Some help with a tough problem

[JJHACK]

My partner( girlfriend,wife, whatever it's called when you have been together forever) has some really horrible reactions to insect bites and stings. I've seen her get so swollen from some Mosquitos and black flies. Bees forget it! Can't even imagine a spider bite!

Anyway, she is an absolute trooper to have been with a guy like me in the bush constantly and with the fear and complexity of the possible insect issues. I've sprayed permethrin on her clothes, used deet, and researched every detail of insect bite sting prevention. Even written articles on this subject.

However, she still gets nailed and has a miserable time now and then. I found a clothing company that makes stuff they call rhino skin. They do say it's not great for Mosquitos. So is there actually clothing anyone knows of for Mosquitos too? I have a bug netting pull over shirt with a bug hood that works great while sitting. But for hiking or being active it's horrible and hot to wear. Funny you would never envision netting as warm clothing! But hiking with that head net is miserable.

So do any of you guys have this difficulty with bugs either yourself of your family members? What are you guys doing? The time is near for back country stream and alpine lake fishing and the bugs will be out in force.

 

[tipsntails7]

I have zero experience with clothing but you will not catch me turkey hunting without a thermacell. I was highly suspicious of them at first but they do work very well.

 

[JJHACK]

Your right, that thing is really good in my boat when fishing over night as long as the door is open. Other wise the fumes are nasty.

Never considered it while hiking? Worth a shot, especially in addition to lathering up with bug dope

 

[Browtine]

Ex Officio's Bugsaway clothing line gets good reviews.

 

[Nick Muche]

Ex Officio's Bugsaway clothing line gets good reviews.

Does it give off an odor?

 

[Ray]

she can pre treat herself with oral antihistamines like benadryl so that she does not swell up as bad. Then various anti itch skin ointments, even athletes foot spray will help on the skin.

Sounds like she might be susceptable to anaphylaxis shock and need to carry and epipen at all times.

As for treated clothing and what not they work OK, but black flies will always find a spot to crawl into and chew.

thermal cells do not work in the wind so they will not work very well while hiking unless she is down wind of the device.

 

[Browtine]

Does it give off an odor?

It is treated with Permethrin and supposedly good for at least 70 washings. No odor, I have a shirt but haven't got enough time with it in heavy bug conditions to give an honest review.

 

[JJHACK]

The washings are a lesser problem it's also broken down quickly by UV

They tell you that the clothing once treated should be kept in black plastic bags to block all light until needed.

I know I have laid out our clothing to spray before we leave for Africa. When I look at the clothing the next day to fold up and pack there are dozens of dead bugs in them. No doubt about the
effectiveness of properly applied permethrin!

 

[JJHACK]

I had to go on a bit of a scavenger hunt this afternoon through my hard drive. I happened to see this and set it aside. It's an article I wrote a while ago, to be more precise probably 8ish years ago. Don't hold me to this exact time line it could have been 7 or 9?

Anyway, it's a short bit of research I did to help folks coming to Africa to hunt with me solve some of the insect paranoia they had. Maybe more detail then needed for you, probably most folks already know this anyway. But hey its worth what you're paying for it!


Here is a copy of a magazine article I wrote. It pretty much covers the types of repellents and clothing treatments available, it is a fitting subject for this booklet. 

How many times have you tried to remain motionless with big game staring your direction and a Mosquito is boring a hole into your forehead? *You have to wonder how many animals you have spooked while swatting at flying and buzzing insects around your head as well. What is the best Insect repellent, and what are the ways to use insect repellents to get the best use of their research and development? 

*Are they safe to use? *What amounts are safe to use for extended periods? *What is the best carrier or base to use? Lotion, aerosol, or oil based? I am sure that like me, many of you just squirt the Bug dope of choice on your hands, rub it all over your skin and figure that is good enough. Of course it must be safe, it has been tested, and certainly the government would never allow anything unsafe for the consumer to purchase. * 

I hunt in Africa each year with groups of hunters I put together from the USA, Europe and even the Middle East. *

Africa may not have the worst bugs by volume that I have ever experienced but they do have some of the most dangerous insects around. Malaria and tick fever are common problems, which can be deadly. *Even though I have been under full attack by so many Mosquito's in Alaska that I was inhaling them while breathing, at least ( at the time) they did not carry a deadly strain of a virus! 

I tested several brands of insect repellent and insect killer while I was there for my hunting groups this spring. *I also did quite a bit of research on this before I left the states to base my findings on with the various products I tested. 

There are lots of different brands of bug repellents on the market. However there are only two basic types. Those that repel insects, and those that kill insects. The most common chemical used to repel insects is N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. Otherwise known as Deet. This is the current day "buzz word" in insect repellents. Used in various strengths from 5-10% all the way to 100%. Deet has been so well studied that I have too much information to repeat here on the subject. I can tell you that it is universally agreed that concentrations over 35-40% deet give little to no additional benefit in protection to the user. There is a point of diminishing returns beyond 35%. Billions of people have used Deet since 1954 with no known long-term problems. There has been some concern over Deet being absorbed through the skin. *During all of the testing done by the EPA it was found that no trace of Deet could be found in the body after 72 hours of using it. 

