Biting Insects - Anyone??

[Max]

Both my wife and I have been bitten to death recently, both up at the archery field and at home - nasty painful bites, which my wife in particular has a strong allergic reaction to. I finally caught one of the little blighters creeping up on me and stuck it under a microscope - it looked like nothing I have seen before in Yorkshire - a bit like a small assasin bug, about 5mm long, speckled wings and very much a fat bug shape with a long nasty spike on its nose (sorry for the non scientific terms!) - definitely not midge or mosquito. Are there any biologists or botanists on the board who can tell me what it might be and why it has arrived in Yorkshire to take lumps out of me -is it something to do with the heatwave?

[Big Boy Blue]

Jungle formula.

The army uses it when they are out in the tropics and it also works for us when we go on holiday. Never been bitten since I started using it.

Sorry carn't help with indentifying the suspect.

[Max]

Originally Posted by Big Boy Blue

Jungle formula.

The army uses it when they are out in the tropics and it also works for us when we go on holiday. Never been bitten since I started using it.

Sorry carn't help with indentifying the suspect.

The damn things seem impervious to it BBB. Sat there stinking like a pole cat soaked in Industrial strength DEET and I still caught it trying to make supper out of me. I really want to know what the hell it is and where it came from.

[Iamnotanalcoholic]

Ah Max not going well for you . I don't know what they are but they're annoying, I had one of them fly right into my eye while I was loafing around just after you left.

[Stace]

I've always found Avon's Skin So Soft Woodland Fresh to be excellent at keeping the bugs at bay.

It doesn't smell of deet either which is a bonus.

[PaulT]

There's definitely something evil about - you get used to being bitten to death doing the archery game this time of year but a couple of weeks ago something got my on my ankle and caused my whole foot to swell up to the size of , er, well a larger foot. I've never reacted like that before so it must be something unusual. Personally I've just taken to drowning myself in ordinary insect repellent and wearing longer socks!

[Max]

Originally Posted by Stace

I've always found Avon's Skin So Soft Woodland Fresh to be excellent at keeping the bugs at bay.

It doesn't smell of deet either which is a bonus.

Trust me Satce - a flamethrower would not keep these lttle nasties at bay - the bites on me are bad enough, but my wife has blisters all over her lip, a lump the size of half an egg on her cheek - she is on antibiotics and antihistamines and the bite has triggered a lymph node infection - her Doc wants her back on Monday. Whetever these damn things are they mean business.

[clickerati]

I hate bugs. All of them, but especially flying, biting, stinging ones (and 8-legged ones). I don't care whether or not they have uses. Nuke 'em all I say!!

I come from a climate where it is like this all summer long and then freezing cold in winter, but one thing we have that you don't is WINDOW SCREENS!! Keeps the little bastards out of your personal space. I don't want them biting me when I'm outdoors, but I understand if they do, but I DO NOT want them flying and crawling around my flat!!



Max, I feel for you and your wife. I hope the meds help and she feels better soon. At least the heatwave is over.

[JohnK]

Some of the Boots Soltan range of sunblock comes with insect repellent included. It worked like a charm on the horseflies and midges in the woods of the Border Reiver field course. Even a dab on the back of the neck seems to help.

[Bald Eagle]

An old Navy remedy for crabs(pubic lice) might work. Rub the infected area with sand, followed by a liberal "tot" of rum,After a while the little bastards get ###### and start throwing rocks at each other!!