Mosquitoes and sandflies seem to lurk in the most picturesque outdoor locations, particularly when the weather starts to warm up!
These days mosquitoes potentially carry some nasty diseases, both in Australia and in other part of the world. You want to give yourself the best chance of avoiding these diseases by not getting bitten.
Head nets
To get the best protection from your mosquito net you want one that has a fine mesh and is Permethrin treated to repel the little bites!
Permethrin is a very safe and effective insecticide, that will daze mosquitoes on contact. With repeated contact the insect will die. The dosage used on these nets has not been found to harm humans; however, if you have concerns please consult your medical practitioner. Permethrin treatment will dissipate with time and washing. You can renew the Permethrin treatment using a kit such as De-Bugger.
Dusky Sound, Fiordland NZ - sandflies tolerated with the aid of SeaToSummit Mosquito Headnet
We use the SeaToSummit Mosquito Head Net with permethrin treatment. On our expedition to the Fiordland area in NZ we gave our nets a real workout! It is an awesome area but it is also the sandfly capital. See our Youtube for tips on avoiding bites and just to see the magnificent scenery we paddled through!
Repellant
When it comes to DEET less is more! Where possible, do not put insect repellant directly on your skin - it is better to roll it on your hat, socks, the cuffs of your pants & shirt and around your collar. Repel’s range of roll-ons and gel sticks have 30% DEET - this is plenty!
DEET also dissolves plastics - be very careful of it around your plastic kayak, watch band and the knobs on your car radio (yes really!).
Repel Roll-on 30% DEET
There are non-DEET alternatives. A new repellant called Picardin is the active ingredient in Repel New Era.
Clothing
Loose clothing with a fine weave is better at protecting from mosquitoes than skin-tight clothing that mosquitoes can bite right through. Once you are off the water and in camp it is quick to pull on a pair of Cargo Pants (or over-pants if it is a cool or windy day) to keep wind and biting insects off your legs.
If camping or travelling in tropical or mosquito-prone areas you can prepare your camp clothes ahead of time with De-Bugger Permethrin treatment.
Tents and Nets
Fine mesh is essential in a tent for insect protection. If you are not in a tent - if you like to tarp, or if you are in the tropics in hard accommodation but want more insect protection, then a mosquito net is ideal. They are available in single or double sizes, to go over your bed or sleeping system and can be rigged to hang from your shelter or the centre-line rope on your tarp.
For extra protection you can also treat your mosquito net with De-Bugger Permethrin treatment.
Treatments
Even with all these precautions, some of us will still get bitten because mozzies and sandflies just love us!
Formerly I relied on Stingose and Lavender Oil (smelled nice!) but now there is a new product that works effectively to reduce the swelling and itch. It is a battery-operated device called Bite-Away, which works by heating the area of the bite to 51°C (hurts a bit!) for 3 or 6 seconds. This denatures the proteins that cause the histamine release, so it reduces the amount of itch and swelling. You may need to do this more than once but do it before you scratch the top off the bite..
