54 replies to this topic

[ClownPants]

We finally have a clear night here in North Texas, and I'm hoping to use the same observing site I used last winter. Unfortunately, it's a big grassy field, which tends to attract swarms of mosquitoes in the summer.

 

Last summer, I just accepted that going stargazing means getting at least a dozen mosquito bites minimum, but this year I want to go out more nights, which means I should step up my mosquito protection.

 

Does anyone, especially those in the south, have advice for mosquito defense beyond bug spray and long sleeves? I realize it may just be the price I have to pay to enjoy a starry night in the south.

[Dynan]

If there isn't a strong wind, look into ThermaCell. Works great for me in the deep South Mississippi. If there's a breeze, I set it slightly upwind. I was startled as to how well it works.

[Neanderthal]

I set up a DeWalt 20v portable fan a few feet away, it helps having a slight breeze. Might see if something like that works for you.

[havasman]

DEET works. Max content %-age is much more important than brand. Spray it on your shirt, pants, socks, etc. and then put them on. Another good reason for an observing hood you can spray down.

 

Airflow is helpful. I use a 20Vdc Dewalt worksite fan. But DEET is still required.

Edited by havasman, 20 May 2025 - 03:17 PM.

[EricCCD]

I've considered a Bug Shirt but haven't gotten around to buying one. It's still on my "to try" list.

 

I searched for "Original Mosquito Shirt" and am getting multiple hits on "Original Bug Shirt". They all seem to be similar:

 

https://bugshirt.com...oducts/original

 

HTH,

Eric

[Michael6]

Permethrin sprayed on a set of dedicated observing clothes (just once each spring).  Then picaridin applied to exposed skin (each session).  Very effective.

[Garyth64]

I agree with the ThermaCell.  I've used it for about 9 years now and it works great for me too.

Edited by Garyth64, 20 May 2025 - 03:46 PM.

[SporadicGazer]

DEET works. Max content %-age is much more important than brand. Spray it on your shirt, pants, socks, etc. and then put them on. Another good reason for an observing hood you can spray down.

 

Airflow is helpful. I use a 20Vdc Dewalt worksite fan. But DEET is still required.

DEET is the most widely longest tested and works well.  (In our experience wipes are less messy than spray or lotion.)  But be careful it will dissolve plastics.  (Classic mistake leaves etched finger prints on black plastic SLR camera bodies.  I've also heard tales of ruined eyeglass lenses.)

 

We have experimented with Picaridin based repellents, e.g:

 

https://www.rei.com/...-lotion-4-fl-oz

 

with good success.  Of course YMMV.   It is less well proven, but gets great reviews and doesn't dissolve plastic and doesn't stink as much as DEET.

[scotsman328i]

I live in Charleston, SC.

 

Skeeters are the size of chickens out here! We usually use dynamite to get rid of ours. LOL! 

 

Seriously though, I find the Thermacell, combined with Deep Woods Off with DEET enough to keep them at bay. 

[ClownPants]

If there isn't a strong wind, look into ThermaCell. Works great for me in the deep South Mississippi. If there's a breeze, I set it slightly upwind. I was startled as to how well it works.

 

I agree with the ThermaCell.  I've used it for about 9 years now and it works great for me too.

 

I live in Charleston, SC.

 

Skeeters are the size of chickens out here! We usually use dynamite to get rid of ours. LOL! 

 

Seriously though, I find the Thermacell, combined with Deep Woods Off with DEET enough to keep them at bay. 

Haven't heard of a Thermacell before, but sounds like I gotta try it out! Seems like a very affordable solution.

 

For tonight, I was able to find a bug spray with much higher DEET content than my usual choice, so I'll see how it goes. Appreciate all the suggestions!

[scotsman328i]

Here ya go….you can get them anywhere. I got mine from Walmart.

 

https://www.thermace.../mr300-repeller

[Inkie]

We were issued with a 90% DEET solution in small squeeze bottles when I joined the Canadian Army in 1975.  It was great stuff.  We'd start fires with it, wipe China Marker wax pencil marks off our Mactac covered 1:25,000 maps (we draw crayon 'traces' on the maps to show boundaries for our units' movements, to show predetermined artillery targets (hilltops where the enemy might be dug in, crossroads, etc), and the odd 'report line' that was a code name only those with the trace would know).  Oh, and it was pretty solid as an insect repellent.  Imagine that.

 

Head nets are really good, but you can imagine looking into an eyepiece through what is effectively very flexible window screen.  I used to do a lot of shore fishing late in my career (I love shore fishing...!!) and dusk at the river's edge brought tons of mosquitoes.  And/or blackflies, deerflies, horseflies, stable flies, no-see-ums, and sand fleas, but they were daylight scourges. This was at Petawawa in northern Ontario. Anyway, do any of you recall K-Way 2000 outer gear that was a lot like Gore-Tex?  I still have that jacket, and it must be 30 years old by now.  I wear it, hood up and drawn around my face.  I wear jeans under fleece jogging pants of yesteryear, and that's hard for the mosquitoes to penetrate.  Maybe on a tight butt when bent over getting another lure...but....  For my face, I spray Deep Woods Formula Off onto my hands and wipe my nose, mouth, and chin, and make sure the backs of my hands are covered.  I keep a wet and soapy facecloth in a baggy and use it to wash the repellent off my palms and fingers.  It's about the best I can do without rubbing my hands on numerous leaves or blades of grass.  Or wipe them on on my jogging sweatpants. I know to get as much off as possible before handling lures. 

