Why do I keep getting bitten?

[Bobbybass]

I can't wear any metal against my skin that isn't gold or silver

 

Hmmm....that sounds like a 'goodun' !!....

[cheshire~rose]

the best insect repellent is by Avon. Skin-so-soft dry oil body spray...seriously...the army uses it...has to be the fragrance 'fresh' in a bottle with green coloured writing, not the girly pink one. we were out on the boat in July and we both only got bitten once.

 

It is true that this stuff is an extremely effective insect repellent. In the USA it is marketed as being an insect repellent but in this country a company has to put any product they want to market as having some health or medical benefit through such a strict regime of testing to prove it's benefits that Avon decided the cost of the testing outweighed the benefit of being able to market it as an insect repellent.

 

I am fortunate that I do not very often get bitten (or if I do the reaction is small) I do have an "After Bite" pen which I find relieves any reaction very quickly if dabbed on the site as soon after the bite has occurred as possible

[Domino_2]

I find I don't tend to get bitten in the rain - so that has limited the number of bites I've had this year

[Ange]

Hmmm....that sounds like a 'goodun' !!....

 

Oh yes it's wonderful. Because I'm clumsy and forgetful I lose or break anything of value I buy so nowadays I only wear one piece of jewellery, my wedding ring.

 

I'd love to be able to wear cheap costume jewellery.

[tillergirl]

I just walked down to the pond to feed the koi.........its damp and muggy at the moment. Bitten twice whilst I was down there..............they can go without now maybe they will catch the mozzies for me.

 

I am small, blond do not sweat (I perspire as any lady should only do) and my blood group is B Rh+ so I have no idea why they bite me unless its as I was always told that they only go for sweet meat.

 

I now look as is I have a vampire bite on my midriff

Edited August 17, 2012 by tillergirl

[rivergirl]

We use skin so soft moisturiser but if bitten try vinegar or a dissolvable aspirin . Wipe the area with the vinegar if it is still irritated or swollen make a thick paste with the aspirin and put on the bite ( it takes the swelling out BUT do not use topically if you are allergic)

[chykensa]

Do you like Marmite? If not develop a taste for it during "midge season". Presumably works by making you smell less edible to the bugs.

On the other hand remember that you are providing a meal to a sex starved female....

 

My brother-in-law and his partner are both pharmacists, and they recommend that I take Vitamin B supplements before going abroad - the bugs over there have a beanfeast when my legs are around. And it works!!

This would tie in with the Marmite thing, as it's a by-product of the yeast used in the brewing process and high in Vitamin B also.

Andy

[Sarah and Ian]

I got bitten the on Friday night on my ankle by the time I had woken up my foot had swollen up to my toes. Think the little sod wouldn't be able to fit out the open window how much he must have drank of me. I'm in the habbit of taking antihist..... (piriton equivalents) for hayfever and its taken until today for the swelling to go down. I get eaten alive and Mrs C doesn't get any inteterst. Ironically when we went to Greece a few years ago she got eaten alive.

[Athy]

 

I am small, blond do not sweat (I perspire as any lady should only do)

Not quite.

Horses sweat.

Men perspire.

Ladies glow,

as in the expression "She were glowin' like a pig".

[bag 'o' bones]

Boots sell a good 50% deet repellant called Repel sold in a economical pump action 'sprays upside down' bottle.

[BargeeSpud]

The answer's simple.

 

You're a Bug Pub!

 

[Phil Ambrose]

My brother-in-law and his partner are both pharmacists, and they recommend that I take Vitamin B supplements before going abroad - the bugs over there have a beanfeast when my legs are around. And it works!!

This would tie in with the Marmite thing, as it's a by-product of the yeast used in the brewing process and high in Vitamin B also.

Andy

 

This exactly the advice I was given by a chemist when we moored on The Broads, take 2 a day for a week thereafter 1 a day. My pal who was an Eel Catcher so was on the river first thing to lift nets and last thing to lay them used to look like Spotty Muldoon till I told him about it, he tried them with great results. It appears that the tablets cause you to exude a smell from your skin, it is undetectable to people but offensive to Mozzies.

 

Phil

[Circe]

Since an insect bite landed me in hospital a couple of years back, I'm Mrs Repellant! I've used the Boots Repel Once brand for the past two summers and it's been fab. I've had 2 bites this year in odd places where I've not had the repelling stuff (my heel!) but I now take anti-histamines daily, so no nasty flare up. We've been afloat for 5 weeks now, so that's seriously good going for me.

 

A colleague gave me a bottle of the Avon stuff to try, but now I've found something I know works, I haven't tried it yet! Everyone tells me it's very good though.

[bizzard]

I reckon tobacco must have vitamin B in it cos the smokers i know don't seem to get bitten, not even the ginger ones.

[Gazboatman]

I'm averaging about 5 bites per daily trip on the boat, and no one else is getting bit once...

 

Saying that, I'm the one that's always on the tiller, but still seems a tad unfair.

 

Something has got to change, or I'll be buying myself one of those bee keeper suits.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Gazboatman