Just fire your cleaning lady.

there was a mosquito in my bedroom last night. I even saw it and tried to kill it, but it kept getting away from me. After a half hour of this I gave up, but put 40% DEET deep woods Off on my face and arms before going to bed. Still woke up this morning with a bite on my neck, one on the palm of my hand, and one on my forearm that has puffed up into a swollen, red 4"x3" itchy oval.

Apparently New York mosquitos are like cockroaches- nothing phases them and they'll survive a nuclear war.

Tamar, I'm mosquito bait too. If there's one within a 5-mile radius, it will find me.

If you apply a paste of Accent and water to the bite shortly after it happens, the swelling and itching subside faster. As a repellent, have you tried those little gizmos that make a sound like a dragonfly? They've worked for me.

what's Accent? I have not heard of it.

Meat tenderizer.

Tamar, I read recently that products containing eucalytpus are supposed to be extremely effective. Off came out with something but I was able to find it while on vacation. I am sympathetic as mosquitoes tend to favor me.

One cool thing I learned--alcohol attracts mosquitoes as it dilates your blood vessels. Of course this didn't stop me from downing Cliquot while grilling when I was on vacation.

Have you tried Avon's Skin so Soft? It has worked for me. Sorry--this is probably more than you wanted.

A commercial product called Afterbite also works on the bite by neutralizing the acid that makes its itch. That's why ammonia works too, although Afterbite smells better and comes in an easy-to-apply pen-like container.

For any type of itch, rash or inflammation use Florazone available in Health food stores. No cortisone, it uses cardiospermum, some kinda tropical vine and it really works well. http://www.smhomeopathic.com/store/boericke.html

Just don't take Lariam, whatever you do. I'd rather have malaria.

some good, very informative ideas, especially as I'm about to go to Maine. I have never had one iota of success with skin-so-soft, but then I'm the person who always comes back with 2 dozen mosquito bites, when the person sitting next to me only got 3. They just adore me. I have found DEET to be the most effective thing.

I also react badly to mosquito bites. I now have a trained praying mantis which I keep hungry through the day and then place on a perch in the bedroom. I have no mosquito bites this year.

Serious mosquitoes laugh at Skin-So-Soft.

I call my praying mantis Arthur. The mosquitos find this funny, and they laugh at her. This makes Arthur mad, so she kills even more mosquitos than she can eat. I have calculated that Darwinism will result in no laughing mosquitos by 2007 at the latest.

I've made a very effective herbal oil that keeps the Texas skeeters away:

Open up a 4 ounce bottle of almond oil and add:

8 drops lemongrass oil
4 drops thyme oil
4 drops lavendar oil
4 drops peppermint oil

You should be able to get the little bottles of essential oils at a natural food store or an herbalist.

I am an advocate using both AdAware and SpyBot routinely. They make a pretty good team.

Er, "advocate of using"

Ad Aware, SpyBot and SpySweeper.

That explains it. I'm always bitten more than R.

And Guadalajara has the real Chivas. And Estrella.

My mother used to say that the reason I was covered in mosquito bites every summer was that I had "sweet blood".

After spending my adult life and before out doors, I can only add a few painful observations.

People seem to fall into two categories. Those whose blood seems to "fire up" mosquitoes and fire ants, and those whose blood attracts wasps and the big stinging insects.

I have always used Parson's Lemon Ammonia to stop not only a bite, but poison ivy and oak from itching if cortizone was not available. The scent fades quickly, but it's affects are real. If I am remembering rightly, the bitepen with mink oil is 97% ammonia. For 4 bucks. Do the math.

Sulfur dust if in chigger or tick territory. If already chigger-infested, take a bath in a tub of cool water with a cup of liquid Clorox in it.

Do not wear perfumes outdoors. Especially a sweetish scented deodorant. Makeup with a strong scent attracts as well.Remember the olfactory capacities of Insecta as your guide.

Just hope it helps.

Good point. When I was in the market, it was 8 to 12 grown men out in the field. Used to buy the Parson's and put it into spray bottles. Right along with with my 250 gallon pressurized water tank, for little spark "oops" moments.

Hey, how about working this weekend. Yeah!

The spirit's willing but the oncologist says "Fat chance."

Please, I'd have to move this comment to reasons to be cheerful. I wouldn't trade saddle rash for your collective jobs. And I have enormous respect for you folks who not only do so, but live in urban places. I just could not.