"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:38:00 -0400, "mmc" wrote:


Vic,
Try looking like a local next time, the bugs are trained to eat tourists
and
condo dwellers. Black socks and shorts are a key ID feature for tourists
and
condo dwellers.

That was the only time I wore them outside. And the worse time to
wear them. Don't like shorts, but the wife is always tries laying
them out for me. I bit this time - and got bit back.

All kidding aside, Avon Skin So Soft is great stuff for keeping the bugs
away.

Met a sailor down there who said the same thing. I'm going to get
some.
We were talking about no-see-ums. He said the worst time for them was
at dusk and dawn.
A few got me on the arms, but since I wore jeans all the time when
fishing, never felt them there. I usually wear a long-sleeve shirt
when fishing but it was so damn hot down there I was in a t-shirt.
Wife used DEET and started calling it no-see-um food.

We have a city owned island (only boat access - no bridge) that is a
nature
reserve on this side of Florida and the last time we went was during the
week when the place was empty, saw gopher tortuses, armadillo, osprey,
buzzerds, mocking birds, bluejays, finches, etc, etc. during a 1 hour
walk.
Daybreak is a much better time to see wildlife but I can't get the boat
loaded (people) that early.

We found a pretty good nature park at Ponce de Leon with most of those
critters and it was likewise empty of people. No bugs there.
This place I got ate up was basically an undeveloped few acres right
in the town. Had maybe 6 parking slots, a nice sign.
Here's the sign, with wife next to it. Only pic we got there. She
liked the pastels.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...t/IMG_1604.jpg
They whacked a narrow trail into the brush/mangroves and laid down
some gravel.
We laugh about this"idyllic" pic, because less than a minute later we
entered the trail, got attacked within 20 feet, and were running like
hell out of that place.
Jumped real quick into the car, floored it and kept on screaming as we
escaped the vicinity. Lucky I didn't get a ticket.
Never saw so many bugs light on me at once.
Sure did change the "ambience" of my vacation, what with me itching to
get on vacation, then really itching all through my vacation.
Pretty sure this is what got me,
http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatu...stock/bfly.htm
Seems to fit. It was pretty wet down there.
They didn't get my wife, it was skeeters that attacked her, but not
bad.
She was back a bit from me, because after the skeeters started on her
she stopped and didn't want to go further after 10 feet in.
I hadn't even seen a skeeter and went ahead another 10 feet to show
her there was nothing to it.
You can hardly feel these things bite. By the time I felt anything my
legs were black with them. Itching started within a minute, and
lasted almost 2 weeks.
Think I got enough of whatever they inject that it tired me out a bit,
and made me drink more beer than I otherwise would.
Reduces the itching after 4 or 5. Or maybe you just don't know you're
scratching.
If I'd been wearing long pants and shirt, it would have been a
non-event.
Would have just backed out of there slow and easy.

--Vic
Know what you mean, mosquitos don't bother me much around here but we made a
trip down the left side to Everglades City and I swear there are more
mosquitos there than probably the rest of FL combined. I think I lost about
a quart in one attack.
Damned no see ums are worse, to me anyways and those black flies are vicious
little SOBs.
The Skin So Soft comes in both oil and lotion. I think the oil works best
but my Mrs says it's in my head.

In article m,
says...

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:38:00 -0400, "mmc" wrote:


Vic,
Try looking like a local next time, the bugs are trained to eat tourists
and
condo dwellers. Black socks and shorts are a key ID feature for tourists
and
condo dwellers.

That was the only time I wore them outside. And the worse time to
wear them. Don't like shorts, but the wife is always tries laying
them out for me. I bit this time - and got bit back.

All kidding aside, Avon Skin So Soft is great stuff for keeping the bugs
away.

Met a sailor down there who said the same thing. I'm going to get
some.
We were talking about no-see-ums. He said the worst time for them was
at dusk and dawn.
A few got me on the arms, but since I wore jeans all the time when
fishing, never felt them there. I usually wear a long-sleeve shirt
when fishing but it was so damn hot down there I was in a t-shirt.
Wife used DEET and started calling it no-see-um food.

We have a city owned island (only boat access - no bridge) that is a
nature
reserve on this side of Florida and the last time we went was during the
week when the place was empty, saw gopher tortuses, armadillo, osprey,
buzzerds, mocking birds, bluejays, finches, etc, etc. during a 1 hour
walk.
Daybreak is a much better time to see wildlife but I can't get the boat
loaded (people) that early.

We found a pretty good nature park at Ponce de Leon with most of those
critters and it was likewise empty of people. No bugs there.
This place I got ate up was basically an undeveloped few acres right
in the town. Had maybe 6 parking slots, a nice sign.
Here's the sign, with wife next to it. Only pic we got there. She
liked the pastels.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...t/IMG_1604.jpg
They whacked a narrow trail into the brush/mangroves and laid down
some gravel.
We laugh about this"idyllic" pic, because less than a minute later we
entered the trail, got attacked within 20 feet, and were running like
hell out of that place.
Jumped real quick into the car, floored it and kept on screaming as we
escaped the vicinity. Lucky I didn't get a ticket.
Never saw so many bugs light on me at once.
Sure did change the "ambience" of my vacation, what with me itching to
get on vacation, then really itching all through my vacation.
Pretty sure this is what got me,
http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatu...stock/bfly.htm
Seems to fit. It was pretty wet down there.
They didn't get my wife, it was skeeters that attacked her, but not
bad.
She was back a bit from me, because after the skeeters started on her
she stopped and didn't want to go further after 10 feet in.
I hadn't even seen a skeeter and went ahead another 10 feet to show
her there was nothing to it.
You can hardly feel these things bite. By the time I felt anything my
legs were black with them. Itching started within a minute, and
lasted almost 2 weeks.
Think I got enough of whatever they inject that it tired me out a bit,
and made me drink more beer than I otherwise would.
Reduces the itching after 4 or 5. Or maybe you just don't know you're
scratching.
If I'd been wearing long pants and shirt, it would have been a
non-event.
Would have just backed out of there slow and easy.

--Vic
Know what you mean, mosquitos don't bother me much around here but we made a
trip down the left side to Everglades City and I swear there are more
mosquitos there than probably the rest of FL combined. I think I lost about
a quart in one attack.
Damned no see ums are worse, to me anyways and those black flies are vicious
little SOBs.
The Skin So Soft comes in both oil and lotion. I think the oil works best
but my Mrs says it's in my head.

Yeah, we tried skin so soft once, once... Didn't do **** but attract
more marsh mosquitoes as far as I could tell... Never get caught without
Cutters again. I keep cans in my car, boat, and with the camping
equipment and bikes...

On Oct 19, 3:45*pm, Tosk wrote:
In article m,
says...





"Vic Smith" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:38:00 -0400, "mmc" wrote:

Vic,
Try looking like a local next time, the bugs are trained to eat tourists
and
condo dwellers. Black socks and shorts are a key ID feature for tourists
and
condo dwellers.

That was the only time I wore them outside. *And the worse time to
wear them. *Don't like shorts, but the wife is always tries laying
them out for me. *I bit this time - and got bit back.

All kidding aside, Avon Skin So Soft is great stuff for keeping the bugs
away.

Met a sailor down there who said the same thing. *I'm going to get
some.
We were talking about no-see-ums. *He said the worst time for them was
at dusk and dawn.
A few got me on the arms, but since I wore jeans all the time when
fishing, never felt them there. *I usually wear a long-sleeve shirt
when fishing but it was so damn hot down there I was in a t-shirt.
Wife used DEET and started calling it no-see-um food.

We have a city owned island (only boat access - no bridge) that is a
nature
reserve on this side of Florida and the last time we went was during the
week when the place was empty, saw gopher tortuses, armadillo, osprey,
buzzerds, mocking birds, bluejays, finches, etc, etc. during a 1 hour
walk.
Daybreak is a much better time to see wildlife but I can't get the boat
loaded (people) that early.

We found a pretty good nature park at Ponce de Leon with most of those
critters and it was likewise empty of people. *No bugs there.
This place I got ate up was basically an undeveloped few acres right
in the town. *Had maybe 6 parking slots, a nice sign.
Here's the sign, with wife next to it. *Only pic we got there. *She
liked the pastels.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...t/IMG_1604.jpg
They whacked a narrow trail into the brush/mangroves and laid down
some gravel.
We laugh about this"idyllic" pic, because less than a minute later we
entered the trail, got attacked within 20 feet, and were running like
hell out of that place.
Jumped real quick into the car, floored it and kept on screaming as we
escaped the vicinity. *Lucky I didn't get a ticket.
Never saw so many bugs light on me at once.
Sure did change the "ambience" of my vacation, what with me itching to
get on vacation, then really itching all through my vacation.
Pretty sure this is what got me,
http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatu...stock/bfly.htm
Seems to fit. *It was pretty wet down there.
They didn't get my wife, it was skeeters that attacked her, but not
bad.
She was back a bit from me, because after the skeeters started on her
she stopped and didn't want to go further after 10 feet in.
I hadn't even seen a skeeter and went ahead another 10 feet to show
her there was nothing to it.
You can hardly feel these things bite. *By the time I felt anything my
legs were black with them. *Itching started within a minute, and
lasted almost 2 weeks.
Think I got enough of whatever they inject that it tired me out a bit,
and made me drink more beer than I otherwise would.
Reduces the itching after 4 or 5. *Or maybe you just don't know you're
scratching.
If I'd been wearing long pants and shirt, it would have been a
non-event.
Would have just backed out of there slow and easy.

--Vic
Know what you mean, mosquitos don't bother me much around here but we made a
trip down the left side to Everglades City and I swear there are more
mosquitos there than probably the rest of FL combined. I think I lost about
a quart in one attack.
Damned no see ums are worse, to me anyways and those black flies are vicious
little SOBs.
The Skin So Soft comes in both oil and lotion. I think the oil works best
but my Mrs says it's in my head.

Yeah, we tried skin so soft once, once... Didn't do **** but attract
more marsh mosquitoes as far as I could tell... Never get caught without
Cutters again. I keep cans in my car, boat, and with the camping
equipment and bikes...

You need both Skin so Soft (SSS) and Cutters, SSS only works on no -
see-ums while deet based products often do not work for em. You need
the deet for the other bugs. I think Avon tried a version of SSS with
DEET but it did not sell well. Ii agree, the oily kind of SSS works
best.

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
On Oct 19, 3:45 pm, Tosk wrote:
In article m,
says...





"Vic Smith" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:38:00 -0400, "mmc" wrote:

Vic,
Try looking like a local next time, the bugs are trained to eat
tourists
and
condo dwellers. Black socks and shorts are a key ID feature for
tourists
and
condo dwellers.

That was the only time I wore them outside. And the worse time to
wear them. Don't like shorts, but the wife is always tries laying
them out for me. I bit this time - and got bit back.

All kidding aside, Avon Skin So Soft is great stuff for keeping the
bugs
away.

Met a sailor down there who said the same thing. I'm going to get
some.
We were talking about no-see-ums. He said the worst time for them was
at dusk and dawn.
A few got me on the arms, but since I wore jeans all the time when
fishing, never felt them there. I usually wear a long-sleeve shirt
when fishing but it was so damn hot down there I was in a t-shirt.
Wife used DEET and started calling it no-see-um food.

We have a city owned island (only boat access - no bridge) that is a
nature
reserve on this side of Florida and the last time we went was during
the
week when the place was empty, saw gopher tortuses, armadillo, osprey,
buzzerds, mocking birds, bluejays, finches, etc, etc. during a 1 hour
walk.
Daybreak is a much better time to see wildlife but I can't get the
boat
loaded (people) that early.

We found a pretty good nature park at Ponce de Leon with most of those
critters and it was likewise empty of people. No bugs there.
This place I got ate up was basically an undeveloped few acres right
in the town. Had maybe 6 parking slots, a nice sign.
Here's the sign, with wife next to it. Only pic we got there. She
liked the pastels.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...t/IMG_1604.jpg
They whacked a narrow trail into the brush/mangroves and laid down
some gravel.
We laugh about this"idyllic" pic, because less than a minute later we
entered the trail, got attacked within 20 feet, and were running like
hell out of that place.
Jumped real quick into the car, floored it and kept on screaming as we
escaped the vicinity. Lucky I didn't get a ticket.
Never saw so many bugs light on me at once.
Sure did change the "ambience" of my vacation, what with me itching to
get on vacation, then really itching all through my vacation.
Pretty sure this is what got me,
http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatu...stock/bfly.htm
Seems to fit. It was pretty wet down there.
They didn't get my wife, it was skeeters that attacked her, but not
bad.
She was back a bit from me, because after the skeeters started on her
she stopped and didn't want to go further after 10 feet in.
I hadn't even seen a skeeter and went ahead another 10 feet to show
her there was nothing to it.
You can hardly feel these things bite. By the time I felt anything my
legs were black with them. Itching started within a minute, and
lasted almost 2 weeks.
Think I got enough of whatever they inject that it tired me out a bit,
and made me drink more beer than I otherwise would.
Reduces the itching after 4 or 5. Or maybe you just don't know you're
scratching.
If I'd been wearing long pants and shirt, it would have been a
non-event.
Would have just backed out of there slow and easy.

--Vic
Know what you mean, mosquitos don't bother me much around here but we
made a
trip down the left side to Everglades City and I swear there are more
mosquitos there than probably the rest of FL combined. I think I lost
about
a quart in one attack.
Damned no see ums are worse, to me anyways and those black flies are
vicious
little SOBs.
The Skin So Soft comes in both oil and lotion. I think the oil works
best
but my Mrs says it's in my head.

Yeah, we tried skin so soft once, once... Didn't do **** but attract
more marsh mosquitoes as far as I could tell... Never get caught without
Cutters again. I keep cans in my car, boat, and with the camping
equipment and bikes...

You need both Skin so Soft (SSS) and Cutters, SSS only works on no -
see-ums while deet based products often do not work for em. You need
the deet for the other bugs. I think Avon tried a version of SSS with
DEET but it did not sell well. Ii agree, the oily kind of SSS works
best.

The problem is you kill a biting bug and 10,000 of his relatives show up for
the funeral. ;)

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:04:32 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch
wrote:

Had my daughter at her crew practice so I took a walk an the nature
trail. By the time I got outta the woods my legs were itching and by
Thur night I had obvious bites all over. Now, I am covered with itchy
welts. YIKES, redbugs. I used to be immune to them what's going on
here. I'd only get a few but this is major. Now I see why people
hated them so much. Oddly, my entire family was immune to them but
now I am not.

I'm feeling for you, Froggie. I had the same thing happen to me while
playing golf. Had almost 200 bites on ankles and legs, up to crotch.
Itch like hell.

The doc gave me a prescription anti-histamine that got me through the
nights. The itching goes away in four or five days.

On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:52:51 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

Managed to resist scratching through sheer will power,

I ha a nurse tell me with a straight face that straitjackets are
treated with a chemical that causes intense itching, the idea being to
make it a learning experience, I suppose.

According to Scientific American, mosquitos home in on water vapor and
carbon dioxide, both emitted by fires.
So hopefully they go for the Coleman lantern. They find my wife
irresistible, while I am not particularly afflicted.

Casady