 

And yes, DO NOT handle any plastics after touching any DEET with your fingers. The Mactac stood up surprisingly well, but eventually we had to discard the map. But whatever it was we got in the army was wickedly good stuff.  It felt oily, like baby oil, and was of the same look or lack of opacity. Oh, forgot.....it was amazingly good to loosen nuts.  I was in tanks, and we routinely had to do track maintenance, including torquing the track bolts.  If we got a broken track pad, we'd have to get ropes out and break the track with long wrenches.  A liberal splash of the goop first, wait five, and then it was an easy job.  

[hfjacinto]

I’ve had the thermacell for a decade and it works great and I recommend it. The Thermacell will provide a 10-12 foot circle of 99.9% mosquito free zone. Each propane canister last for 8-12 hours and each repellant lasts about 3-4 hours. In windy conditions it’s not that great though. When it’s a light wind I put in front of the wind direction. The repellent tabs will generally last 2-3 hours when windy.

I generally place it opposite of my eyepiece case but within 10 feet of my scope. Some people place it under the scope but I don’t know if it affects the optics so I place it a little away. I also found that on warm still days being away from the scope seems to make the mosquito free zone larger.

I have found that while most mosquitos won’t come near you the Asian Tiger Mosquito may still try to attack you (even with deep woods off and the thermacell) So even with the thermacell I may still wear long sleeves.

Edited by hfjacinto, 20 May 2025 - 09:59 PM.

[Lookitup]

I used turmeric oil with same water for the skin. Worked great, even one night in the Everglades where some people wore beekeeper suits. But it leaves yellow stains on bright clothing. Eucalyptus oil and others work too.

[desertstars]

Another vote for Thermacell, which I first learned about right here on CN. I've been using them for 20 years. Set upwind on a lightly breezy night, nearby on calm nights. On a truly windy night, I'm not usually out there anyway.

[pk759]

+1 for Thermacell. I use 2 set up a few feet on opposite sides of the scope. Put it out about 20 minutes before you go out and it keeps bugs away all night.

[Keith Rivich]

If there isn't a strong wind, look into ThermaCell. Works great for me in the deep South Mississippi. If there's a breeze, I set it slightly upwind. I was startled as to how well it works.

Same here on the ThermaCell. I was quite skeptical until I was sitting next to a friend at our site and didn't get bit once. Upon going back to my scope I was attacked immediately. I bought a ThermaCell the next day!

[Bulldawg54]

Thank you to the OP, this thread was timely, I’ve been getting swarmed too.

[JayinUT]

We get a few and come June to August when I head up to the Unita Mountains there are mosquitos up there. Ditto on Thermacell, usually 2 units and I agree with Deep Woods Off. I wear long sleeves even in the summer in the desert or the mountains as both get quite cool at night. Lot's of good suggestions. 

[triplemon]

My wife has the butane powered TermaCell to carry on a belt clip. She really likes it.

[ClownPants]

Was able to grab a Thermacell from Walmart right before heading out. Worked great! Only one bite despite being out there for 3 hours and forgetting my long-sleeve fleece at home. Thanks for the recommendations!

[izar187]

We finally have a clear night here in North Texas, and I'm hoping to use the same observing site I used last winter. Unfortunately, it's a big grassy field, which tends to attract swarms of mosquitoes in the summer.

 

Last summer, I just accepted that going stargazing means getting at least a dozen mosquito bites minimum, but this year I want to go out more nights, which means I should step up my mosquito protection.

 

Does anyone, especially those in the south, have advice for mosquito defense beyond bug spray and long sleeves? I realize it may just be the price I have to pay to enjoy a starry night in the south.

Another vote for permethrin for on clothes.

Hunters and fishermen have used it for years.

My climate allows for long pants and long sleeves year 'round.

I lightly spray all my clothes each time out, and a hat. They are then skeeter proof.

Soaking clothes followed by 24 hour drying is not required.

I used to use Deep Woods Off on my clothes, for decades, because it works.

This stuff works better. Specifically for on clothes. For years now. For me.

I use it day and night for all extended outdoor time, during skeeter and tick season.

In grass, on trails, in the woods, fishing beside water, every week...  and telescoping, whenever.

It is available basically anywhere/everywhere that sells any camping anything.

 

https://www.walmart....BSABEgKkavD_BwE

 

On my face, neck and backs of hands, Deep Woods Off still works best for me.

 

PS  Thermacell is so well recommended there is no doubt to me that it works.

Edited by izar187, 21 May 2025 - 04:14 AM.

[NinePlanets]

There used to be a brand of DEET juice called "Cutter's". What I liked about it was that it was available in a waxy stick form - like antiperspirant - that you could apply to forehead and back of neck, back of hands, etc. without getting any on your fingers or palms so that you didn't contaminate your gear. I haven't seen it in stores for many years but I have a couple of sticks that have lasted a long time from ages past.

 

Also recommend: Don't eat sugar. (No ice cream, soda pop, watermelon, beer, cantaloupe, etc.)

[jrussell]

I've never tried it but there's an Avon product called Skin So Soft that's supposed to be an effective mosquito repellent. Being from Avon I suppose it makes you stink nice too.

[Marcus1]

We have mosquitoes, no seeums, biting flys and a host of other blood sucking things. I use a mosquito net over a hat as well as sprays.
https://www.amazon.c...GhvbmVfc2hhcmVk

Works great, I whelp up big time and without this I can’t be outside. Wife calls it my “Out of Africa “ gear
I’m in South Carolina where the state bird……::

Edited by Marcus1, 21 May 2025 - 09:38 AM.