• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Insect Repellent Recommendations. (1 Viewer)

Phil Carter

Well-known member
Having a week camping around Scotland in July so looking for the most effective midge repellent. Anyone got any sure-fire solutions?

Phil
 
100% DEET is the way to go. Be careful with it around plastics.

Also consider one of those over the head hat/mesh combos, but make sure the holes are small enough, some "mosquito" meshes will let the tiny Scottish blackflies through.
 
Any cosmetic with a massive amount of citronella. Avon Woodland Fresh dry oil is the traditionally recommended one, gives you lovely feeling skin as a bonus!3:)

Alternatively don't go.

Not a prophylactic but could help: daily Vitamin B1 will not stop you getting bitten but will help reduce the reaction to it, so not so itchy. Tablets, or marmite sandwiches.

John
 
Then theres spring tonic of sulphur & molasas. Once drank and distributed throughout "constitution", bodily odor pretty much repels every living creature on earth.

Deet probably the best. When working up north noticed some folks would saturate a small sponge with deet, then store with outer garments to be worn in a plastic bag and let "vapors" permeate clothing. Never tried, dont know if thats better method than applying on skin.
 
Last edited:
Any cosmetic with a massive amount of citronella. Avon Woodland Fresh dry oil is the traditionally recommended one, gives you lovely feeling skin as a bonus!3:)
When the wife and I were on an Alaska tour a few years ago, a couple of participants used that stuff, and lectured the rest of us about its magical properties, insisting that there's absolutely no need to use horrible deet! They got absolutely massacred by the insects. Their ankles became so swollen that they were effectively immobilised, and had to sit in the van while we hiked off to find Bristle-thighed Curlew etc. They smelled much nicer than the rest of us, though. ;)
 
Last edited:
Here's mine. "No love, I haven't ground black pepper into the spaghetti"
 

Attachments

  • Resipole.JPG
    Resipole.JPG
    275 KB · Views: 97
Any cosmetic with a massive amount of citronella. Avon Woodland Fresh dry oil is the traditionally recommended one, gives you lovely feeling skin as a bonus!3:)

Alternatively don't go.

Not a prophylactic but could help: daily Vitamin B1 will not stop you getting bitten but will help reduce the reaction to it, so not so itchy. Tablets, or marmite sandwiches.

John

I did try Avon Skin-So-Soft once after hearing rave reviews about it's insect repelling properties. Unfortunately, I got eaten alive but, as you say, it does leave you with beautifully soft skin (once the bumps subside).
I like the Marmite suggestion, any excuse to eat more of the exquisite, brown goo.
The alternative of not going is tempting as this is the way I do most of my twitching these days. The downside to this is that I don't tend to see as much as I did when I did go but the upside is that I seem to be a much happier person.

Seems 100% DEET is the only option really, as unpleasant as it is.

Thanks all for your input.

Phil
 
Last edited:
in the UK I suspect you don't need anything in excess of 50% DEET, I've used Boots own brand insect repellent successfully and it's available as a cream, a 'roll-on' and a spray for £7 or £8ish (other retailers i.e. Go-outdoors, Tesco) also stock suitable stuff.
 
There really is no simple answer, and what works for one person won't neccessarily work for someone else. Personally I've had success with Skin so Soft, particularly when combined with Jungle Formula roll-on applied across back of wrist, bridge of nose, behind ears. That got me through a very unpleasant bat survey in Kielder a few years ago on a painfully warm, humid evening.

cheers
martin
 
Another good plan is to have someone the midges prefer with you. Women are pretty good for this I have found.

Fag smoke also keeps them away to an extent I am told.

John
 
Had orange peels mysteriously show up in backyard a few years ago. Was perplexed by origin. At one point,
had a thought that maybe a cult of some sort had an initiation that involved them. Turned out grackles were plucking
them from folks trash bins, flying to creek bed back there and anting with them. Would rub them all over plumage,
then bathe. Maybe theres something to products that are citrus based.

Small tube of topical cortizone is handy, should little buggers get through all defences.
 
I know a lot of Scotland must look similar but that looks very like Resipole?

John

You've got it! There was a midge killing machine right next to our tent but it didn't help much, I think they were attracted to the steam. Citronella candle help if burnt inside and given plenty of time to work but once you're out in the open you're fair game to the little blighters.

A few years ago 3 hikers stopped to chat with us by the banks of Loch Garry & one looked as though he'd been used as a pin cushion while the other 2 were unscathed. Just like mossies they do have a preference for some skin types.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 12 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top