Where did Deet come from?

Deet was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and patented in 1946 by the U.S. Army. The general public approved it for use in 1957. The EPA estimates that more then 38% of the population use a Deet based insect repellent. Worldwide usage exceeds 200 million people annually. I think if we were going to have a problem with a product containing Deet, we would have seen it by now. * 

Is there a down side of using Deet? Some people have sensitive skin and could see a rash with prolonged use. There is however no evidence that it promotes skin sensitivity or allergic reactions. Deet can damage plastics, synthetic fabrics, leather, and painted or varnished materials. Deet does not damage any natural fibers such as wool and cotton, and has no effect on nylon. 

How does Deet work? Moisture, warmth, carbon dioxide and odors produced by humans attract mosquitoes, ticks and flies. Deet works by blocking the receptors on the insect's antenna. To be effective all exposed skin must be covered.

Insects will easily find any exposed and untreated skin to bite, burrow into, or suck blood from. So we positively have to cover all of the exposed skin, but what kind of base is best for the application of Deet? Aerosol spray is probably the most common and is often in an alcohol base. This media will quickly evaporate and reduce the effective duration of its use. Alcohol also promotes opening of skin pores, which increases the absorption rate by the body. The oil based formulas usually packaged in a small squeeze bottle work much better and last longer but to me they are uncomfortable to use. I hate the greasy oily sticky feeling I have with these kinds of products. The cream lotion feels the best to me, it is the longest lasting formula, is the least absorbed by the body, and can be applied to the places you need it easily.

In 1998 a new development came about called Sub-micron Encapsulation, this is a big fancy word. What it means is that it contains the longest lasting and most advanced delivery system available. This is a product that is 50% more effective and much more gentle to the skin. 

What is Permethrin? *Permethrin is an insect killer not a repellent. It is the same kind of chemical used to kill head lice in children. Again, as with Deet, this was the result of the U.S. Military needing a clothing treatment. The research and testing on the current product exceeded everyone's expectations. Permethrin is a clothing treatment that will kill insects that crawl across as little as ten inches of the material once treated.

Permethrin is a synthetic insecticide, which mimics the form a natural Pyrethrin found in the Chrysanthemum family of plants. It has two very desirable features. It is a very effective insecticide, and it is broken down into non-active compounds by ultra violet light. During development the Permethrin was enhanced to prolong it's use in sunlight or to prevent the breakdown by UV rays for several weeks. It was enhanced to bond better to fabrics, be completely odorless when dry, and to withstand at least two detergent washings. 

While I was in Africa we hunted quite a bit from blinds near water holes while sitting on the ground. The past year in much of northern South Africa there has been an 80-year record for rainfall. What this means in the very warm climate of South Africa is that there is a lot of insect breeding grounds with the puddles of water everyplace you go. Several evenings while sitting up at these water holes while I was with clients or other Professional hunters I would watch them pick off ticks for 2 hours straight, swatting at the relentless mosquito's buzzing just out of reach. 

With my permethrin treated clothing and the lotion based 35% Deet I did not get a single tick bite in nearly 6 weeks of hunting in these conditions every single day. *I think I probably had half dozen-mosquito bites during the entire trip, which was probably from lack of effort on my part. Not the fault of the Deet or the permethrin I was using. The correct use of these products comes with each one you buy. However they do not come with instructions to work together as a system.

For your benefit I will tell you what I found to work the best for me. 

I treated 4 pair of pants, 4 shirts my jacket, vest, two hats, and every pair of socks I brought with me. Using the permethrin. I was doing this on a bed sheet spread on the floor of my garage to keep out of the breeze. I did one side of the clothing at a time exactly to the directions. After drying I turned them over and did the other side. Several times while checking them I noticed dead ants, spiders, moths, and flies, on the clothes and the bead sheet. Clearly this stuff was working already! When all the clothes were completely dry I folded everything up and put them inside of black plastic lawn and leaf bag to keep them out of direct light. So much for the preparation of my clothing, that was easy. 

When hunting I use the cream based repellent of 35% Deet on my wrists neck and face especially around my ears. Plenty was on my hands while applying it too. *I only did my legs from my knees to my ankles. I also used it around my waist as this is the primary location ticks like to dig into. Another common location is under the elastic of your socks. However with the permethrin treated socks I was not too worried. I did get some bites in my scalp but nothing serious and I am not sure how to solve that except with a hat and head net. With long pants and a long sleeve shirt using this system of applying these insect repellents and insecticides I was able to live for six weeks in a very hostile insect environment with less then a dozen bites. Those were in my scalp, which could have been avoided by the continuous use of a treated hat or head net.

