Help me enjoy camping

[CindyL]

OK start with my easiest whine (I hope.). We are in FL. I am covered in bug bites. My friend thinks that they are noseeums. I hate sticky bug repellent.

Help. They itch something awful. Ideas for itch and repellent?


CindyL

[Byron Kinnaman]

Itch - Cordaid.
Repellant - 100 Deet.

[jen b]

Some benadryl or other antihistamine might help with the itchiness.

[Carol H]

After Bite works well at stopping the itch fast.

[CindyL]

Can you get Deet in that dose that is not sticky?

CindyL

[SherryNPaul]

Cindy,
Try lightweight long sleeves and long pants and just spray the clothes, not your skin. Not sticky.
Aveeno creme, or Johnson and Johnson clear anti-itch, is my favorite.
No seeum bites don't itch for long (at least, not for me.)
And depending on where you are in Florida, tonight's cold weather should knock the bugs down for awhile, anyway.
Sherry

[John and Jaci]

Vanilla diluted in water and sprayed on the skin repels a lot of different bugs (not always effective on mosquitoes.) the two best parts is it smells good and is non toxic. We use it as repellant for black flies around blue bird houses and it works very well. Good luck

[itlives]

For the itch-Chiggerex Plus

I can't remember the brand, but look for a repellent that says family friendly. The is more than one repellent (deet) that is not greasy/oily.

[Mike Magee]

I have seen Off with Deet that said on the label that it wasn't sticky, and it wasn't. I think it had powder or something in the spray or something like that.

[CindyL]

Whatever bit me may have bitten through sweatshirt material during my AM workout on the mat in the screenhouse. Three days later I still have itchy red welts with what looks like blisters on top. I have to bath almost in Cortizone to sleep and aometimes in the middle of the night too.
Kevin suggested camping during one of our conferences this spring. After this trip I am very reluctant. I do not want to walk around smelling of Deet or scratching bug bites.
CindyL

[Donna D.]

Oh man, this is not the kind of camping trip I wish to vicariously experience.... I'm scratching already!

Cindy, I can't help with any topical creams, etc. But, if noseeums are like mosquitoes... a breeze keeps them away. I always carry a clip-on fan in the trailer and if sitting outside and the air is still and the mosquitoes are trying to attack... I clip the fan to something close by and viola! The nasty bugs move on. Maybe this tip will help you in the future.

[Gail & Tom O.]

If you are where there is spanish moss, it is full of chiggers (red bugs to the old timers in FL) The blister sounds like chiggers. They seem to like some people and not others. DEET would keep them off but once you've got them it takes awhile for the bumps to go away. A steroid cream might give you some relief and a Dr. could write a prescription for a stronger version of Cortaid.

[Eddie Longest]

If it were summer time and you were in Va. and you got the bites after being near the ground it sounds like chiggers. They usually bite the ankles and legs and try to get to warm moist areas like the beltline and other areas. We use a dab of clear nail polish on each chigger bite, works for us.

[mary and bob]

We were just a little north in GA with no bite problems. Looks like a different type workout that is not on the ground may be necessary. Maybe add a patio mat/ camping rug in the screenhouse although they are very porous.

[John Fazio]

Originally Posted by CindyL

Whatever bit me may have bitten through sweatshirt material during my AM workout on the mat in the screenhouse. Three days later I still have itchy red welts with what looks like blisters on top. I have to bath almost in Cortizone to sleep and aometimes in the middle of the night too.
Kevin suggested camping during one of our conferences this spring. After this trip I am very reluctant. I do not want to walk around smelling of Deet or scratching bug bites.
CindyL

If it's red bugs a bath with baking soda helps, not that you have access to a tub though. Just a stab in another direction, if the welts are large with blisters could it be poison ivy?

-John

[CindyL]

Thanks everyone. We were just outside Naples. I was on a mat and I am one of those lucky people who attracts bugs. I have avoided a couple of fall Midwest rallies because I knew the bugs would be bad near the river. Kevin has no bites.

CindyL

[Cam A]

If you have been a true indoor type, it is possible that after a little "experience" with bites, your immune system may not react so violently; Spending time in the great outdoors is well worth persisting in order to find out.

[honda03842]

Cindy,

On our travels I've come to recognize that as you move about the country there are different plants, animals and insects that can be a concern. The safe assumption is there's something that wants to have you for lunch in big or small ways.

One of the charms of travel is the differences of all kinds between parts of the country and in part how people live with these differences.

This weekend we visited a small county park located on the Peace River, probably 25 sites. Over the New Years weekend it was populated by local families enjoying the holiday. We spent some time walking the park absorbing the obvious joy of children and families on their holiday.

The Peace River is a rather famous ssource of fossils. Up the river at a sandy bend a number of young children were swimming in the river.

Near the boat ramp there were a number of children boating. As one of the children. probably about 10 years old, landed his boat he said "look a water mocassin". He jumped out of the boat with his paddle and attempted to give it a wack.

About the same time another two lads, a little older were running in the shallows attempting to catch a small gator.

Of course Ginny, looked at this situation from the perspective of a vigilant parent. The Florida parents in the park showed no concern, it was all part of their experienced environment, a very important local skill.

Every environment we visit has it's concerns and it does require not assuming that where we are is like home.

Though we are presently in a well manicured RV park I do not lie on the grass like I would in NH; they have very unfriendly ants here.

New environments require care and local advice and knowledge,

Safe travels,

[CindyL]

We were shelling on the beach too. I am not sure when I got bit.

CindyL

[Sharon G]

Cindy, I always carry Benedryl lotion with me. It's great for soothing bug bites, allergic rashes, and any kind of itch. Caladryl Clear is also good.

Nothing's perfect, but they work well for me.

The main thing is use DEET. It's horrible stuff and I worry about the health dangers, but it does keep the bugs off. And probably all that bug venom is worse for you than the DEET if you use it for a limited amount of time.

Norm, my Dad had a baby gator for a pet when he was a kid in Florida.