mossies

[juliew1499]

hi

 

Can anyone recommend a good mosquito killer for outdoors. We have been in Melbourne for the past 6 weeks and have been eaten alive every time we sit outside. If you can't sit outside in Oz what's the point of being here. had a look in Bunnings but not convinced any of the devices will work. constantly spraying ourselves with Deet based spray but still the little devils are biting. Can't buy antihistamine cream out here either to stop the itching. Can anyone offer any advice please.

 

 

Julie

[Wen66]

Only been here a couple of months ourselves. But we use the Mortein spray indoors and out. Seems to help. Aerogard tropical spray on ankles etc., burn citronella candles. Cover up legs and arms when outside. Don't wear dark clothing....I got bitten quiet badly along the line of my black knee leggings. Hate mozzies, as I react to the bites. So I try everything. I bought a antihistamine from the chemist, not cream though. Ice cube on the bite as soon as possible can help. Stingose spray for the bite. Haven't been bitten for a few weeks, thankfully.:wink:

 

I do worry, I may be inhaling alot of serious insecticides.....:eek:

[fifi69]

Personally I found the longer here the less you get bitten.

 

Like you, the first summer, I used to cover myself in deet, fast forward 3 summers and I sit out for a few hours every night and get not a bite, don't put anything on. I really don't find it an issue here.

 

OH if he sits out, will put on the blue light zapper, like the things they have in takeaways back in the UK. They fry anything that comes into their path. Tonight we have had one bang.

 

I used to get bitten to death in places like Ibiza or Majorca on hols. Maybe you have to try a few things, but like you, I wouldn't like it if I couldn't sit out.

[tina0101]

Aero guard all the way!!

Ive had a horrendous time with mozzies and midges and pretty much any insect within 100metres of me thinking I'm some kind of banquet!! Aero guard has really helped - although if you can get the odourless one, it makes you more pleasant to other humans!

 

Some me peopl recommend taking Barocca to boost your vitamins. Been doing it over a month and still get bitten if not covered in spray!!

[HappyHeart]

I use a different spray, its called 'Off!' tropical, works better than aeroguard for me, also but mosquito wristbands if going to particularly infested areas. Burn cheap mozzie coils at night and citronella candles, you need to create a circle around yourself, I put one at my feet and one the other side. Have used one of those auto spray cans for outdoors that was useful and relatively cheap, like Fifi, I find I get bitten less these days, not sure if i's because Ive learned what works best though....if bitten creams pretty useless, I go for antihistimine tablets, cetirizine is good.

 

I remember in the early days I used to get horrific massive swellings, really large and itchy as hell, size of a saucer!!

[Counting Stars]

Hubby used Citronella in Afghan and said it was the best thing he had used and he tried a lot lol. You can get citronella automatic sprays and candles I think xx

[tonyman]

i got bit to hell this evening , but i was moving chicken coops and grooming one of the dogs (pepper ) around 7 .30m pm so was a massive miss steak (not lost my sense of humor yet).....all ok now as i had another shower an put rapaid on , sometimes paw paw .....it works .....when sat outside i light the coils and NEVER get bit .........unless mrs tonyman trying it on ..............:wink:

[Marisawright]

hi

 

Can anyone recommend a good mosquito killer for outdoors. We have been in Melbourne for the past 6 weeks and have been eaten alive every time we sit outside.

 

Citronella candles aren't foolproof but they do help.

 

I'm a magnet for mozzies and when I went to Darwin on holiday, I was really worried about getting bitten - they transmit some horrible diseases up there. I went into a chemist to buy Aeroguard and the pharmacist said, "you don't need that, take this". It was a bottle of Vitamin B1. She told me to take it every day. I never had one bite all the time I was there, and I still take it in summer here - just in case.

 

It helps not to wear perfume. Get yourself some maxi dresses so your legs are covered.

 

It is a nuisance not having antihistamine cream - the reason they won't sell it is that if you put antihistamine cream on your skin and go out in strong sunlight, it can cause serious burns. Instead, put some lavendar oil on the bit and then take a Zyrtec antihistamine tablet - it takes a little while to kick in, but it will stop the itching and swelling.

[Que Sera Sera]

They do seem to like new blood. They seem to come in a wave dawn and dusk for about 10 twenty minutes. Try to stay indoors at those two times. Aeroguard tropical was my favourite. I haven't had a single bite for about a year now. I used to be covered and also reacted badly. I got anti hystimine cream from the GP. I also react badly from ant bites here, I used to mistake them for mozzie bites until one day when I was weeding for a rental inspection. I managed to sit on an ant nest with thin joggers on. I ended up with between 40 to 50 bites on my nether regions! God it hurt, I couldn't sit, they came up the size of satsumas, that's when I went to the Docs :laugh: I was worried about all sorts of dangerous things biting me but not the common garden ant!

