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Bug attack!

BlueStringPudding

By BlueStringPudding
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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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Despite the hot weather the boat has been relatively bug free this year. Then at the weekend I moved the boat one hour down the Shroppie and moored up. Oh what a different story where I'm moored now! Yesterday evening I had the doors and windows open while doing some painting outside - as I often do. When I came back in there were squillions of tiny black flies with googly eyes over the inside of the windows! And of course as it got dark and I put the bedside light on to read, the little blighters all came out to play. As did a steady drip-feed of moths, despite the windows now being shut.

 

So today I went to Poundland. I bought batteries for my UV bug zapper. I bought ten fly-paper type bug traps to hang in the windows. And I bought one of those tennis racket-looking fly swats that elecrocutes them in mid air.

 

And I bought some ant bait traps coz they seem to be having a party in the engine area.

 

If I'm not here tomorrow it means I'm either stuck by my hair to the flypaper or have electrocuted myself with the tennis racket, and may be found on my back, tongue lolling, with my legs twitching in the air (not for the first time...) :lol:

Edited by BlueStringPudding
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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If I'm not here tomorrow it means I'm either stuck by my hair to the flypaper or have electrocuted myself with the tennis racket, and may be found on my back, tongue lolling, with my legs twitching in the air (not for the first time...) :lol:

Her indoors managed to zap herself yesterday :lol:

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paulcatchpole Rising Star

paulcatchpole

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Her indoors managed to zap herself yesterday :lol:

 

Oh aye? :lol: I hear they're quite popular as a form of alternative & sophisticated entertainment... :lol:

 

We've got a twin-tube UV zapper that's hung from the ceiling, and works okay-ish. Not quite bright enough really. An enterprising spider has spun a web next to it too... :lol: 1/2" of water in the bath seems the best thing for the moths, they love dying in there.

 

PC

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Daio Contributor

Daio

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Is it my imagination or is it suddenly a lot worse this year? Googling midges a couple of nights ago, it seems that the scientific prediction was that there would be fewer midges this year thanks to the hard winter. However, the hard winter has seen off a disproportionate number of the midges' natural predators, bats and birds and the conclusion was that there are now more than the usual number of midges. My observations, not to mention the welts all over my legs, arms and head, lead me to concur. There also seem to be rather more flies of all sorts. Most critters i can put up with but cleg flies generate a particular loathing in me.

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paulcatchpole Rising Star

paulcatchpole

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Is it my imagination or is it suddenly a lot worse this year? Googling midges a couple of nights ago, it seems that the scientific prediction was that there would be fewer midges this year thanks to the hard winter. However, the hard winter has seen off a disproportionate number of the midges' natural predators, bats and birds and the conclusion was that there are now more than the usual number of midges. My observations, not to mention the welts all over my legs, arms and head, lead me to concur. There also seem to be rather more flies of all sorts. Most critters i can put up with but cleg flies generate a particular loathing in me.

 

'Twas on the news the other day about the high midge-forecast for Scotland this year, along with piccies of bitten tourists!

 

As well as an iPhone app for the UK midge forecast... :lol: Creamcheese, there's one for you...

 

PC

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Bodkin Contributor

Bodkin

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If I'm not here tomorrow it means I'm either stuck by my hair to the flypaper :lol:

 

That was me at the weekend - we seem to have loads of harmless flies - not houseflies and although similar looking they are not mosquitoes. Thankfully perfectly harmless and don't bite but there are LOADS of them.

 

Despite closing windows and doors early evening with apparently hardly any inside the boat, then spending the evening sweltering, by bedtime loads have appeared. Half an hour’s squishing and swatting commences and I think they've all been terminated, but come the morning there's loads again - where are they sleeping overnight???

 

Anyway we have lots of the aforementioned fly papers which have been very effective - the problem would be much worse than described without them. We've put up 8 throughout the boat, including 2 in the bathroom - one of which I had the misfortune to catch my hair in on Sunday! :lol:

 

After about 5 minutes I'd managed to pull myself free and thankfully it washed out - otherwise I'd have had to give myself a 'bowl' hair cut!

 

Been thinking about getting screens from these guys http://www.cabincare.co.uk/ - has anyone used them before?

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Timleech Veteran II

Timleech

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We seem to have more mosquitos - real, biting ones - than I'd normally expect early in the summer.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but they seem to be smaller and blacker than usual.

