Bugs On A Walk

[centrop67]

It's great having warm weather all year round down here, but when it really starts heating up and the rains come, we can look forward to lots and lots of bugs.

This is the attire for a walk with Radar now...

[leih merigian]

bummer...

[Dutchringgirl]

Do you have bug spray? I find either tea tree oil or the cedar oil helps keep them away. there is one place though that I do like but the deer flies are deadly and nothing keeps them away.

[centrop67]

I spent a lot of time in the Everglades as a fishing guide and really over-did the bug spray thing to the point of almost wrecking my liver.

For mosquitos, I find that if it doesn't have DEET, the mosquitos consider it candy, but the real problem is the deer flies - the only defense is covering the face and ears.

One of the walk locations is a bike path that snakes through some over-grown weeds, and on one particular walk we scared the heck out of a woman biking with her daughter as they came around the corner. I don't know which scared her worse, Radar or my masked face. I managed to keep Radar focused on me as they passed, but I am afraid they'll probably think twice about taking that path in the future.

[Schlussdibusti]

they'll probably think twice about taking that path in the future.

Great, you have the path to yourself now

[AFronhei]

Eating a lot of garlic or taking the pills helps repel bugs. You don't smell right to them any longer. It's what we've always done at home for chiggers.

[Christie M]

I simply would not leave the house. UG. It seems to be a terrible year for my northern neighbors.....and have I mentioned how much I love TN???

[johninny]

BIG LOL. I agree; I would lock myself inside til fall.

[centrop67]

I could try locking myself in 'til Fall, but Radar would probably chew threw the front door.

The headgear is quite effective and really not that uncomfortable.

It's a combination of a Buff -->
http://www.amazon.com/Buff-UV-Protectio ... words=buff
<-- and a bandana specially designed with breathing holes, and it kills two birds with one stone as it also provides UV protection.

If I do come across other people (which is what I try to avoid anyway), I may get some odd looks (or frightened mothers), but the alternative is worse.

[Boogies]

Deer flies are supposed to be attracted to light blue. I heard a guy on the radio with your exact bug problem. He said he taped a blue plastic cup to a baseball hat and covered it with the sticky stuff organic gardners use to make bug traps. The deer flies went first for his hat and he collected a mob of them every time he walked his dog.

And a blue cup might be less likely to attract attention from Homeland Security.

[centrop67]

And a blue cup might be less likely to attract attention from Homeland Security.

I really need to consider this. The walk borders the Homestead Air Reserve Base, and it is routinely patrolled by National Park Law Enforcement.

I just have to be worried about being hauled off to the looney bin for wearing a blue cup on my head.

If the blue/sticky cup thing works, however, I think I might just have a new product for the backcountry fishermen down here. Anyone want to contribute to a kickstarter project?

Finally, in the deer fly world, Toby Keith's infamous song must be titled "Blue Solo Cup."

[steph90]

I feel your pain... I also live in Cutler Bay and it seems like nothing deters the horse flies and deer flies.