Midges

madandybell
madandybell Posts: 148
edited July 2009 in Road beginners
Morning all,

Was out on a gentle ride with the kids on monday and stopped for a bit of a breather, after literally 30 seconds of getting off the bikes we were decended on by what I can only describe as a 'plague' of midges!! They covered us head to toe in seconds!

Were are all covered in over a hundered bites on each arm and leg and even around the face! Looks like weve all been struck down by some sort of tropical disease!! Quite a few cyclists have said they've found it to be really bad for bugs this year as welL!

Anyone got any ideas on: 1) a decent repellant of some kind 2) something to take away the redness & itching!! Driving us all mad!

Cheers.

Andy.

Comments

  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    ... Anyone got any ideas on: 1) a decent repellant of some kind 2) something to take away the redness & itching!! Driving us all mad!

    Cheers.

    Andy.
    1) Anything with DEET in it works well. The one I've used was by Life Adventure and at a fairly high concentration.

    2) Anti-histamines'll take away the itching in around 10-15 mins - cheap as chips from your local chemist. The lumpy redness'll go in it's own good time, probably a couple of weeks.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • tyax
    tyax Posts: 106
    If your bike has a candelabra fitted, you may wish to consider some citronella candles?

    Failing that, as Crapaud wrote, look for DEET on the label. Boots sells a range of insect repellants with DEET in, including a spray and a pack of wipes that's less bulky than an aerosol, so might be handy to stick in your pocket/tailpack :)

    I recently got eaten alive by midges on Skye, and only discovered that my other half had packed a suitcaseful of the Boots stuff when it was too late :roll:
    2010 Specialized Competition Secateurs, hell yeh ;)
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Deet is N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide and it causes cancer and skin irritation, but yes, is v effective against mozzies and midges. Alternatively use citronella oil or Avon Skin So Soft which was invented as a moisturiser in the 1970s but has suince been discovered as a very useful insect repellent.

    We get loads of mozzies in our place, the gardens are very large and leafy and I think someone must have an abandoned pond somewhere which is the perfect spot for them to breed
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    I didn't find citronella oil to be very effective, certainly not as good as DEET.

    Is it not a specific 'flavour' of Skin-So-Soft? I've tried sandalwood and it was crap.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • verloren
    verloren Posts: 337
    There is a particular version skin-so-soft that provides protection - don't remember the name of it, but it's clearly labeled as being the insect repellent one. It does work, not quite as long as Deet, but well enough for any ride you'd be on with your kids.

    '09 Enigma Eclipse with SRAM.
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  • pneumatic
    pneumatic Posts: 1,989
    Avon skin-so-soft to prevent. You can get it online.

    E45 itch cream if they get you (apply before/instead of scratching)


    Fast and Bulbous
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    Eddingtons: 80 (Metric); 60 (Imperial)

  • Tried the new nikwax deet free spray . OK for short term . Not get the killing power of deet though
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    Killing power of DEET goes both ways though - it can kill you too in the long term.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    I don't think deet kills mozzies, does it? I think the way it works is to affect the mozzies ability to smell sweat and other odours we put out that they are attracted to. I don't think it makes them keel over dead if they come near you once you are sprayed in deet!
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • The old theory was that deet blocked the insects olfactory receptors which is sweat to us . The new theory is its also a repellant to the insect even in the absence of sweat .
    Using the lifesystems max strength you could see the mozzies drop to the ground on contact . Not sure whether dead or stunned :D
  • suze
    suze Posts: 302
    We're up in Scotland next week.....and I'll be taking Mr Suze so the midges will leave me alone :wink::D He'll be smothered in Deet based insect repelant.
    �3 grand bike...30 Bob legs....Slowing with style
  • Grazy81
    Grazy81 Posts: 196
    I have heard that those prone to insect bites have a deficiency in vitamin b so it may be worth looking into changing your diet slightly
  • Crapaud
    Crapaud Posts: 2,483
    Grazy81 wrote:
    I have heard that those prone to insect bites have a deficiency in vitamin b so it may be worth looking into changing your diet slightly
    Oddly enough, I've thought that when I've been eating a lot of broccolli that the midges haven't been as bad.

    Brewers yeast is, apparently, packed with vit B.
    Dose yourself with Vitamin B, as found in brewer's yeast. This makes your skin exude a scent which insects don't like.
    A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject - Churchill
  • Grazy81
    Grazy81 Posts: 196
    Crapaud wrote:
    Grazy81 wrote:
    I have heard that those prone to insect bites have a deficiency in vitamin b so it may be worth looking into changing your diet slightly
    Oddly enough, I've thought that when I've been eating a lot of broccolli that the midges haven't been as bad.

    Brewers yeast is, apparently, packed with vit B.
    Dose yourself with Vitamin B, as found in brewer's yeast. This makes your skin exude a scent which insects don't like.

    Does this mean we should be drinking lots of beer then :P
  • suze
    suze Posts: 302
    Grazy81 wrote:
    Crapaud wrote:
    Grazy81 wrote:
    I have heard that those prone to insect bites have a deficiency in vitamin b so it may be worth looking into changing your diet slightly
    Oddly enough, I've thought that when I've been eating a lot of broccolli that the midges haven't been as bad.

    Brewers yeast is, apparently, packed with vit B.
    Dose yourself with Vitamin B, as found in brewer's yeast. This makes your skin exude a scent which insects don't like.

    Does this mean we should be drinking lots of beer then :P

    Or marmite and Brocolli.... Yurrrgh!!!!!! the beer I can cope with :D
    �3 grand bike...30 Bob legs....Slowing with style
  • AMcD
    AMcD Posts: 236
    Grazy81 wrote:
    I have heard that those prone to insect bites have a deficiency in vitamin b so it may be worth looking into changing your diet slightly

    That's interesting. I worked on a summer camp in North Carolina and was bitten senseless by mosquitos - hundreds in total. I was the only foreigner working there and all the other staff from North Carolina were not getting bitten - they told me it was because I had 'fresh blood' (ie they were immune). Perhaps there's some truth in this theory too.

    Sorry, not an answer just an observation!
  • scwxx77
    scwxx77 Posts: 1,469
    edited July 2009
    Were are all covered in over a hundered bites on each arm and leg and even around the face!
    Wear your polka dot arm and leg warmers with pride. :D
    Winner: PTP Vuelta 2007 :wink:
  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    I used to work with a guy who took garlic tablets - the odourless kind.

    He didn't seem to be attacked nearly as often as me. He stunk though.
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    Best defence is just not to stop... :wink:
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Stop whinging!,

    We get these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_giant_hornet

    I agree with neeb - don't stop. If you must, this might help:

    http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/feat ... ito-magnet


    :wink:
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