BUGS!
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:19 am
Family will be on the Island form 6/29 - 7/4. How are the bugs? What type of repellant has everyone found to be the most effective? Do we need head nets?
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I can attest that at Whitefish Point my wife's dark blue jeans were literally covered with flies, while my khakis had only a few (neither were treated)--although they were sand flies. Some gears ago I researched colors and bugs and concluded that khaki colors (green or tan) are the best overall compromise, it does differ somewhat on the bug.Midwest Ed wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:50 pm Ditto to all comments. Also, black flies are more attracted to darker colors so go with the light shades.
But then the skeeters really come out .Tuck your long pants into your socks, put on your headnet and wait for dusk as they go away after dark.
Those 24oz bottles treat 4 complete outfits (per sawyer that means: socks, pants, shirt). You really want to spray the garments until they are saturated. You cant skimp on the spray. I dont think 2 would be enough for all that. But personally I would cut back on what you are bringing and spraying. You dont need that much clothing for a week. 1 pair of pants, 1 tshirt, 1 long sleeve, 2 socks (one hike one sleep), and your rain shell. Also regarding the rain shell, the spray wont work on it. You will find it just beads off. You dont need to treat your sleeping bags, pack or tent. Your tent rainfly will be similar to the rain jacket and it'll just bead off. Here is a video if you are interested in the spraying process: https://youtu.be/lkViaVI4Aak.Lane wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 5:07 am Would you treat your packs with permethrin too? Sleeping bags? I discovered 'Dick's' is the only place that seems to actually stock it in my area - 24 oz trigger spray. I know one is not enough, but will 2 be enough to do a pack tent, 2 packs, bags and clothing for 2 for a week - my clothing list is 2 sets of lightweight convertible pants (wearing one), 2 quick dry tees, one long sleeve 'fishing' shirt, 2 socks, rain shell (will this stuff affect gore tex?) My wife is packing like Zsa Zsa Gabor - she thinks all she has to carry is "her" stuff and one day's rations... But I already told her...
DEET interacts with some plastics, vinyl, and other synthetics--dissolves the surface and makes it sticky. Will also take ink (like labels) off things. It's usually OK once it's dry though. I usually rinse off my hands after applying. But ruined a pair of glasses once by touching the lens after I put it on. And a couple buttons on a camera. So I started using Picaridin after I put some good money into camera equipment. But if you rinse your hands and are careful not to touch things until it drys it's OK. The 100% stuff you have to be really careful with.
The concentrate is the only way to go. Anything left over gets sprayed around the outside on the house's foundation for ants and on the screen door for flies on the deck.Midwest Ed wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:03 am This concentrate is much more economical. Dilute it 19 to 1 for the same 0.5% solution sold in the spray containers. I just put some mixed solution in a bucket and dump the clothes in. Make sure you wear latex or nitrile gloves. Don't get any solution on your skin and rinse thoroughly if you do. Get the clothes all saturated then wring out and allow to thoroughly dry.
There are some directions that say to dry the clothes in the clothes dryer. If it's hotter than just tumble dry, something tells me it will be at least slightly less effective. Other directions claim the effectiveness lasts several wash cycles. It's so inexpensive and easy, I just retreat before each trip. I saw somewhere there is a service where you can ship your clothes to them for treatment (expensive).hooky wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:13 amThe concentrate is the only way to go. Anything left over gets sprayed around the outside on the house's foundation for ants and on the screen door for flies on the deck.Midwest Ed wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:03 am This concentrate is much more economical. Dilute it 19 to 1 for the same 0.5% solution sold in the spray containers. I just put some mixed solution in a bucket and dump the clothes in. Make sure you wear latex or nitrile gloves. Don't get any solution on your skin and rinse thoroughly if you do. Get the clothes all saturated then wring out and allow to thoroughly dry.
I've never found anything that says leaching from clothing via sweat will be harmful. It's listed as having very low toxicity for mammals (except for cats). It's used in shampoo at 1% for treatment of lice and in topical creams at 5% for treatment of scabies.Midwest Ed wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:18 pmThere are some directions that say to dry the clothes in the clothes dryer. If it's hotter than just tumble dry, something tells me it will be at least slightly less effective. Other directions claim the effectiveness lasts several wash cycles. It's so inexpensive and easy, I just retreat before each trip. I saw somewhere there is a service where you can ship your clothes to them for treatment (expensive).hooky wrote: ↑Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:13 amThe concentrate is the only way to go. Anything left over gets sprayed around the outside on the house's foundation for ants and on the screen door for flies on the deck.Midwest Ed wrote: ↑Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:03 am This concentrate is much more economical. Dilute it 19 to 1 for the same 0.5% solution sold in the spray containers. I just put some mixed solution in a bucket and dump the clothes in. Make sure you wear latex or nitrile gloves. Don't get any solution on your skin and rinse thoroughly if you do. Get the clothes all saturated then wring out and allow to thoroughly dry.
That 8 ounce bottle will make 5 quarts of treatment solution. A 32 ounce, 10% bottle is only twice the price so you get 20 quarts for 20 bucks. I do not believe there are any shelf life issues, at least not for the concentrate.
I've wondered about the health side effects from sweat. Does the chemical leach out and onto your skin?