The first sign of sunshine and, as a hot blooded person, I am bitten by theses scourges of the earth and sky. All my life I've endured the damm things and I would love to hear of your remedies.

I have tried everything imaginable to stop them and, it appears, to no avail. Short of bathing in caustic soda I don't know what to do.

Once bitten however, the spots swell up and remain itchy for about four days before gradually subsiding. I have tried various things to reduce the sensation and Brut roll on deodorant seems the best but that is now no longer available. (the spray on stuff is hopeless)

 HELP please

 A) To prevent bites and B). To treat them as you answer to A). Is bound to fail.

Avon So Soft moisturiser is meant to be a really effective midge repellent. There are some details here:

 http://www.wyrdology.com/edinburgh/midges/avon.html

Midge repellents based on either citronella or bog myrtle do work, and they're available from outdoor/walking shops.  Personally, I found the best defence in Scotland was to be 100 metres from the shore on salt water.  Garlic based products are regularly claimed to work, but then they repel every sentient being as well as midges.

Peter,

    My Grandfather swore by Stockholm Tar for everything.Petrol I have noticed never attracts them. [I suppose you will think me frivolous with these comments I just can't get rid of this schoolboy humour, sorry].

OH swears by citronella based sprays as used in horse fly sprays, however in true EU mindless burocracy these have been banned, not because of any harmful effects detected over the years, but because the manufacturers would need to prove there are no harmful effects before the products can be sold.

Peter - I suffer exactly like you.  All these blood-sucking creatures make a bee line for me and totally ignore Mrs J. 

We lived in Spain some years ago and to start with I was absolutely tormented, but after a while the mosquito bites seemed to react less and less - a sort of immunity.  I don't think there are enough of them around here to have the same effect.  The other side effect I noticed was that my ears became totally attuned to the frequency of their buzz.  I can tell instantly if there is a mosquito in the house and cannot rest until I have tracked it down and eliminated it.

With midges/gnats I can feel them biting a lot, but never get any reactions.  I am just hoping that we keep Bluetongue at bay otherwise I would be bound to get it. 

As to your plea for help:

A - In the past I have tried various 'guaranteed' repellents.  They fall into two categories, those that the dogs are desperate to lick off, and those that aren't.  Neither type appears to have any effect on mosquitoes.

B - I find that Hydro-cortisone ointment provides some relief - probably as effective as a few large Scotches if they are keeping you awake, but cheaper!

My dad tells me for years granddad carried a bucket of DDT in the front of his pickup.  It was to dust cattle for flies, but the open windows caused enough wind to dust grandpa.  Sadly, both my grandparents became ill and died, probably from DDT exposure, at the very young age of 93. 

For a legal solution, alot of guys use to smoke cigars before tractors with cabs, the thought being the smoke would keep the bugs away.  Are there chiggers in the UK??

         Isabel, I have heard that about Avon as well. You are not an Avon agent are you?

         I too get eaten to bits with midgies. I thought they were more a Scottish problem. However, Help may be on the way. Midgies are taken very seriously by the Scottish tourist board as they put a lot of people off coming to see this spectacularly beatiful country. Together with Aberdeen University and a group of atheletes a new product is to be trialled this year at the height of the midgie season. I wish them great success. See here: www.talk107.co.uk/article.php?article=5597  .

used to have a problem with it but naw im working with manure 24/7 that seems to keep them at bay not very good if your going to meet some one but it seems to work when your out in the feald. 

You have my sympathy Peter. However at least your midges are not fatal. The mosquitos here in Manitoba carry West Nile  [betcha Realtor doesn't mention that when he sells you that square mile of wheatland!] and about 20 people have died over the past couple of years. A farmer near here, born here, never lived anywhere else, is in a wheelchair with his farm sold because of it.

Most people become immune but to a certain percentage it is fatal. Still with a drought year hereabouts, so far, hopefully they won't be so numerous. Trouble is dry conditions favour Grasshoppers!

It's being so cheerful as keeps me goin'..

my daughter sprays her Berkshire pigs with a diluted mix of skin so soft from avon. It keeps the flies and midges away, and the pigs love their daily rub down. It is also good for fleas on dogs.

AllyR:

         Isabel, I have heard that about Avon as well. You are not an Avon agent are you?

Ron:  Our skeeters carry West Nile as well, the ticks carry Lyme disease, the skunks have rabies and now I am told about 10% of the armadillos carry leprosy.........then we have the venomous copperhead and rattle snakes...beat that!!

If that lot don't getcha  what about the twisters? You get more of those too I think Kansas. Don't forget the rabid Raccoons, and the wood ticks are a biting and a sucking here right now! They always seem to end up under my ear lobes. All very character forming I'm sure.

Still prefer it to living with DEFRA though..

I went through a period of several months being stung by wasps, anti histamine cream had little effect but anti histamine tablets certainly reduced the swellings.

Ron and KF do you get no see'ums over there?

I saw some herbal ointment advertised in a travel magazine that was supposed to repel chiggers and no see'ums.

I always wanted to go into Boots the chemist and ask for no see 'um spray