Remember the aeroguard. At sundown all bets are off.
Calling all who live on Bribie Island, my wife and i are going to spend a couple of weeks on your island paradise and would really appreciate advice from the locals on the best area to stay because of our fervent dislike for mosquitoes and sand flies. We are favoring Bongaree Woorim and Banksia Beach at the moment but do appreciate that the likelihood of zero bugs would be improbable but least annoying areas would be appreciated. thanks all
Remember the aeroguard. At sundown all bets are off.
yeah, start putting the aeroguard (or alternative as long as it has deet )on before you get in the car / plane. stop when you get home. Just a fact of life being near any mangroves.
We live 6km from the bay and an easterly wind will bring those mongrel little black chewing things to our place!
Find midge screened areas and enjoy the outdoors from inside
It takes years of persistent work to reduce midges in a location but every new moon they breed so the war begins again. Traps work to an extent but takes a long time to reduce the breeding population. For the short time you will be there head for cover when they start to feed on you.
Also fyi Professional advice ex THT
ARLawrence
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tinker AFB, OK
Posts: 251
i can 100% recommend NOT recommend skin so soft, it is an old myth, if anything it attacks more due to the fragrance added. (trust me on this, i am an Air Force public health technician who's responsibility's include mosquito control and prevention of vector borne diseases)
skin so soft bug plus, according to studies conducted by the Center For Disease Control, active ingredient is 7.5% IR3535 which is added to its normal skin-so-soft, it will only be effective for 23 minutes. it does not contain citronella.
i would use OFF! DEEP WOODS. i think its the highest concentration available to civilians.
i recommend anything with a high concentration of DEET for skin, and getting a Permethrin based spray for clothing, when treating your clothing with permethrin spray it will last up to 6 trips to the washing machine. i use it on my uniforms, when i was in Texas i stood on a red ant hill and they would craw up my boot and when they got to my pants they would fall right off. highly effective.
On the other hand there are risks Also from THT
ie I bought the deep outdoors but use it with caution from reading articles like the one below.
Use Caution When Using DEET Every year, approximately one-third of the U.S. population uses insect repellants containing DEET to ward off mosquitoes and other pests. At present, DEET is used in more than 230 products with concentrations up to 100 percent.
However, DEET should be used with caution due to its possible damaging effects on brain cells. Studies have shown that DEET causes brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats after frequent and prolonged use. This exposure causes neurons to die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory, and concentration. Rats treated with an average human dose of DEET (40 mg/kg body weight) performed far worse when challenged with physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength and coordination. These findings are consistent with reported human symptoms following DEET's use by the military in the Persian Gulf War.
With heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides, humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath. These symptoms may not be evident until months or even years after exposure. The most severe damage occurs when DEET is used concurrently with other insecticides, such as permethrin, for prolonged and frequent periods of time. At this time, there is little information about the short-term, singular and occasional use of DEET. Further government testing of the chemical's safety is necessary. However, frequent and long-term use of DEET, especially in combination with other chemicals or medications, could cause brain deficits in vulnerable populations, particularly children.
There is more at this link.
http://www.quantumhealth.com/news/dangers_of_DEET.html
Then again Also from THT
Quote:
I used to do mangrove and seagrass surveys in Florida Bay, either basing out of the Key Largo Ranger Station or Flamingo. I have been on many of the islands in any of the 12 months of the year.
Needless to say, I know bugs and how to avoid them. Everything you've said is 100% correct, absolute spot on.
What could go wrong.......................
If you do use a DEET based protectant (works well) just watch any plastic surfaces. It will ruin plastic car door trims beautifully.
Might have to reconsider where to spend the holiday.
You could always find a place that has screening like this http://www.suncoastoutdoorliving.com...FUpxvAod0loM0Q
Or have you thought about Tasmania ? Ausfish member with acccomodation setup who might even take you offshore to catch stuff if you ask nicely.
C
C
What could go wrong.......................
Interesting read on the different treatments. DEET is effective but is nasty stuff, and has bad effects on plastics like some watch lenses, sunnies and the like.
When we know we are going to be in a high sandfly zone, we use a blend of one third each:
metho
dettol
baby oil
It is applied liberally (quite a solid coating) from a pump spray bottle.
It has successfully passed the Turkey Beach sandfly test for me, on several trips there.
I vividly recall coming back to our unit late one day and doing some filleting outside just before dusk. I had those neoprene fishing shoes on, one got a bit gunky with fish guts etc as I was working so I kicked it off. Within minutes my foot was almost black with sand flies where the boot had been, whereas above there where I still had a good coating of our TB sandfly brew applied, none.
FWIW....
Note to self: Don't argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience....
Avoid Banksia beach at sun set and Woorim and Bongaree would be 10times better than Banksia beach.
I had a bottle of Rid leak while in the door of the car and all the vynil bubbled up wherever it touched, didn't think Rid had DEET in it.
One time up on the Daly River a mate put DEET on his legs where he had a cut, it blew up and got severely infected, had to take him to the local mission hospital for treatment. Nasty stuff.
I brought a product thermacell sold at BFC
It's a portable insect repellent gadget that uses a small gas bottle to burn a repellent insert
It seems to work I used it on the boat to clear out the midges before we put down the covers
I also throw it on the ground under the table when having a beer and it helps keep the bloody things from eating my legs
Cheers
Craig
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
it not camping or holiday if your not gettin eaten by sandfile and mosz, it the EXP i tell you!!!