catnip essential oil / marmite and midges/mosquitos

[troutpout]

Got bitten to shreads this weekend. Dh got bitten a bit too ...but he has flat little dots. Mine are huge weals all over.
Avon sss didn't cut the mustard despite re applying lots of times.I wore an arnywear wrap around my neck too
ds stayed in the tent most evenings and when he was out his arnywear seemed to work for him. Arnywear seemed to do the trick for dd too. (Both came up in a rash with sss)
Anyway...i had a look on uk campsite and saw catnip essential oil mentioned plus marmite (not sure how that one works tbh...i presume you eat lots!)
Anyone got anything else that works for them?.

I am obviously blardy gorgeous to a midge

pmsl...there were people wandering around the campsite with pop up laundry bins over their heads in a desperate attempt to fend off the little buggers.

How about lighting a citronella candle outside the tent at dusk?

We also kept the bedrooms of our tent shut all the time so no little creatures could get in.

The anti mosi arm and ankle bands are quite effective (worked for me in Africa) but probably loaded with chemicals.

Would be interested to hear other ideas as have only just got into the camping lark and hate mozzies!

Me too Troutpout - I tried the Avon stuff for first time and it hasn't worked for me either It was so bad for us on Friday (we were near Settle) that we couldn't even sit outside in the evening which kind of took the best bit of camping away

Have about 40 at the moment but they still seem to be popping up. DH is convinced they are in our clothes and bedding, so once the DSes are asleep he's planning some industrial fumigation I am armed with TSP which someone once recommended for helping them to go down, so I smell just lovely!!

That'll be TCP!!

Bunches of mint in jamjars keep midges outside

Teatree & citronella oil keep insects away too

neat tea tree oil is quite good at calming bites.

The marmite thing is to do with its vitamin B content...but you will get a much better dose from a good brand of B-complex (not a cheapie like holland/barrett)

drinking cider vinegar can help too.

Neem spray is fantastic. I have used it both at home and abroad (including Thailand). Its about half way down the page.

Oh these are good..keep em coming
We had 3 citronella candles burning outside and a mosquito coil too! Also have insect nets on tent. It was just when we ventured outside . We were still setting up when they descended on Friday. It was much better on Saturday (we were in The Peaks) but still bad.

So vit b complex,mint, cider vinegar,tea tree oil.
No one heard of catnip essential oil then?
I've found this here
It's got to be worth a go hasn't it

I have smothered myself in antihistimine cream (pink) which looks charming against my skin (dark brown).Have afro hair so think it saved my scalp.

Neem sounds good too

troutpout- if you don't mind popping a pill, take an anti-histamine tablet. The bites will go down and stop itching almost immediately, plus you seem to be less attractive to the wee beasties as well.

(I'm very allergic to mozzie/midge bites and I do the above as soon as I notice a bite.)

yes take a spoon of piriton and you will sleep very well. (although don't do before driving)

I've already done that too Plump . They aren't as hugenormous as they were earlier today. The pill did help
I am very allergic to things though
(have epipen for nut allergy)

Bloody things are so annoying aren't they? It's the best bit about camping too isn't it ?..the sitting out in the evening bit.

My DH found in younger days that nothing worked, other than having a more attractive proposition nearby for the midges to attack. In the case of his family, it was his mother (probably the softest/nicest skin...). So I'm afraid you're the bait that saved your DH, DS and DD... So you need to make yourself as uneatable as possible, and hope that there is someone more vulnerable in the vicinity .

Perhaps a marmite facemask?

Mmm- marmite.....

But perhaps not as a facemask.

I'm going camping in a few weeks. I've been wondering where to get citronella candles. (Have been too lazy to look, actually)

Never used to get bitten so much when I was a smoker. Evil fag smoke probably kept them away.

• just imagined you using catnip essential oil, trout- no midges but being followed by hordes of rampant cats.....

Have seen citronella candles for sale in robert dyas and waitrose.

Have you tried normal insect repellant spray? That's what I use, get it form places like millets and Field and Trek. Or does it just not cut the mustard?

Citronella candles are sold in most garden centres, camping shops, and in some of the bigger supermarkets too, in the garden/bbq section.

I haven't found that they work very well though, or at least not when the midge situation is really bad.