Mosquitoes and Shavers

[nacktman]

I just was watching "Larry King Live' and there was a doctor answering questions about heart disease and such posed by callers and invited guests and one was Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Cuba's question didn't have much to do with the heart but the doctor answered it anyway.

He asked if it was true that if you sprayed mosquito repellent only around your feet and shoes that mosquitoes would not bite you as they flew from the ground up.

Yes was the answer as far as the mosquito that carries malaria was concerned as they only bite from the knee down, however there was a better repellent than spraying.

Guess what shavers out there you are inviting mosquitoes to bite you ... body hair is nature's mosquito repellent, they hate the stuff.

I have wondered for years why mosquitoes avoided me and zeroed in on others right next to me ... now I know it is the body hair - and as it stands now I am shielded from my feet to my head (O.K., so the top of the head is not as shielded any longer, but as mosquitoes are low flying insects and with the thick repellent shielding up to that point, I am not too worried).

[inthewind]

Oh my gosh I'm gonna die

[BEE-1]

I going to have issues then too because the only place I dont have hair is the last place I want to be bit...... http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/beam.gif

[Qikdraw]

Well I'm safe... I don't shave, I get lasered.

Qikdraw

[nudebushwalker]

I don't shave my body, just my face...

shoulders down, I get waxed..

but - generally speaking - I experience less interest from mosquitoes when I'm naked, compared to when I'm clothed.
Maybe those little fashionistas are attracted by the clothes you wear?

http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/wink3.gif

[tinner666]

I don't shave anything! AND they eat me alive!
I believe that what we eat has something to do with our body 'flavor', and that's what attracts or repels them. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/happy.gif

[usmc1]

Mrs. USMC got me these nifty little glow-in-the-dark, stinky, Citronella smelling, stretchy, insect-repellent bracelets for my trips into the fields and woods around here.

They are almost as smooth as I. Record level rains mean record level biting bugs. But, they work.

But, I think Tinner has a point. I remember reading somewhere that diet and several other factors play a part in attracting skeeters.

But as to the hair part, I ain't so sure, having gotten a bite or two on my head in the past.

Now, if someone would do something about these damned fire-ants.

[alfredr]

I've heard that drinking some vinegar discourages them bloodsuckers. I've tried it a couple of times over a couple of years with uncertain results. I kind of think it works, but how much vinegar and how long it lasts and how to make the vinegar palatable are still unanswered questions.

How do I grow more body hair?

Slinkie people. We all know some, don't we?

[nudenwv]

yes! this is a plug!! i'll stick with avons bug guard!! http://www.youravon.com/pbricker been using it for the past year and no problems with any insects - even while hiking! order up ladies and fellas! thank you

[walter05]

USMC1;

What brad are those citronella bracelets?

Did she buy them at a national store, if so which?

[Baron Lake]

vinegar huh? I wonder, if I just drink lots and lots of wine and let it turn to vinegar in my body will the mosqs stay away? Worth a try.

In the interests of science, maybe some of you guys (and gals too if you want) could just shave half your body from head to toe and report back to us after a night out on the lake.

One thing that has been a proven attractant is exhaled carbon dioxide. How long can you hold your breath?

b.l.

[usmc1]

Originally posted by walter05:
USMC1;

What brad are those citronella bracelets?

Did she buy them at a national store, if so which?

She tells me back by the garden supply area of (cough-cough) Wal-Mart superpcenter. Sorry about brand, ripped the stupid blister pack to shreds. I think the brand is "Bug-Off"

They come three to a blister pack. here's a site, http://www.brucemedical.com/bugoffbracelet.html

and a picture of what they look like, mine is ivory and glows in the dark.

[Al Bundy]

Not sure if it works, but my daughter mentioned that she heard if you take a Bounce dryer sheet and rub it all over your body, the skeeters will retreat.

[nacktman]

Originally posted by Al Bundy:
Not sure if it works, but my daughter mentioned that she heard if you take a Bounce dryer sheet and rub it all over your body, the skeeters will retreat.

Sure does Al, next to body hair it is the best thing for keeping the little buggers at bay. But you don't have to rub it on your body just having a sheet in your pocket will do the trick.

Use the original scent though for the best protection. Or for removing those nasty rust and tarnish stains from chrome, steel and precious metals.

[DoctorSurferDude]

Interesting bit about the malaria mosquitos only biting from the knee down....I didn't know that.

And....how unfortunate that the vast majority of sub-saharan africa is quite naturally unhairy. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/no.gif

[miracleman]

Hi everyone,
Just my two cents worth to help.If you eat garlic every day...besides vampires it also keeps those mosquitoes away!! Now eating garlic just about keeps everyone away...so its better to have a garlic capsule each day instead.Give it a go .It always works for me and others who have used it.

[nacktman]

Well, I'll be. Triple protected. Body Hair, Dryer sheet in pocket and garlic in my body no wonder the buggers have always hated landing on me!

O.K. so twice protected as I usually don't have any pocket for the dryer sheet anyway.
****

Doc, Just a little more detail on the doctor's answer to Cuba's question:

His question dealt as I stated above but his reason for asking it was that they had just finished filming "Daddy Day Camp" and the children in the film were being eat up with mosquito bites during filming. To which the doctor replied about the "below the knees" was for adults and that is why the children were bitten from head to toe and that all mosquitoes where low flying but made a point of stating the fact about the ones carrying malaria only biting from the knee down (on an adult).

That fact was the interesting bit that grabbed my attention in the first place.

[nakedjohn]

I have hairy legs and always gets bitten by the boogers. Below and above the knee it does not matter to them.

[nudebushwalker]

The Avon product that repels insects is "Skin So Soft";
As well as Garlic, taking Vitamin B is also supposed to help repel mossies;
For those who aren't worried about poisoning themselves, DEET is still supposed to be the best repellant...

Years ago, I read that what actually attracted mossies and flies to the human body was the CO2 given off by the body, plus the temperature of the body. It may be that what you eat scents the CO2? So that could be how both Garlic and Vit' B work - making the smell of that CO2 unattractive to mosquitoes??

[usmc1]

Originally posted by walter05:
USMC1;

What brad are those citronella bracelets?

Did she buy them at a national store, if so which?

What a woman, she dug through the "burnin' stuff" and found the back of the blister pack I rent asunder. It definitely is Bug Off, 3-pack, available at Wally World garden supply. They'll probably have them in camping too, but, will charge a bit more in that section.

Label says they're good for 180 hours, and they are Citronella 8%, Geraniol 5.2% & Lemon Grass Oil 2.4% and the rest is the polyester band.

So far they've worked just fine for me without the stink and hassles of spraying down with deep woods Off. Our situation out here is not just a few annoying mosquitos, these fields and woods are heavily infested this year.

I can say this though, they do not do a damned thing for fire ants!

[walter05]

USMC1;

Thanks

Walter