I like to be outside with my duckies and I have lots of yard work to do but mosquitoes and biting flies eat me alive. What can I use on myself that won't bother the ducks if I touch them or if they nibble my toes?
what to use for insect repellant?
Maybe just let them nible your shoes? I hear some mosquitoes are dangerous now . I wear very light and loose fitting long sleeves and pants.But from now on when I walk the trail I will spray my shoes with Off and I don't like chemicles, but Lymm desease is bad ,not to speak of the other deseases tics can give us!My dog is fighting one now. I have never seen tics so bad , little seed tics who bury themselves under your skin .
I detest the feel of greesy bug killers on my skin. Most don't seem to bother the black flies anyway. This year it's been cool enough to wear sweats, socks and tops to protect most of my body. I had one day I needed to wear shorts and they attacked my legs something awful.
I'm considering getting one of those hats with a veil attached.
MollyD
The hat with veil is a good idea, also for the non biting knats who do backstrokes across my eyeballs when I in the garden. I detest bugs !
I use to use skin so soft, but it was too greasy .Now I will spray my shoes only when I walk. or just walk dirt road.It took me years to save for my trail around my ten acreas but seems ticks have taken it over it this year. Both times I walked I came back with a tic on me.
It is 98 right now ugh! I can't abide jeans in the summer when I work outside. We had so much fun today outside with the duckies but I got eaten up pretty bad.
I don't know about biting flies, but there is a chemcal-free spray (you have to make it up) called "mosquito barrier" that is garlic water. You can buy it online. You spray it where you are walking or around your yard and the mosquitos stay away. I have been using it for about 20 years and it works for me. I tend to think it repels ticks also because when I sprayed the yard the ticks disappeared too. But that is just MHO on ticks. It isn't that expensive when you consider you mix it 1part to 10 parts water.
GG
i ahve bought some face nets at a sports place, think they were for fishing. but i never remember to use them. those of you who have ducks may have less flying insects this year, since they eat them!
i like to use a mix of 8 ounces olive oil with 8 drops each of lemongrass, lavender, and citronella oils...
bluesmaven I'm with you, too hot to wear anything on the legs or arms. The humidity is a killer. I can walk out the door for just a couple minutes and I'm sweaty already and the real heat hasn't even hit!
I'm going to get me a good sprayer and get the mosquito barrier that Granny talks about. We have used it before and I think ticks is another thing it repels like Granny said.
I like both granny's idea and tf's but where can you buy that mosquito barrier? I like the idea of the lavender oil it smells so good!
hey tf, where do you get the oils?
I get hot no matter if I wear shorts or long thin pants.
People in the desert wear long clothes for reason .They dress in 130 degrees like it's a cool spring day . I do feel sorry for our troops though who have to wear not only khakis but also carry all that gear .
I do shed them soon as i get inside .
I too would like to try some of grannys repellant.
My dog is going to vet today from tick bite . She now has a swollen hole in her leg ,she chewed it last night .And we can't keep holding her leg in 5 gallon bucket of salt water, which had at least took most of swelling out. Too much other things to do.
Never leave a ticks head inside the bite !!! We tried our best to get it out, but it was buried deep.
Mosquito barrier is available online by that name. There are other ones claiming to be like it but get the original.
I had to be outside helping Paul mow the lawn. He rides the tractor while I use the wheelbarrow to pick up tree limbs. Who's got the tougher job?
Anyway the flies are thick today and hungry. At one time I swatted about 30 off my forehead.
MollyD
health food stores, and supermarkets with natural health care products. usually over with the bath and body, i buy the AuraCacia brand of essential oils. perfumed oil doesn't cut it.
btw, the lavendar is actually not for the bugs, but to prevent burning and encourage healthy tanning... and very good for your skin too.
Like smedgekles said, mosquito barrier is available by that name online. I originally bought it at a place in NC, but found it on a Michigan site. You might find it locally where you are, too.
GG