Please! Can anyone recommend a really good mosquito repellent? Also what's good to put on the bites after the deed is done?

[TsarChasm]

Just been to France camping. Dh and I are bitten to bits on our legs and feet.

I swear the mozzies there belong to armed gangs and work in packs. You can here them dive bombing.

They virtually kicked over my citronella candle and sneered at the spray.

We might go again later in the Summer. What's good? Napalm?

I heard that a product sold by avon called something like 'skin so soft' is a great mozzy repellant.

Aparently, american's use it in the Everglades when they go 'gator bashing' - whatever that is.

Haven't tried it myself though. Have used aftersun with added repellant which worked well and I usually get eaten alive by mozzys.

I have a sign over my head that only the mozzies can see.....

It says eat here for free....

Will google the stuff, I use it is industrial strength and fab.

Have also heard (no idea if this is true or not) that if you take Vitamin B, and garlic supplements that they won't come near you.

The Mozzies hate this stuff.

I use OFF! which is DEET based and I've only found it in the US. That's what Americans will use if they mean business.

For bites only Eurovax would take away the itch for me. I tried calamine cream but still scratched.

They leave big welts on me and I hate them.

At 'home', well, my native city, Houston, TX, the council sprays pesticide for them as certain breeds carry nasties like St. Louis encephalitis and dengue fever.

I heard about the Vit B thing so took supplements for the first few days. I still got bitten, so stopped taking them. Didn't have garlic as well though.

By far the best thing for me is to put on long trousers and socks in the evenings, by 7pm at the latest. Certainly do not sit out having a glass of wine whilst still in a skirt. Your ankles are doomed if you do that.

I'll look for that OFF when I'm in Houston Expat! Good tip, I'm so worried about being bitten, we have them in Germany too but I have nets on all my windows and if we go out in the evening we use Autan - helps but stinks.

Ad, you can get OFF! with sunscreen built in, in different scents, etc.

My landlords are living in Africa just now and they stocked up on OFF! when they last visited the US.

They even spray their mozzy nets with it.

Think I'll get some as soon as we land!

I can't think of a house or hotel in Houston that doesn't have screens on all the windows and/or air conditioning, ad.

It's in the 90s there already.

I know, and I over heat when it goes above 25° (what's that in US temperature?) and I still haven't found a nice holiday flat/motel for us to stay in, it's mind boggling searching on the net.

approved by the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (i used to work there)

Jungle Formula
tis good

Sorry Tsarchasm hijack, any tips expat ?

where is the wedding? houston is a large-ish city of a little over 2m people and encompasses a large geographical area.

public transport is practically nonexistent.

so i'd aim for a 'suite' hotel - it's a hotel room (or two) joined in the middle by a living room and kitchen. like an apartment, but really a motel/hotel.

keep in mind that violent crime is more prevalent than in Europe and lock doors, keep an eye on security accordingly.

To deal with the after effects, I have an Asda own version of this clicky thing. It is great, and the kids use it too. When you have the urge to scratch it feels like you haev actually done something similar without spreading the poison.

It's in Missouri city and sugar land - are they OK those areas?

Yes, those are okay areas.

Sugarland can be pretty upscale in areas.

No public transport to speak of, however, so I assume you'll be hiring a car (cheaper, too)?

Also get some travel insurance. Houston has excellent hospitals in case of emergency, two level I trauma centers including one that is one of the world's best at treating gunshot wounds, but healthcare isn't free there. Also a world-renowned children's hospital.

visithouston

The people adore visitors from abroad and are on the whole helpful and friendly.

Thanks Expat, must add that to my list(insurance)

By the way, back to mosquitos, my SIL lives in Bangladesh so knows about mosquitos! She told me she takes anti-histamine when she is bitten, helps if you take it as soon as possible after being bitten before it swells too much, sooner the better. I think that would be piriton in UK?

Benedryl in the US. Oh ask any pharmacist and they'll be happy to help.

Ah you're all fab..thanks so very much for the advice.

I might buy a few differnt ones and just squirt the lot on. Failing that I could bash the little blighters with the tin.

I wonder if they can bite through socks. I did put some socks on and I tucked them into my trousers each evening. I must have looked a complete twonk but I thought I'd outwitted them.

Sadly not. My legs look like they have chicken pox and for some reason marks on my legs like that always take ages to heal and fade.