[Abbylovi]

Just fire your cleaning lady.

[Tamar G]

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.

[Cathy]

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.

[Tamar G]

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

[winesonoma]

Meat tenderizer.

[fantasty]

Tamar G, on Jul 21 2005, 03:42 PM, said:

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.

You might want to try spraying your room w/anti-skeeter spray about 1/2 an hour before bedtime. If you have your windows open, spray the screens, especially the edges of them. I do this habitually in West Africa, where malaria-laden mosquitoes are said to prowl at dusk and dawn. Recently, the one night I forgot, lo and behold, I woke up at 5 a.m. to that awful bzzzzz in my ear.

Also, I find mosquito hunting much more effective with spray. Just aim and fire. You don't have to get as close, so they don't have as much of a chance to get away.

[voyager]

Tamar G, on Jul 21 2005, 12:42 PM, said:

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.

We have little fans (maybe 4" square) on either side of the bed. When either of us first hears a mosquito, we flick on the fan. Mosquitoes are disoriented by moving air, and will stay out of the airstream from the fan. We even take two of these fans with us when we travel in the summer, using converters for foreign outlets. They have been worth their weight in DutyFree many times!

We swear by diDelamine gel for bug bites, over-the-counter and not expensive. Immediate relief. Also purported to work is a drop of common household ammonia.

[MyKong]

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.

[fantasty]

MyKong, on Jul 21 2005, 04:30 PM, said:

Avon's Skin so Soft?

Its active ingredient is citronella, I was surprised to learn.

[Lippy]

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.

[winesonoma]

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.smhomeopa...e/boericke.html

[ranitidine]

fantasty, on Jul 21 2005, 04:25 PM, said:

Tamar G, on Jul 21 2005, 03:42 PM, said:

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.

You might want to try spraying your room w/anti-skeeter spray about 1/2 an hour before bedtime. If you have your windows open, spray the screens, especially the edges of them. I do this habitually in West Africa, where malaria-laden mosquitoes are said to prowl at dusk and dawn. Recently, the one night I forgot, lo and behold, I woke up at 5 a.m. to that awful bzzzzz in my ear.

Also, I find mosquito hunting much more effective with spray. Just aim and fire. You don't have to get as close, so they don't have as much of a chance to get away.

fantasty, you should also be using a rub on repellent when you visit West Africa. Our son didn't bother to. The onset of his case of malaria six months after he returned to NY was quite dramatic. Luckily, he had the least severe form.

[Squeat Mungry]

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

[Tamar G]

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.

[ranitidine]

Tamar G, on Jul 21 2005, 06:25 PM, said:

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 agree about DEET. Also, do not wear perfume in the woods. And I have a theory that mosquitoes do not like the smell of people who drink beer. In Maine, I recommend Geary's Pale Ale as a pleasant mosquito repellent.