and remember, if you're still getting bit then cover up when outdoors.

wizzard · #38 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 04:19 PM

for keeping away the midges I can highly recommend Avon skin so soft body lotion - No really! I was surprised to find a bunch of fishermen up north using it (and a bit scepticall) but they gave me some and it really does keep them away.

It gave me a laugh to think of all those rough old fishermen with baby soft skin!

ChrisJB · #39 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 06:18 PM

I'm really suffering with lots of midge bites at the moment. The peculiar thing is, they never used to touch me, yet now with each summer that passes, my reaction gets steadily worse.

Regards, Chris

gaviston · #40 (**permalink**) 09-07-2008, 07:06 PM

I hope I don't get bit

nightshade · #41 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 08:04 AM

After being bitten in Spain and the lobe of my ear swelled up to the size of a small grape, then again in my own back garden by some black bitey thing, which gave me an itching bite that lasted for a long time
I looked into some sort of repellent and found these Neem Tree and Bitefree have worked very well

mantajohn9 · #42 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 08:11 AM

I get eaten alive alot in this country (mosquitos, midges, ticks, the dog). But I don't when I go abroad. Even when I was lucky enough to spend some time in Ecuadorian cloud and rainforest I didn't get bit. Freaky

I have heard that white tiger balm (no white tigers harmed) is quite good at relieving the itchyness. You can get it in chinese medicine shops.

RobinP · #43 (**permalink**) 11-07-2008, 10:36 AM

I only really get bitten after I've been working in the garden for a while and worked up a sweat, must be the pheromones or something. Autan works for a while but nowhere near as long as they say, 2 hours max. Nasty little black flies tend to cause a reaction on me, one bit me around the eye once and the whole of the side of my face swelled up, might be somethjing to do with the fact there's a sewage farm about half a mile away though.

naturegirl · #44 (**permalink**) 19-07-2008, 06:29 PM

I hate to ask Hammock monkey !!!!

But why were you laying on your back in a wood near Canterbury????

Just curious!

Naturegirl

forfi · #45 (**permalink**) 19-07-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinP

. Autan works for a while but nowhere near as long as they say, 2 hours max. Nasty little black flies tend to cause a reaction on me, one bit me around the eye once and the whole of the side of my face swelled up, might be somethjing to do with the fact there's a sewage farm about half a mile away though.

I am nursing a swollen arm right now having been bitten yet again by a Horse Fly, I am becoming allergic to these bites in a big way.I don't think the little flies are the problem,you can see those buggers ,but you don't know that the horsefly has been there until its too late.I use Autan and anything else that I get my hands on but nothing beats covering up ,I forgot to put on a light jacket while locking the gate the other evening and wallop, right on the bloody elbow,arm up like a balloon and that after 3 days of Zirtek and creams and swearing and scratching. The horse flies are swines for biting cattle around the eyes [ tender bit] to get blood ,they have an anesthetic in their saliva so you don't feel the bit which leaves a tiny gash that turns septic really fast

forfi · #46 (**permalink**) 19-07-2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mantajohn9

I get eaten alive alot in this country (mosquitos, midges, ticks, the dog). But I don't when I go abroad. Even when I was lucky enough to spend some time in Ecuadorian cloud and rainforest I didn't get bit. Freaky

I have heard that white tiger balm (no white tigers harmed) is quite good at relieving the itchyness. You can get it in chinese medicine shops.

I have some Tiger Balm !!! never thought of using on me horse fly bites.Soon as the present lot of creams wear off I will give it test and report right back.Thanks for that tip

the green man · #47 (**permalink**) 22-07-2008, 10:23 PM

cleg bites always swel like that

forfi · #48 (**permalink**) 23-07-2008, 08:53 AM

That Tiger balm took the itch away !!
But no more bites for me,I have found the ultimate remedy as you can see from my avatar,,,,,,, a diving suit made for two so I can bring along a friend.

ChrisJB · #49 (**permalink**) 26-07-2008, 07:38 PM

I got back from Norfolk yesterday and am now sporting the worst bites I have ever had. I didn't feel a thing, but now have a series of hard, large lumps on my lower leg (like a collection of new ankle bones). Some have formed large water blisters that have burst and have purple bruise-like areas around them. My ankle is really quite swollen on my left leg too.
What on earth have done this to me? They can't be ordinary midges surely. I got them whilst out walking in the fens in shorts (how foolish).

Regards, Chris

Hedge Witch · #50 (**permalink**) 09-11-2008, 11:45 AM

My partner and I have been bitten through our clothing when walking recently.

At first it was just me, and I thought I'd had an allergic reaction that came up in "heat spots" in areas that were beneath my clothing.

But when the same thing happened to the OH and myself - ankles, body, scalp, beneath my watch strap (again mainly places that were covered) I concluded insect bites. We had to get some Lanacane to reduce itching whilst the bites were fresh, and the scars are taking weeks to fade.

I'm going to try DEET or the Avon product.

But what I don't understand is why we weren't bitten on exposed skin?