I was thinking about the bugs you all deal with, mosquito,no see ums, whatever you have where you are and how you deal with them? I have some pretty good essential oil repellent but wondered if you all tried those torch things you put out and if they worked. I was thinking about sitting out when I get to get on the road and then thought.... ugh, the bugs will be out there too. I dont want to feel like a prisoner in my camper cause of them. I know it will determine how far you are from a body of water they can breed on and all those factors but in general.....what's your experience?
Annoying bugs
- Thread starter jillybean
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MrNoodly
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There's a particular kind of no-see-um I've encountered in Arizona. They live among junipers in places like Cottonwood and the Navajo National Monument. Their bites itch like crazy and take forever to heal (even if you can avoid scratching them). Other than that, I've had pretty good luck avoiding biting insects. The flies are horrible in some places.
But I see it as part of living in nature and forsaking most of the comforts of living in a building. If my ancestors could do it, so can I.
But I see it as part of living in nature and forsaking most of the comforts of living in a building. If my ancestors could do it, so can I.
When I am around mosquitoes, I use Deet. Black flies are miserable. There is a lake by my brother's cottage that always has black flies. I stopped going to that lake. About a month ago, I was camping at a national forest in Michigan. I was hiking the sand dunes one day and it was wonderful. The next day I wanted to add some mileage. I sprayed the Deet everywhere. For the first time in my life, the black flies were somewhere other than the small inland lake. I was forced to use the straps on my hiking poles to beat the flies off me. Deet does not work on black, biting flies. I drove home the next day. It was miserable to be stuck in the van.
A product, TANGLEFOOT, is reputed in the comments to be helpful. Various users tell how they use it for personal "protection" and the good it does. Read through. Available from Amazon and Ace. Also read that it's really sticky, apply it (NOT to yourself) but to items with something not your fingers. 
here's a few:
August 16, 2013 Verified Purchase
I spread Tanglefoot on a Solo cup and screw it to a dowel. When we go for walks the deerflies buzz around and stick to the
cup instead of biting us. My record for a 2 mile walk is 174 deerflies. Sweet Revenge!
July 15, 2017 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
We love this stuff. We don't leave the house without out Tanglefoot hats this time of year. Deer flies don't escape its clutches.
August 16, 2016 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
I used this to catch those pesty deer flies....I put a little on a piece of cardboard and pinned to my ball cap. Vwa La! I caught me some bugs and didn't even know it. I love it.
August 7, 2017 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
Sticky sticky sticky... hard to brush on. Wish I had gotten the spray on. It sure did a job on those deer flies though.
June 7, 2012 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
We have deerflies all over our yeard and can't go out the door without them attacking us, our dogs and they bother our goats so bad, they will stay in their house. My husband found Tanglefoot online and ordered the 15oz tub. Amazon got it to us in 3 days. Love Amazon! Hubby used a paintbrush -this stuff is REALLY sticky- to put it on our hats and out the door we went. Amazing, the deerflies stuck to our hats, we could enjoy outdoors again with our animals. We got some blue Solo cups, painted Tanglefoot on them, and hung them from trees around the goat pen. Deerflies are all over the cups! Goats are outside playing and not being harrassed by them so much. We will get them all eventually!
You have to be a little generous with the Tanglefoot, but I think that tub will last us a lifetime. Worth every penny.
5 people found this helpful
August 16, 2013 Verified Purchase
I spread Tanglefoot on a Solo cup and screw it to a dowel. When we go for walks the deerflies buzz around and stick to the
cup instead of biting us. My record for a 2 mile walk is 174 deerflies. Sweet Revenge!
July 15, 2017 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
We love this stuff. We don't leave the house without out Tanglefoot hats this time of year. Deer flies don't escape its clutches.
August 16, 2016 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
I used this to catch those pesty deer flies....I put a little on a piece of cardboard and pinned to my ball cap. Vwa La! I caught me some bugs and didn't even know it. I love it.
August 7, 2017 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
Sticky sticky sticky... hard to brush on. Wish I had gotten the spray on. It sure did a job on those deer flies though.
June 7, 2012 Size: 15 OZVerified Purchase
We have deerflies all over our yeard and can't go out the door without them attacking us, our dogs and they bother our goats so bad, they will stay in their house. My husband found Tanglefoot online and ordered the 15oz tub. Amazon got it to us in 3 days. Love Amazon! Hubby used a paintbrush -this stuff is REALLY sticky- to put it on our hats and out the door we went. Amazing, the deerflies stuck to our hats, we could enjoy outdoors again with our animals. We got some blue Solo cups, painted Tanglefoot on them, and hung them from trees around the goat pen. Deerflies are all over the cups! Goats are outside playing and not being harrassed by them so much. We will get them all eventually!
You have to be a little generous with the Tanglefoot, but I think that tub will last us a lifetime. Worth every penny.
5 people found this helpful
One motorcycle trip through the upper peninsula of Michigan and a few through Florida and Arkansas convinced me that Arizona and the desert southwest have very few bugs that I can't avoid, as most bugs are attracted to water,plants or animals. I just let the spiders,bats and lizards live in peace and eat their fill.
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