THE BUGS ARE OUT!!!!!

[Raven]

Damn! Ouch! The "midgies" or "no seeums" are out and they are brutal this year. These little bastards get in your eyes and ears and when they bite, they hurt and you swell. Can't stay out for more than a few minutes before being attacked. Not much gardening going on here!

[hippywife]

1. I'm sorry, Raven.

Is there some kind of natural repellent you can use? It's such a drag that you've been waiting so anxiously to garden this year and now you're under attack!

[Raven]

2. You know, it's funny. The bugs always come in May

but somehow I'm always shocked when they do...denial! Somewhere I have a safari hat with a net and I have to find it and use it. Otherwise, wait 'till June, I guess. I've tried every type of repellent but these little things are relentless!

[ThomWV]

3. Most of the natural repellents I've heard of are more repellent than the bugs

I've seen some pretty nasty home concoctions to keep bugs away, a whole bunch of them I'd never give a tryout. The no-see-ums are horrible. We used to live in South Florida decades ago and I used to spend a good bit of time fishing in the Everglades and in the mangroves. The sand fleas, as they were called locally (I've seen that name given to many a different animal) would get in your hair and ears and just everywhere and eat you alive. The only way to avoid them was to get into direct sunlight. Sometimes we'd fish in places so swampy or overgrown that there simply was no sunlight to hide in - that's when it was bad (the bugs, not the fishing - the fishing was great).

[hippywife]

4. All of the ones I've tried

have had lovely aromas of plant and flower extracts. And they worked. Not sure how well they would work on that huge an infestation, tho. Eek!

[bvar22]

5. You might give this a try.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___21850



It works much better than it looks.
It is a very light weight, very fine mesh netting that you wear over your hat and the drawstring at the bottom closes aroung your neck. The narrow steel hoop in the middle keeps the net away from your skin and biting insects.
You may have to wear long sleeves and gloves, but this will keep those little devils out of your face, eyes, hair, and ears. It only takes a few minutes to get used to it, and then you don't even know you have it on.

Costs $9.99.

It folds up into a small packet, so it is also great for hiking and fishing.

Good luck.

[Raven]

6. Wow! That's a great idea! Thanks. n/t

[crispini]

7. I've heard good things about catnip

but never tried it myself.

[noamnety]

8. I used to have lavendar plants

they eventually died out, but when I had them, I would just grab a couple leaves off the plants and rub them on my exposed skin. Problem solved. I believe mint works the same way - not just catmint, I think any mint.