Bug repellants!

imported
#1

ive experienced blackflys and 'skeeters that appear as if they might just carry me away whole. i didnt enjoy it. as this is going to be hard to avoid during the spring ans summer months when i hike next year - what do people do while thru-hiking? ive done deet in various concentrations 10% right up through 98% and it works most of the time, but bathing myself in that stuff day after day doesnt excite me. not to mention that its often been said that repeated, prolonged applications may lead to some health issues down the road.

do you just swat at them for days on end? deet? one of those natural ones? do you just stink so bad that the bugs cant even deal with you?

by the way, ive found the new repel lemon and eucalyptus cream to be very effective in northern NJ.

Andrew

#2

I swatted bugs from late May (near Waynesboro, VA) right on to Katahdin in late August. Gnats seemed to be the most annoying to me. They have this terrible habit of flying directly into your eyes, and they get stuck under your eyelids. It is annoying and at times, painful.

If you are thru-hiking, you will probably develop somefairly highly evolved blinking skills bythe time you reach Vermont. Wearing glasses is the only other alternative.

There was only one place on the entire trail where I felt it was absolutely necessary to wear DEET. That was in Massachussetts near Great Barrington. The area is reknowned for mosquitoes. They were horrid in 2000. I hear they are not much better this year. Otherwise, I rarely wore bug juice, as I tended to sweat it off fairly quickly.

Of course, if you arrive in New England in June heading NOBO, or attempt a SOBO hike starting in June, that is a horse of a different color. Black flies & mosquitoes are really bad during early summer.

Hope that helps.

Little Bear

#3

You just gotta suck it up and deal with them. You ever been to Parris Island in August?

Wolf

#4

When do mosquitos drop off in New England? I’m thinking of going southbound but later in the summer.

As to black flies, I’ve heard they generally die off at the end of june but have also heard of them being around in August in some areas.

blue stone

#5

Anybody ever try one of those bug hats where the netting drops down over the face? Can the knats still get thru those?

Harlz

#6

We have OR head nets, work fine, a little hot though. Bug in New england drop off when the temps hit 50* at night…most of the time. Skeeters will hang till 40*. Black flies should be done by late Aug but with all the ran my friends up there say its sucked for weeks.

Bushwhack

#7

The swarms of black flies are gone by late June, but there will be some around all summer. You’ll get a few bites after June, but they won’t drive you insane. The mosquitoes will be bad whenever it is warm enough, even mid September on a warm day and night.

DebW