Sawyer Picaridin

[mayhemkb]

For flies/sand flies in the UP in the Lake Superior area, I have had decent luck with an odd product I found at Walmart. It is 2-in-1 Bug Defense and Sunscreen Spray by Ozark Trail. (I also believe they have the bug defense alone, but being of Irish, German and Norwegian decent I need the sunscreen even on cloudy rain days practically.) It uses "natural" bug repellents. I could give a rats rump about that, but it smells strong but pleasant and keeps the flies at bay. Since you reapply ever 1.5 to 2 hours the effect doesn't seem to wear off. It goes on clean and doesn't mess up clothing. It does nothing for the mosquitoes up there, but it does hold the gnats off for a bit too. It is found in the Camping area of Wally World and runs about $7 a 5oz can.

[Gqgeek81]

For sand flies, I once mixed pennyroyal oil into a pump bottle of some sort of off the shelf DEET based repellent. It worked great, and 3 of us spent a weekend on Bear Island NC with zero bites but everyone complained the smell was too strong. When I read Nessmuk's book a year or so ago he mentions using pennyroyal in a concoction he made for "punkies" and other insects. I'm not sure which insect he specifically means by a punky.
Anyway I looked back into it and there is a ton of conflicting information on the safety of pennyroyal oil so proceed with caution.
I did try it in Grayson Highlands and the black flies ignored it too.

[Gqgeek81]

Incidentally, I've come across a few plants which are suppose to help keep insects away.

• American Beautyberry leaves bruised to release their aroma. I believe this one is being investigated as a natural ingredient.
• Wax Myrtle leaves done the same or IIRC burned
• Stinging Nettle, although you'd probably need to wilt this over a fire before you could handle it.

I haven't had the opportunity to try any of these but they may be worth knowing so if you have a buggy camp and have some nearby you can try them. Wax Myrtle is also the perfect source of kindling.

[Nealaustin]

So let's see if I am getting this right. If I put permathrin on the bottom of my hammock and Picaridin on my hands and face, I don't need to sleep with a net? That sounds too good to be true. I guess I still need the net to keep the marauding bears out of my hammock at night.

[OneClick]

I used some picaridin lotion on my arms and legs last night. Seemed to work fine. The lotion is much nicer than the greasy/rubbery feeling spray, but I do like that "pen" style spray.

The "permethrin factory" I became probably also contributed to the mosquitoes leaving me alone more than usual, or they just wern't out in full force yet. 3 bites and a lot of swatting around my ears, but manageable.

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc.../dp/B00VV5KRD8

Geez!!! Talk about options! Thanks Sawyer! I have the 4oz and tried to fill a small 1oz shampoo bottle last night with no success, so I'll pick up some of these 2oz bottles.

[OneClick]

The usual:
- Permethrin on hammock, shoes, clothing, pack, hat
- Picaridin lotion for skin

The new:
- Eating raw garlic for the past month
- Apple cider vinegar pills daily for about 2 weeks
- Eating raw red onion in salad for a few weeks, almost daily
- Super B complex vitamins for a couple weeks

I frigging STINK BAD!!! I'm curious to see what happens on my trip starting tonight...

[BillyBob58]

The usual:
- Permethrin on hammock, shoes, clothing, pack, hat
- Picaridin lotion for skin

The new:
- Eating raw garlic for the past month
- Apple cider vinegar pills daily for about 2 weeks
- Eating raw red onion in salad for a few weeks, almost daily
- Super B complex vitamins for a couple weeks

I frigging STINK BAD!!! I'm curious to see what happens on my trip starting tonight...

Wow, you are really being prepared. Just with the picaridin for skin and permethrin for clothing etc, I have not had a bite in years, rarely see them. Truth be told, most times at home I am just using 20% picaridin, and as long as I cover all skin, I never get bit. Maybe they just don't like me as much as you?

In 2010, at a lake in the Sawtooths, a buddy did inform me that the Mossies were swarming all over my back covered with my permethrin treated white thin merino wool long john top. ( I didn't see any on the front or anywhere else) But I got no bites. I had him spray a bit of picaridin on my back and that was the end of that. Maybe I failed to adequately treat the back side of that shirt with Permethrin? Still, no actual bites on that trip, despite that close call.

[canoebie]

I'm not sure if they were gnats, but my last trip up in Michigan around April 29 was so annoying. They swarm your head and seems like they try to get into your eyes! Luckily it was in the 30s at night so they only bothered me from about 4-6PM.

A local up there told me to pick a Bracken Fern and wear it upside down. Looks goofy as hell, but it really works to keep those gnats out of your face. I have lots of pictures of groups I have guided on the Manistee with their "fern hats."

[OneClick]

I love the recommendations from health departments:

Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are active (especially late afternoon, dusk to dawn and early morning)

So basically, stay indoors all day.

[waterboy]

I have tried the Natrapel and Sawyer sprays of Picaridin and they were ok. But the Picaridin insect repellent lotion seems to be better. It's my new favorite. Have used it all summer. I bout a 32-oz container and just use it to refill small container for putting into a pack.

Don't like the DEET after seeing it peel the plastic on sunglasses and remove the varnish off wood arm-rests on a lawn chair.