Re:RE: Protection
Jack C. Leighty/Susan J. Noble (jleighty@chesapeake.net)
Wed, 3 Feb 1999 09:48:28 -0500 (EST)
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Christine:
My wife would strongly object to a wet T-shirt trip, even if the
mosquitoes were bad. On our last backpacking trip into the high
areas of the WY Bridger Wilderness we were seasonally early (early
July 98) and the mosquitoes were murderous. We wore the easily
cleanable, tightly woven, light nylon clothing over T-shirts and
leather gloves, with repellant on exposed skin . That protected
pretty well. Head nets would have been good. However, we may try
the no-seeum mesh suits for the next trip, if mosquitoes are likely
to be a problem. Using binoculars, cameras, fly rods, cooking
utensils and making bathroom trips, all becomes tedious when there
are lots of biting bugs.
Jack Leighty
Huntingtown
jleighty@chesapeake.net
>From: ctaylor@seamail.nos.noaa.gov
>Date: 2/2/99 5:14:02PM
>To: mdosprey@ARI.Net
>Subject: Re:RE: Protection
>
>
>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
>
>
>
>