Insect bites.

[eggyg]

I have been back from Greece for five weeks now and just getting over infected mosquito bites. Had two lots of antibiotics and antihistamines. Went for a walk last night around the country lanes close to home and have ended up with two big midgie bites and a few small ones. I have always been a target even before diagnosis but they never became infected like they do now or last as long. Is this because we taste sweet or is it just me? Sick of scratching! Have applied hydrocortisone cream I got from chemist for mossie bites, do you do think I should start on antihistamines again? It puts me off even going into the garden at the moment. PS I am assuming midgies could be anything I suppose.

 

[chaoticcar]

I have always had trouble with midge bites and I wondered whether it was because of being diabetic .I use Avon skin so soft original dry oil spray and it even kept the Scottish midges away ,it must be the original flavour ? though not a scented one
Carol

 

[Sprogladite]

I also seem to be like nectar to the midges, and I have often wondered the same thing @eggyg re blood sugar levels making us more appealing. We have a pond in our garden which they nest in so makes going outdoors in the summer rather unpleasant at times! I also use the Avon skin so soft dry oil spray which does seem to help keep them away 🙂

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

They love me too, I use boots own antihistamines and insect bite cream. I too have heard the Avon skin so soft is a good repellent and will be spraying myself with it liberally tomorrow evening when we are going to the pub for dinner.

 

[Bubbsie]

I have always had trouble with midge bites and I wondered whether it was because of being diabetic .I use Avon skin so soft original dry oil spray and it even kept the Scottish midges away ,it must be the original flavour ? though not a scented one
Carol

I'm as pale as a sheet Carol...I hide away from the sun...anytime I do venture out I get bitten...I am ordering some of that ASAP.

 

[Bubbsie]

I have been back from Greece for five weeks now and just getting over infected mosquito bites. Had two lots of antibiotics and antihistamines. Went for a walk last night around the country lanes close to home and have ended up with two big midgie bites and a few small ones. I have always been a target even before diagnosis but they never became infected like they do now or last as long. Is this because we taste sweet or is it just me? Sick of scratching! Have applied hydrocortisone cream I got from chemist for mossie bites, do you do think I should start on antihistamines again? It puts me off even going into the garden at the moment. PS I am assuming midgies could be anything I suppose.

eggyg sounds awful...why not have a word with your pharmacist about the antihistamines ...some are more prone to getting bitten than others...a friend of mine right down in the south of France swears those with 'sweeter' blood get bitten the most...she has no firm evidence for that...but stands by it.

 

[grovesy]

I think it luck of the draw. The local paper here has run a story that this year has seen some having nasty horse fly bites.

 

[Grannylorraine]

I am the one in my family that always gets bitten. My mum used to say it was because I had sweet blood (which I know is just an old wives tale) but little did she know I would end up with all this excess sugar.

 

[Wirrallass]

Nasty things those mozzie bites eggyy. I can highly recommend Jungle Formula gel, insect repellent factor, original ~ and also for sensitive skin. Up to six hours protection. It has a pleasant fragrance too. We swear by it. Use it abroad and at home. I smother my legs, ankles & feet & body with it. I apply it before I go in the garden too. Did you know that mosquitos inject an anaesthetic before drawing blood and that's why we don't know we've been bitten until an hour or so later when the bite becomes itchy and the bite area becomes red & swollen. Available in supermarkets, pharmacies, Home Bargains, Boots etc. Hope it works for you.
WL

 

[Emmakeets]

I always bet bitten as well, I swear by the sweet blood theory! 😳

 

[mikeyB]

The professionals in Scotland use Avon Skin so Soft as deterrent for the legendary Scottish Midge, so I do too. The loggers can’t be wrong.

 

[Carolg]

I get bitten by midgies and berry bugs. You either do or don’t

 

[Radders]

On holiday in Mull I bought a book about midges because I suffer badly from bites. Among other interesting facts it said that midges, which are small mosquitoes, bite everyone but if you aren’t allergic to them you don’t know you’ve been bitten.
It also said they are attracted to dark colours and that if you wear repellent they will crawl over you until they find a bit you’ve missed and bite you there. I found this to be true on a recent holiday where we the mosquitoes bit my eyelid!

 

[Maz2]

Always had insect bites. I put repellant on now just for the garden as they drive me mad
Had infected bite once and now scared of any more. Hubby never gets bitten.

 

[eggyg]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Have heard about the Skin so Soft, infact I have the body wash and moisturiser. Might slather myself in it and see. In the meantime last night’s bites are driving me mad, going to call pharmacy tomorrow and see if I should take the antihistamines I was prescribed. In garden now to do the watering and can feel the little blighters already! Think I will have to chop down the trees and hedges or never leave the house in the summer! 😱

 

[mikeyB]

Course, you could always invest in a midge killer. They aren’t cheap - around £300, but you can kill swarms - they collect in a sort of midge soup in the machine. If you run it every season , the population eventually drops. Look up ‘midge killer’ on t’internet. Every garden had one on Mull. It’s less use if your neighbour over the hedge doesn’t do the same, mind.

 

[eggyg]

Course, you could always invest in a midge killer. They aren’t cheap - around £300, but you can kill swarms - they collect in a sort of midge soup in the machine. If you run it every season , the population eventually drops. Look up ‘midge killer’ on t’internet. Every garden had one on Mull. It’s less use if your neighbour over the hedge doesn’t do the same, mind.

Thanks Mike! To paraphrase @Vince_UK I am only a poor pensioner! I might splash out if it’s portable and I can carry it on my back whilst hiking through the wilderness of Cumbria and foreign climes!

 

[m1dnc]

I spend half the year in the tropics so know a thing or three about mozzies! Sorry, you sweet blood proponents but I am much less susceptible to the little blighters than my non-D partner.

We have very expensive, but effective, traps that kill off the swine around the house overseas. First off, it is only the female insects that do the biting and apparently they do not travel far, so the theory goes that if you can kill off the females in your immediate vicinity you can maintain a mozzie-free environment. However, there are always some that get through the defences so it's good to know what it is that attracts them. There are two things that they go for: 1) smell, i.e.the whiff of human sweat; and 2) visual, particularly strong colour contrasts. There's not a lot you can do about the smell, but you might be able to avoid the visual attraction. In particular, avoid wearing clothes with a strong contrast e.g. a black T-shirt against white skin or a white T-shirt and dark trousers. This may explain why the OH is more attractive to the little perils - he has very dark hair, while I have - well, let's be honest - not a lot of hair at all, and what there is is a bit on the colourless side. If grey is colourless.

Also, when you know you are going to be in a high-mozzie area, apply insect repellent. I go for the non-DEET varieties as I hate the smell of DEET and it does horrible things to anything made of plastic.

And if all else fails, try one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00820T...olid=277YL91I0LGMF&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

We were given one by some Canadian friends, who also know a thing or two about midges, and it is very effective in treating the bites very quickly. They seem to be unavailable at Amazon at the moment, but there are alternatives and they are relatively cheap.

 

[bamba]

e.g. a black T-shirt against white skin

Wouldn't long sleeves reduce the available target area- no matter the colour/shade.

 

[m1dnc]

Wouldn't long sleeves reduce the available target area- no matter the colour/shade.

Definitely, but if it's hot that's a bit restrictive.