Lots of folks swear by Avon's Skin-So-Soft, but IMHO it repels people more
than skeeters. It definitely has a distinct odor, and makes you smellable
(Stinky!) to other people yards away. I feel the same way about citronella
repellents (gag!) When I worked at the nature center, all it took was one little camper
wearing citronella (Repel brand) to stink up the whole building for hours
after they left! Phew!

Also, it is true that your body chemistry and your natural scent (and the way
those interact with chemical repellants) that will determine if the
mosquitoes or ticks will be attracted to you and if the repellent will work for you or
not. For some folks, nothing seems to work. For others, they never need to use
anything, because they just don't seem to be tasty to the skeeters.

I hadn't heard about using Bounce sheets, but I will often brew up some
strong chamomile tea and put it in a spray bottle. It works pretty well for me (and
lightens my hair at the same time :-)

Happy boxing!
-Kim (rustypuff)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I don't want to clog the list with my recipe, but I have a great one for an all natural bug repellent that smells really nice and works very well. It's the only thing that works for my 7 year old, who is a skeeter magnet. 3 of my kids also have reactive airways syndrome, and it doesn't bother them at all. DEET of course works, but the less we contaminate ourselves and the earth, the better off we'll all be.

If anyone is interested, please e-mail me off list and I'll be happy to tell you how to make it.

Talking Turtle


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Please the recipe of your repentant-


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"One is that you can rub "Bounce" dryer sheets on you."

I had a funny experience with Bounce at the beach in NC. I rubbed
it all over me and then took another one and tucked it in my
collar. A couple of minutes later I felt a nasty 'squito bite on my
neck. The little bleep-bleep bit me right through the Bounce!

Guess Bounce doesn't work for me! :-)

SunValleySu

F21P4HH4X3

My vote is for eating lots of garlic!

Actually, if you don't wear any perfume, cologne, etc when hiking it
reduces the amount of times you get bit (deodorant is a must
though!). So next time you go, make your mate or hikin partner smell
pretty and they'll get all the skeeters!

-Steve

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, The Carringtons
wrote:
> I don't want to clog the list with my recipe, but I have a great
one for an all natural bug repellent that smells really nice and
works very well. It's the only thing that works for my 7 year old,
who is a skeeter magnet. 3 of my kids also have reactive airways
syndrome, and it doesn't bother them at all. DEET of course works,
but the less we contaminate ourselves and the earth, the better off
we'll all be.
>
> If anyone is interested, please e-mail me off list and I'll be
happy to tell you how to make it.
>
> Talking Turtle
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I tried the garlic thing....and, well, it wasn't pleasant (let's just
say it has very strong antibiotic properties)...and I still was chowed
on by skeeters and ticks. I reply on my Uncle Ben's 95%
DEET--chemicals are better than Lyme disease, in my humble opinion.
But I shower it off when I get home anyway.

~ Aili

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Steve and Heidi"
wrote:
> My vote is for eating lots of garlic!
>
> Actually, if you don't wear any perfume, cologne, etc when hiking it
> reduces the amount of times you get bit (deodorant is a must
> though!). So next time you go, make your mate or hikin partner smell
> pretty and they'll get all the skeeters!
>
> -Steve
>

Deet works really well, but it very harmful to the wild animals. It
starts when you spray the deet all over the place, only some of the
deet makes it to your body. The deet later ends up in a stream or
lake. The fish swim in the lake or stream with the deet. When the
birds of prey come in they eat the fish and the deet. When the birds
try to lay their eggs they squish them because the deet softens their
eggs. Most of these birds are also endangered. The deet may also end
up in our resevoirs and get us sick, but so does about any other
chemical you get in the ground.
Mr. Windup Hiker
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "defygravity2001"
wrote:
> I tried the garlic thing....and, well, it wasn't pleasant (let's
just
> say it has very strong antibiotic properties)...and I still was
chowed
> on by skeeters and ticks. I reply on my Uncle Ben's 95%
> DEET--chemicals are better than Lyme disease, in my humble opinion.
> But I shower it off when I get home anyway.
>
> ~ Aili
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Steve and Heidi"
> wrote:
> > My vote is for eating lots of garlic!
> >
> > Actually, if you don't wear any perfume, cologne, etc when hiking
it
> > reduces the amount of times you get bit (deodorant is a must
> > though!). So next time you go, make your mate or hikin partner
smell
> > pretty and they'll get all the skeeters!
> >
> > -Steve
> >