I've been in many places where repellents don't repel, but condiment ! Two natural and ecological solutions that really work grate against mosquitoes are lemon juice and citronella oil (http://www.mardi.my/bdc/herba/english/Citronella.html). It's very curious but not many people seem to know about it. I find citronella oil more efficient, and after being surrounded by clouds of mosquitoes without been bitten at all, I would risk to say it's perfect. Some parts of Maui are well known for the mosquitoes, and with the arrival of tourists from all over the world, we also get some unthinkable diseases. Last year we had a few cases of Dengue, some even lethal. I used lemon for years in the sub-tropical zones of Argentina with also very good results. But we there's no Dengue or Malaria over there. No lateral effects that I know, other than the fragrance (you'll really stink !), but you'll get used to it. Fernando Lopez Arbarello ./ -----Original Message----- From: owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net] On Behalf Of Doug Lloyd Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 5:10 PM To: "Bob Denton" Cc: paddlewise Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Mosquito's Bob said (snip): >Repellents don't repel, but simply mask ... *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> DEET is the only tried and true mosquito repellant, "Repellant", maybe, "Deterrent", no. Here in Poquoson (Indian word thought to mean "Great Marsh", but it really means "Damn Mosquitoes!") we like to discourage the mosquitoes with scare tactics (although some will say it's really terrorist tactics). Similar to duck hunting, we'll take a few male mosquitoes down with some buckshot and have the dogs retrieve them. Once we get them home, we'll tie some rope to their legs and hang them upside down from the trees. When the other mosquitoes see that carnage, they usually move on. They're learning, and adapting, though. Lately, they've been getting into formations with the ducks, making them hard to spot unless you are specifically trying to find them. Unless it's also duck season and you're shooting at everything, it's awfully hard to single them out. But, the best way to tell them apart from the ducks is that the ducks are smaller... and a lot prettier. If you try this in your area, be forewarned.... there have been a few isolated instances of the mosquitoes taking retribution and using similar tactics on homeowners dogs and cats. It hasn't spread to small children yet, but I think it's only a matter of time. Rick PS - Poquoson is in the flight pattern for Langley AFB. Man, it's not going to be a pretty sight when an F-15 eventually sucks one of those mosquitoes into it's engines! Hasn't happened yet because the skeeters are still faster than the jets, but as jet technology progresses, it could get ugly real fast! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Mosquito's > Richard wrote > >Has anyone tried these new ultrasonic mosquito repellants? Do they > >work, and if so, how do they hold up around salt water? > -- > My vitriolic hatred of mossies led me to invest in such a device, against my > better judgement. Yet another investment down the drain, at least as far as > Ozzie mozzies are concerned:~( > Much sympathy and all the best, PeterO > *************************************************************************** My field of research used to be bioacoustics, and so far as I know there is precious little, if any, evidence that mosquitoes are capable of hearing at all.... Joe P. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Richard asked: >>>>>Has anyone tried these new ultrasonic mosquito repellants? Do they work, and if so, how do they hold up around salt water?<<<<< I tried a cheap imported one I got at a close-out store for a few bucks several years ago. As luck would have it a mosquito was in my garage shortly after. I got out the device and turned it on. The mosquito landed on my arm and started probing. I held the device close and closer to see if it would scare off the mosquito. Finally, I bumped the back end of the mosquito with it. She still didn't fly. Maybe she was deaf. Maybe she was too intent on reproducing to notice it looming up behind her and ticking loudly. Maybe the device was poorly tuned (but I went through the whole range of tunings available with it with no result.) Finally as the mosquito found her spot and quit poking around at my arm the device worked. It worked much like a roach killing device sold mail order in the 20's or 30's. Two bricks and directions. Place roach on brick A, bring brick B down hard onto brick A. My new mosquito repeller became a mosquito killer in my able hands and I didn't even have to come down hard with it, just keep moving it closer until it contacted my skin where the mosquito stood its ground (or should that be arm?). Then again maybe mosquitoes, outside of The Great Marsh anyhow, just aren't as tough as roaches. I did no further testing as I returned the item as defective before I saw another mosquito. My advice to Richard is to just quit reading SPAM. Gee, I just thought of a new product to sell on the internet. The Spam Ender. "Attach spammer's head firmly to concrete block A". (Suggestions are welcomed for the next line of the product directions). Matt Broze www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Years ago someone manufactured a device that produced a buzzing noise that supposedly mimicked the sound of a __male__ mosquito and marketed it as a repellent for the __females__, which are the ones that extract blood, but supposedly only after they have been impregnated by a male. The theory was that after impregnation, females would avoid males, and if you wore the device, the preggers females would regard you as a humongous male muskie. Per Matt's anecdote, it did not work, and was withdrawn from the market, with the assistance of the FTC. Other theories include ingesting one of the B vitamins and standing away from a sizeable plume of warm, CO2-rich air. I believe you can acquire propane-fired CO2-belchers which are used to lure muskies away from wherever you are. A buddy calims to have attended a wedding reception that was protected by one of these. I avoid DEET except for the back of my hands when on land and cooking or similar. Tight weave nylon outer garments and a head net do the trick in really nasty conditions. Couple times we sat around in such gear playing cards and were happy non-muskie food. Looks weird in pictures, though. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Question: How does the mosquito evolve to have the behavior of avoiding > a sound that precedes their death? I believe that mosquitos do not > communicate information to each other, along the lines of "And another > thing, kiddies, if you hear a buzzing sound - duck!" So the behavior > would have to evolve by increased survival of mosquitos who recognized > the sound as indicating danger, avoided the danger, and lived to > reproduce. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but is there someone more > familiar with evolution than this old anthropology major who does know? > Jim Tibensky > *************************************************************************** You don't need any form of communication with succeeding generations. If so, nothing would have evolved since most organism can't do that... especially plants! All that Darwin said regarding "Survival of the Fittest" is that there must be some advantage to some particular mutation. If it's advantageous, then more organisms with that mutation will survive to reproduce, and the others will not. More of those genes will be passed on to the next generation, etc etc. If it's a negative thing, then it will be rapidly taken out of the gene pool. If you have hundreds of thousands of years (and generations) then it will be pretty well fixed in the population. So, a mosquito survived to reproduce... nothing more than that is necessary. More to the point, the non-fit are not reproducing. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>>More to the point, the non-fit are not reproducing.<< This is NOT the case in one species I'm familiar with! *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Bob said (snip): >Repellents don't repel, but simply mask. One problem in testing repellents, is that each species of mosquito responds differently to "repellents" but only one species can be bred in the lab for testing purposes..Ades Egypti. It's one of the vectors for malaria and yellow fever, so it makes for a viable study, but other repellents have been shown to be up to 10 times more effective against other species in South East Asia.< As one who has suffered with Malaria in West Pakistan, I can say safely that I really hate mosquitoes. Fortunately, I like the outside of Vancouver Island, typically camping on exposed beaches. The little buggers simply get blow back into the bush. For early morning calm dawn starts, I prefer the spray bottles to the liquid, as it is easier to spread and perhaps less concentrated, therefore less of a health concern. I did hear something on the news just today that repellent used in conjunction with sunscreen causes the Deet to be more readily absorbed. The report said that the concern was more for younger and older users of the combination of Deet and sun screen together. (Geesh, my wife just asked me what I was doing on Paddlewise, I said talking about bug repellent. She said "Doug repellent, do they hate you that much!" Nice wife, eh?) Doug Lloyd Victoria BC *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/monday/ne ws_f3424948a59041de0089.html Lake Worth is a few miles up the road. Cu Bob Denton Delray Beach, FL *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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