Makes me wonder how long before malaria returns to the UK? :lol:

 

Tim

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Byeckerslike Community Regular

Byeckerslike

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Is it my imagination or is it suddenly a lot worse this year? Googling midges a couple of nights ago, it seems that the scientific prediction was that there would be fewer midges this year thanks to the hard winter. However, the hard winter has seen off a disproportionate number of the midges' natural predators, bats and birds and the conclusion was that there are now more than the usual number of midges. My observations, not to mention the welts all over my legs, arms and head, lead me to concur. There also seem to be rather more flies of all sorts. Most critters i can put up with but cleg flies generate a particular loathing in me.

 

I think that the quantities of flies are far worse this year, either that or the size of my mouth has got bigger!

 

When not on board I like to cycle along the tow path from Leamington Spa to Radford Smelly (The lower locks really do honk at the moment!), and I've swallowed at least one fly each evening, something that I've rarely done until this year.

 

Rob

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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We dont seem to be having too much of a problem in the marina with flies but when we moored up at Torksey overnight the front of the boat was covered in them where they had stuck to the morning dew on the roof of the boat. Had to rinse them off when we got back to the marina.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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I've been nurturing my spiders to fight the bug war

 

Citrus type candles help keep the bugs away too

 

We have a couple of citronella candles in the cockpit that we keep lit during the evening. They keep the midges away but they attract the moths come twilight :lol:

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Daio Contributor

Daio

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Been thinking about getting screens from these guys http://www.cabincare.co.uk/ - has anyone used them before?

 

Had both side hatches fitted with flyscreens 3 weeks ago. Ned came over to Wheaton Aston to fit them, having measured up some little while b4 at the marina. Had a perspex screen too, which slots into the flyscreen runners. The flyscreens are rather like the cassette caravan type, made to measure and in a big range of colours and finishes. Not cheap but a really neat job. The mesh is very fine so even small critters fail to get through. Very quick to retract the screen so you can stick your head out to shout "Slow down!", or you could just ram your head forwards for the Ena Sharples look...

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BlueStringPudding Veteran II

BlueStringPudding

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I think that the quantities of flies are far worse this year, either that or the size of my mouth has got bigger!

 

When not on board I like to cycle along the tow path from Leamington Spa to Radford Smelly (The lower locks really do honk at the moment!), and I've swallowed at least one fly each evening, something that I've rarely done until this year.

 

Rob

 

I love that stretch of the canal. One of my bestest ever boating(ish) experiences was mooring up by the lock, building a fire in the little makeshift campsite in the woods with my brother and cooking up a great BBQ and cocktails; and inviting a complete stranger and his Great Dane to join us - which they did. I went to bed about 3am (work the next day!) and my cheeky bro made it back to the boat sometime after 5am.

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Orca Community Regular

Orca

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Its the old tried and trusted paraffin lamp method for me. Absolutely love the things (the lanterns, not the bugs!!) and have them lit every evening at this time of year. The dilluted aroma soon dispenses with the usual array of 'evening suspects'. . . . :lol:

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Ange Veteran

Ange

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I was only saying to Dave the other day that we've been remarkably bug free this year...

 

Better get new batteries for my bug zapper now because I've probably tempted fate!

 

(Love your OP by the way BSP - made me & Dave laugh :lol: )

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Pot Noodle Adventurer Collaborator

Pot Noodle Adventurer

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Despite the hot weather the boat has been relatively bug free this year. Then at the weekend I moved the boat one hour down the Shroppie and moored up. Oh what a different story where I'm moored now! Yesterday evening I had the doors and windows open while doing some painting outside - as I often do. When I came back in there were squillions of tiny black flies with googly eyes over the inside of the windows! And of course as it got dark and I put the bedside light on to read, the little blighters all came out to play. As did a steady drip-feed of moths, despite the windows now being shut.

 

So today I went to Poundland. I bought batteries for my UV bug zapper. I bought ten fly-paper type bug traps to hang in the windows. And I bought one of those tennis racket-looking fly swats that elecrocutes them in mid air.

 

And I bought some ant bait traps coz they seem to be having a party in the engine area.

 

If I'm not here tomorrow it means I'm either stuck by my hair to the flypaper or have electrocuted myself with the tennis racket, and may be found on my back, tongue lolling, with my legs twitching in the air (not for the first time...) :lol:

 

 

A simple remedy is to empty a bag of sugar onto your worktop and the bugs will love it.

 

It doesn't kill em but boy does it rot their teeth !!!!

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