The others on this trip had as many as 20 tick bites and uncountable mosquito bites in total. 

With a little preplanning and some attention to the details you can avoid things like tick fever and lime disease here in the USA as well. Remember to keep your treated and unused clothing out of light. Once treated keep them in a black plastic bag. Also remember spraying your clothing with insect repellent (Deet) will not keep bugs off of you or your skin the insects want your blood and have no interest in your clothing. The trick is to fool their receptors, which you cannot do by spraying your clothing. On the other hand spraying the insecticide (Permethrin) on your skin will not help you either. The two different products must be used within the exact design they were intended or you will be bitten up and feel the Permethrin and Deet did not work for you. 

In closing I will say that Permethrin has no downside with the exception of the cost. Deet is the most effective insect repellent known. It is completely safe when used in proper concentrations and with common sense. Also keep in mind that the cream lotion is going to be the longest lasting repellent and the percentage of Deet has a diminishing return when you go over 35-40%.

 

[gelton]

Avon skin so soft lotion with bug guard. I am from the marshlands of southeast Texas coast where Mosquitos are so thick they could carry you off and skin so soft lotion works like a charm for those that want to stay away from deet. Does have an odor but not as harsh as deet and probably better for you health wise. It sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of this from your article though.

There are times when nothing is effective depending on the coverage and some say deet is much more effective.

I hear thermacells don't work in high altitude environments but no experience with them and no experience with insect repellant clothing...lots of mosquito experience though.

 

[ohoopee]

Permethrin and thermacells here in the south. I have never had odor issues with the thermacell. I bow hunt a lot and it doesn't bother the deer. I hunt on the outer islands of Georgia and always coat tents,bags and clothing with permethrin prior to the hunt. It dries odorless and prevents bites from mosquitos,sand nats and ticks.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

In addition to the Thermacell the wrist bands from OFF work well.

 

[JJHACK]

If you guys hear of a type of clothing like a set of some kind of long underwear pants and top that are mosquito proof, post up the source!

 

[Forestryguy]

If I know that I am going to be in an area with a lot of biting insects I try to either take garlic pills or eat lots of onion and garlic. It will not always keep them from biting but I think it will help. I would look into getting an Epy pen. Not something to be messing around with in the back country. I have had to get people out of state forest areas here in Iowa with allergic reactions before. It is no fun for EMTs and fire fighters.

 

[larryschwartz]

JJHACK,

Check out the Double-Guard Bug Tamer suit shown here: http://www.bugtamer.com/classic.html.

It has two layers, one a thicker yarn open mesh next to the skin and the other a fine thinner yarn mesh on the outside. The outer layer keeps bugs out and the inner layer keeps the outer layer up off of the skin far enough that mosquitoes can't get to your skin.



Make sure you get the Double-Guard version. They also have a Bug Buster variant but it does not have the second layer that provides the stand-off from the skin.

They have been around for years and you can buy it at Cabelas or Sears, to name a few.

 

[DEEF]

she can pre treat herself with oral antihistamines like benadryl so that she does not swell up as bad. Then various anti itch skin ointments, even athletes foot spray will help on the skin.

Sounds like she might be susceptible to anaphylaxis shock and need to carry and epipen at all times.

As for treated clothing and what not they work OK, but black flies will always find a spot to crawl into and chew.

thermal cells do not work in the wind so they will not work very well while hiking unless she is down wind of the device.

Better than synthetic anti-histamines, is GI Hist Support and NAS Enhancer. These are natural supplements that help your bodies natural immune system response. You can take them before and after exposure. Your lady likely has polymorphisms (SNPs) which cause those bites to swell like silver dollars. It's a biochemical issue which can be confirmed with a gene test. PM me and I'll set you up with discount code for our store. We offer testing and sell the protocols to treat these issues. You can also use bentonite clay or any other safe clay with some lavender and tea tree essential oils to reduce the swelling of bites and poison oak and ivy. I use these protocols and 'am thankful for the itch relief and expedite healing process. Histamine reactions are much better treated with natural remedies. Before I received my medical training, I thought Benedryl and Tecnu were my only options; I'm pumped to have much better protocols now—nothing else works as well. I suffered many years treating my bites and rashes with the usual pharma offerings; I thank God I've found a better solution; can't keep me from the forest

 

[WJS23]

My wife is the same way, now we never leave the house without a thermacell and everything is sprayed down with sawyers tic/ mosquito repellent

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Use meat tenderizer on bites,sucks venom/poison out real quick and heals puncture site.Garlic,Garlic,Garlic.You may smell like an old Italian man but bugs shy away.So does your wife,pets,children,neighbor.You get the picture.Your a loner anyway...right?

 

[LostInSpace278]

I heard about the grapefruit extract on NPR about a month ago. Read up on it.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw0mgAMRXV8j9uNfKMW4dmMM

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