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Longstreet
06-24-2019, 17:41
Next month I will be spending a week in the field - sleeping in hootches - for some tactical military training. This time of the year, the area I will be staying in will be infested with mosquitoes, black flies, horse flies, the odd deer fly and possibly ticks as they are now in the area too. A buddy of mine just returned from training and reported the bugs were not really after blood, but more meat...

Obviously I will be taking a good supply of bug juice and packing my issued bug net to make sleeping a tad more comfortable. Are there any other suggestions to help make this situation less 'suck'? I understand I will probably lose a pint or two, but was hoping there might be a way to make the little bastards work harder for it. Please help. Thanks.

Joker
06-24-2019, 18:47
Bug juice was the best thing that I found (e.g. Off). None of the old wives' tales stuff worked for me.

PSM
06-24-2019, 18:49
One trick that I learned was that you can kill the itch by holding a really hot cup of whatever beverage you enjoy against the bites. You have to hold it a few seconds past when you think you can't take it any more. It doesn't work for ant bites, though.

Use 100% DEET on all exposed flesh and some that's not quite exposed.

Mosquitoes suck!

(1VB)compforce
06-24-2019, 18:50
Skin So Soft kinda worked. Eating raw garlic really worked. Kept the bugs away and kept the coworkers away too :D


The whole bug juice thing never worked for me for anything other than helping to put camo sticks on.

Penn
06-25-2019, 01:13
Take a couple of bottles of Witch Hazel with you. great for itchy bug bites.

tonyz
06-25-2019, 06:23
DEET on exposed skin.

PERMETHRIN for gear and clothes.

Soak or spray clothes and gear with permethrin overnight and let dry full 36 hours before use.

Has worked for me.

Peregrino
06-25-2019, 08:46
DEET on exposed skin.

PERMETHRIN for gear and clothes.

Soak or spray clothes and gear with permethrin overnight and let dry full 36 hours before use.

Has worked for me.

Another vote for PERMETHRIN. Check out: https://sawyer.com/products/permethrin-insect-repellent-treatment/

Used in conjunction with topicals containing DEET, you should get reasonable protection which is as much as can be expected given the environment you will be operating in. NOTE: If you figure out something that offers perfect protection you are morally obligated to share it!

Ret10Echo
06-25-2019, 10:20
Agree with Tonyz.

Defense in depth. Pre-treat clothing, 100% DEET especially at points of entry (ankles, belt-line, neck). Maybe something a little less toxic as a general protection (Deep Woods OFF or bug juice)

Having a mosquito hood for times just sitting around or sleeping was handy.

YOOMV

Little Fish
06-25-2019, 16:18
Mud.
Eat no flesh!🤣🤣