Are mosquitos in the U.K. a newish thing?

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

I get bitten really badly. Bites currently the size of small plates and itching like crazy.

But l never remember getting this in Britain prior to 1996. I remember that was quite a hot year and that’s when they seemed to move in on me. I was 32 then.

Or have l become more tasty as I’ve got older?

As soon as you feel one, don't scratch it but put a hot spoon on it. Tap until you can stand it then hold it on it. Takes the itch out and stops the swelling/poison.

The hot spoon trick REALLY WORKS! Life changing for me after decades of many insanely itchy hot red lumps on every holiday.
I put a teaspoon in a mug of boiling water and when temp is hot as poss but not going to burn, press back of spoon onto bite and keep it in position for a couple of mins or so. Ahhh, relief. I believe the heat denatures the protein that the mozzie produces and your body, if you are unlucky, has reacted to.

No, not new. Some people react to them more than others. Take antihistamines and keep a stock of them.

None in my neck of the woods until a couple of years ago. OH putting water tubs around the house means that the one under the sitting room window is alive with them. Had to tip bleach in. Which reminds me

There have always been mosquitos in certain parts of the UK - fens, low lying marshland etc. Strong evidence that we had indigenous malaria a few centuries ago. As global temperatures increase we will probably see an increase in malaria carrying mosquitos in the UK again. The trade-off is that the quality of our wine will increase as well.

I've never been bitten.I must taste shit!

@ovenchips

The hot spoon trick REALLY WORKS! Life changing for me after decades of many insanely itchy hot red lumps on every holiday. I put a teaspoon in a mug of boiling water and when temp is hot as poss but not going to burn, press back of spoon onto bite and keep it in position for a couple of mins or so. Ahhh, relief. I believe the heat denatures the protein that the mozzie produces and your body, if you are unlucky, has reacted to.

I never get bitten in the uk though I did get one in America and several in the Seychelles, which surprised me as mosquitoes don't like me. I lived in Australia for years and would get about 1 a year. The hot spoon trick does work, I tried it in the Seychelles but as the pp above said, don't use the spoon straight from boiling water. I did (though to be fair I thought it was cooler!) I was hopping about swearing like a docker, dh was in hysterics but it did work. Or perhaps the burning pain took my mind off the itch!

I grew up in Kent and used to get munched on every Summer.
Moved North 30 years ago. Barely been bitten since.

Using a hair dryer on bites helpful

Bitten years and years ago in the south east. I think as I've got older the bites are less bad.

I’m going to try the hot spoon.

Photo of current horror starting to spread to its plate size proportions around the edge.

This is what should happen to mosquitos

www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/comments/oocm1g/how_to_get_rid_of_mosquitoes/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

A really good way to stop insect bites itching, is to dab aluminium containing roll on deodorant on them. My chemistry lecturer at uni in Australia taught me that!

There are about 30 species of mosquito native to Britain

I think for most of them, numbers increase as weather warms.

The last outbreak of malaria in UK is now dropping out of lifetime memory (just post WW1)

But mosquitos capable of transmitting that and other serious disease (eg dengue fever) live here very happily, and it's probably only a matter of time before we see outbreaks here.

@3Britnee

As soon as you feel one, don't scratch it but put a hot spoon on it. Tap until you can stand it then hold it on it. Takes the itch out and stops the swelling/poison.

This is genius. Sounds like it works exactly the same as that BiteAway pen linked upthread.

Some people think Oliver Cromwell’s death was partly caused by malaria. Apparently they were quite common in certain areas of England at the time. Horrible things!

I’ve done the hot spoon thing and the itching has definty calmed down. Still bloody itchy though.

Try dabbing deodorant on it, the aluminium stops the itching

Interesting about the spoon trick. Does it still work some time after being bitten?

I thought Oliver Cromwell had his head cut off? Am l wrong?

I remember spotting one on my leg during Assembly at primary school in Cheshire in about 1981. Bugger bit me as I sat and watched it. I caught it in a tissue and showed my teacher, who said it was a mosquito,so they've been around for a while here.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I thought Oliver Cromwell had his head cut off? Am l wrong?

It's a drastic but very effective way of ending the itching from bites

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I thought Oliver Cromwell had his head cut off? Am l wrong?

Cutting his head off isn’t what killed him though!

Last year was terrible for mosquitoes. Every time I went into the garden swarms of them descended on me. This summer seems better so far. I'm sure they were around too when I was growing up, but I don't remember them being as numerous as they were last summer.

Maybe if he applied a joy teaspoon against his neck it may have rejoined his head? I think l was muddling him up with the other Oliver Cromwell!

As a punishment for regicide, Cromwell’s body was dug up, his head was chopped off and it was placed on a spike.

It would have definitely stopped him scratching the mosquito bite. Forget the spoons!