Also carry into hystimine tablets with you. The minute you get bitten take one. If you leave it too late they just don't work.

[VERYSTORMY]

The following is based on both my training from the school of tropical medicine and training from the WHO.

 

The only known repellent for mosquitos is DEET and it should be in a concentration of 25% or higher (in malarial areas I personally use 80% or if they are swarming at home)

 

You should avoid, where possible dawn and dusk as these are the main feeding times

 

You should wear long trousers and long sleeved shirts

 

Avoid dark colours as they are attracted to darker colours - white is best

 

Avoid smoking - people think that the smoke from a cigarette keeps them away, it will actually attract more mosquitos to the area as they use CO2 to find pray and smoking gives off increased CO2

 

CO2 traps have been found to work if you have a large enough property (not suitable for most houses)

 

In Australia, my favourite brand of repellent is Bushmans. It is available in most camping stores and some chemists

[Jessica Berry]

We use Dettol soothing antiseptic cream on the bites, I find they stop the itching, but the OH who gets eaten much more than me says it helps him but doesn't completely stop the itching.

[Eera]

Have you had a good look to see if there's anything nearby where they are breeding? Mozzies don't have a huge range and tend to stick within a couple of hundred metres of their breeding pond, so rid your yard of any stagnant water for a start.

 

I'm a convert to Avon Skin So Soft Spray Oil Moisturiser (has to be the oil, not the cream). Been through Africa, Middle East, now reside in the tropics and it's all I ever use, apparently the US marines use it (or used to) as a repellent.

[ramot]

Have you had a good look to see if there's anything nearby where they are breeding? Mozzies don't have a huge range and tend to stick within a couple of hundred metres of their breeding pond, so rid your yard of any stagnant water for a start.

 

I'm a convert to Avon Skin So Soft Spray Oil Moisturiser (has to be the oil, not the cream). Been through Africa, Middle East, now reside in the tropics and it's all I ever use, apparently the US marines use it (or used to) as a repellent.

 

I 2nd that, like you have used it in various countries, luckily don't seem to attract mozzies much any more, perhaps I'm just not so attractive any more!!!

On a more serious note, have generally found visitors would have more of a problem, always said they liked fresh blood, so that could apply if you are fairly new to Australia.

reckon sand flies are 10 times worse than mozzies.

[Wen66]

Good read and great advice.:-) Also, if you can get your hands on Forever Living Aloe Propolis cream....marvelous stuff, I use it for everything skin related. I brought some with me as I was a distributor in the UK, mostly personal use to be honest.

I have heard about the Avon stuff before. I am going to get some as well. x

 

Been googling and.... Avon Skin So Soft Spray Oil Moisturiser is on offer with Avon at 2 spray bottles for $10 :-)

[Eera]

Had a quick ok o the Avon website; they do a line of Skin So Soft brand repellent now. If the actual oil doesn't work for you maybe give them a try as they DEET-free (and that stuff melts plastic, I won't use it for extended periods of time)

[Que Sera Sera]

Had a quick ok o the Avon website; they do a line of Skin So Soft brand repellent now. If the actual oil doesn't work for you maybe give them a try as they DEET-free (and that stuff melts plastic, I won't use it for extended periods of time)

I must be honest, my sister gave me some for my Birthday on a recent trip back to the UK. She used to live in South Africa and swore by it. I've used it since we got back just as a moisturiser , maybe that's why I haven't been bit :laugh:

[missymon212]

Eurax cream if you've been bitten.....about $6 Chemist Warehouse and green Telfast antihistamines daily....bliss :cool:

 

I wish Noah had swatted those 2 mozzies!!!!

[mariewellu]

When i arrived nearly 2 years ago i was bit to hell, couldnt belive it as i had never suffered with them biting me in other countries.... i swell up something wrotten but hubby a GP and advised I use vitamin b1. it's fantastic never get bit now I swear by it.

[snmp]

My hubby & FIL swear by a mixture of Dettol & baby oil in equal measures!

[Kapri]

Mozzies love me.

 

The only spray that works for me is Bushmans. Smells awful but means I don't get bitten.

I do seem to be reacting to the bites less than I did last year, but they are still itchy and swollen.

 

We have one of those buzzy things that zaps them, which is fine until a large moth flies into it and the crackling and smell of singeing goes on for about 30 secs :confused: