Re:RE: Protection
ctaylor@seamail.nos.noaa.gov
Tue, 02 Feb 99 17:14:02 -0500
I have one suggestion for the brave souls that are willing to traverse mosquito
territory. Wear wet clothes, and keep em wet. While doing some field research
on Assateague for a class, one of our colleagues suggested we wear long pants
and shirt and keep them wet with cool water. It seemed to work for her, I
didn't try it. Every time I looked at the folks in front of me while hiking
through the brush, I noticed that each had at least 100 mosquitos hanging on to
the backs of their shirts. But the person with a wet shirt only had about 5 or
ten hanging on to her shirt. I know that mosquitoes and ticks can sense our CO2
output, so maybe they sense body heat as well. I have a mosquito hood and if
you wear a baseball hat under it, the skeeters can't get your face. The trick
is to put the hood on first, and then put your shirt on (it ties under your arm
pits).
Definately do not wear thin stretchy material. I wore a pair of stirrup pants
in mosquito land one day, and the skeeters didn't know any difference between
that and my skin. I feel like scratching just thinking about it.
So to recap:
Loose fitting wet khakis or jeans (draw string bottoms are best)
Loose fitting wet (hunting shirts work well - cool but thick material)
Might want to try a pair of gardening gloves if your really afraid of them bugs
Mesh hood over baseball cap. They can get you if the mesh is right against your
skin.
Spray all this stuff with repellant before putting it on.
Bring along a friend who loves to wear a bikini in any situation - the bugs will
eat her instead of you.
Good luck,
Christine Taylor
Reston, VA