Dealing with mosquitos?

[Sleuth]

Ok, we're finding that we've been constantly fighting with mosquitos since summer has arrived - screen windows seem not to have made it here yet...

How does everyone deal with this issue? I'm a bit tired of getting bitten nearly every night. We bought some of the little electrical heaters with citronella (?), but they seem not to work that well.

Thanks.

 

[kanguro]

Hi, my bit of advice is... if all else fails...and this is only for when you go to sleep, opt out for the good old mosquito net. Yes they are not always that practical but it's the only sure fire method I know that has worked for me in my travels through mossie infested asian countries,... go to any shop that they call 'merceria' or supply type shop that sells all things fabrics. Ask for a "tul" -pronounced 'tool'. My uncle says if they don't know what 'tul' means then explain that you want it to cover a baby's cradle or larger. They are very common here apparently.

Good luck.

 

[Napoleon]

Also, a strong fan works pretty well while sleeping. But many people don't like a draft.

Something I picked up first in St. Petersburg, RS and have employed over the years...

Fold a t-shirt in the middle and cover the top of your head down to the tip of your nose with the folded edge along your nose. Then bring the blanket up to above your lips.

If all else fails, load your room with lizards.

 

[Napoleon]

Also, depending on how high your ceilings are, you might want to try to seek & destroy as many as possible before you go to sleep.

Most of the time, mosquitos congregate near the ceiling at the top of the walls. Occasionally they sit on the ceiling, especially if there are lights shining on the ceiling.

Killing as many as possible before going to sleep helps cut down on bites.

AFTER YOU'VE BEEN BITTEN:

1) For some reason, BACTINE works really well if put on bites immediately after you've been bitten. It almost eliminates all the discomfort and swelling, but it isn't sold down here. It has to come from the States.

2) I've found that CALADRYL, which is sold in Buenos Aires, works really well after bites as well. It's active ingredients appear to be (A) Difenhidramina HCL & (B) Zinc Oxide.

Good luck. I hate the things and with a bald head, I have a HUGE landing strip for those things.

 

[EvergreenGal]

About an hour or so before you go to bed...burn one of those spirial snake things....put it away from the bed....put it out before you go to sleep, unless you have very good ventilation, and be sure to place it on a glass plate or tin foil...also go to any grocery store and find the bug spray shelves..they have plug in plastic things, for lack of a better word, then slide in a blue repellent rectangle and this lasts 24 hours...no bad smell and work well....Fuji is the brand we use...check the boxes as most only have 12 strips in them but one has 24. These are sold separately. We put one near the bed and one outside the bedroom door and they work great.
Good luck...they are nasty and they love my husband more than me. I agree the caladryl works great for stopping the itching right away...there's another one that's also pink in color and works the same if for some reason the pharmacy is out of the Caladryl...sorry can't remember the name.