Black fly / mosquito deterrents for the BOB

[CarolAnn]

Up on the general board there's a hair-raising thread about swarms of blackflies that are plagueing people in central Illinois right now.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/yabb/forum.pl?board=gen-general;action=display;num=1178756465;start=0#7

That's something I hadn't thought about preparing for with my BOB supplies. I'm adding DEET and a bottle of vanilla extract, as that's supposed to help deter black fly. Also, when I can get it, I'll add some fine mesh fabric that I can put under a hat and over my face.

What do you outdoorsmen use to deter black fly? I've read they can really make life a misery!

[TNDadx4]

What about Avon Skin So Soft?

I've heard that that works for mosquitos and flys, etc.

[bookwormom]

yeah, and I am allergic to AVON. this is something I have wondered about in the past, what to do about bugs. I don't see how people used to live in these parts without going insane. you read in stories about boys playing in the woods and going fishing , running barefoot etc. Impossible here. you get eaten up by ticks, chiggers and mites. Last year I spent several sleepless nights while the itching drove me nuts from where I walked into some kind of mite megalopolis, I was covered with bites. what did the Indians do? My guess is, it did not use to be so bad. that does not make it any easier.

[TNDadx4]

I've often wondered how people in previous times did things like keep bugs away or deal with windows without screens, etc.

I've heard that drinking vinegar helps keep bugs away also. Maybe someone who's tried that can chime in here.

[bookwormom]

I know one thing for sure, if we had to bug out of here in summer and hide in the woods for any time (I am not counting on using a vehicle beyond a bike) I think the bugs would kill us in time. when I married 40 years ago into this state there were chiggers and they were not that bad. the reason I remember so well is that they were new to me. I rather deal with a snake than with all the wee biting things..

[CarolAnn]

Ah, even Avon has admitted that the Skin So Soft as insect repellent was a myth. They did come out with a Skin So Soft product that had bug repellent in it, as so many people believed it. It's one of those urban myths you hear about! Snopes says that even Avon's non-deet bug repellent only worked for about an hour or less.

Here's a link about it and other bug repellent myths so we can get them out of the way:
http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/skeeters.asp

My own personal belief is that bugs know fresh meat when they smell it, and we soft townies are going to be a traveling bug feast if the bug-out time comes.

[Weezin]

A friend was selling Avon and gave me the pitch for "skin so soft", I bought a box of the towelettes.
Put a handful in my fishing vest. First thing I noticed was the skeeters were eating me alive, next the stuff I rubbed on my forehead was running into my eyes and burnt like hell.
My little spray bottle of "deep woods off" 28% Deet, saved the day.......

[Txanne]

What about Avon Skin So Soft?

I've heard that that works for mosquitos and flys, etc.


I use it and it will deter fleas on your dogs.
Just bath a usual and add the SSS to the water.

They now have it in smaller spray bottles.

Its great for mosquitoes.

Txanne