No-see-ums

jwing

.
Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
:laugh:
...BTW: I just now read an article that states that no-see-ums are attracted to carbon dioxoide...
Different species are attracted to different things:
The no-see-ums around my house and on the lawn at my marina prefer to attack lower legs and feet, but will find any unprotected skin. Listerine works great against them. CO2 is definitely not their attractant.

When I ride my bike up a favorite trail, I use Listerine against mosquitoes, ticks, and no-see-ums. However, there is a 200-300 vertical feet zone of gnats that I have to ride through. The gnats are attracted to my breath. Listerine does not deter them. My only defense is to turn my head and exhale forcefully to the side and behind me. I suppose that there is a swarm of gnats following me up the mountain.

When I played football in high school, the pre-season two-a-day practices put us out there during the dusk feeding frenzy. We discovered that those particular gnats would gather at the highest human flesh, our faces. Someone got the bright idea to raise his hand over his head and the gnats left his face and swarmed his hand. My dad came by to watch one day and later asked me about the peculiar sight of all the players and coaches raising their hands between drills.
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Different species are attracted to different things:
The no-see-ums around my house and on the lawn at my marina prefer to attack lower legs and feet, but will find any unprotected skin. Listerine works great against them. CO2 is definitely not their attractant.

When I ride my bike up a favorite trail, I use Listerine against mosquitoes, ticks, and no-see-ums. However, there is a 200-300 vertical feet zone of gnats that I have to ride through. The gnats are attracted to my breath. Listerine does not deter them. My only defense is to turn my head and exhale forcefully to the side and behind me. I suppose that there is a swarm of gnats following me up the mountain.

When I played football in high school, the pre-season two-a-day practices put us out there during the dusk feeding frenzy. We discovered that those particular gnats would gather at the highest human flesh, our faces. Someone got the bright idea to raise his hand over his head and the gnats left his face and swarmed his hand. My dad came by to watch one day and later asked me about the peculiar sight of all the players and coaches raising their hands between drills.
I figured you put your hands up when the police were there.
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
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Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Just left the beach after a few bites and got back on the boat. I rubbed the bites with bleach and the itch is gone after 30 minutes.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Just left the beach after a few bites and got back on the boat. I rubbed the bites with bleach and the itch is gone after 30 minutes.
Did it make your hair turn white?
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
They need to gargle after eating FROG blood, for sure.:rolleyes:
Jim...
Ah! I get it now. Frog princes need to gargle too.

For keeping midges away, frogs seem to use a combination insect repellent and sunblock:

I'm guessing their hearts aren't into the keeping insects away part.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
I grew up poor near the beach in S. Florida. No A/C. Our windows were open. The screens were old. Nothing worked better than a box fan and a sheet pulled right up over my head. When they bite, they can raise a welt. Don’t scratch it. I found the welt goes away in a few hours. Of course, I am native to S. Florida. Your experience may vary... we never had any remedies or repellants. The mosquitoes were far worse.
Wolf spiders, black widows, scorpions, coral snakes, and rattlers.... Paradise is a dangerous place!
 

Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Article? What article? Is it available in Cliff Notes?
Clicking on the picture will link you to the article...…. I admit that it is kind of a "cliff notes" article though.
 

RoyS

.
Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Once saw a photo of Prince Charles (I think) on safari. He and his companions had brimmed hats with small corks suspended on strings about an inch apart along the edge of the brim. Corks were just below the face. Have no idea if that worked but always wanted to try it. If he is reading this, perhaps he could reply.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Once saw a photo of Prince Charles (I think) on safari. He and his companions had brimmed hats with small corks suspended on strings about an inch apart along the edge of the brim. Corks were just below the face. Have no idea if that worked but always wanted to try it. If he is reading this, perhaps he could reply.
Invite him for tea. I once read soaking a cork in denatured alcohol would work as a deterrent. I tried it then moved on to different alcohols.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Have no idea if that worked but always wanted to try it.
With all that dangle before your eyes, I would think it might cause a person to go stir crazy.

It is one thing to be sitting on the veranda sipping a cold beverage, but quite another to be on a sail boat with corks bobbing and weaving in front of your face.

I hate "No-See-ums".

Take a picture and tell us how it works for you.

My worry...
1631292092582.png
 
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