We use something called “The Bug Bite Thing”. You place it over the bite, then use the little plunger to create suction against the bite, which helps draw out the saliva which causes the itching. It’s most effective right after you notice a bite. We also have a magic salve a friend made us that works wonders. Best of luck!
Plantain, huh? I’m in a tropical country so plantains are abundant here. Hmm, 🤔 maybe I’ll do some research or even ask around here about a salve. Thanks for the suggestion, Manuela!
Well, this is called broad leaf plantain and you can find it in the woods here everywhere: "Plantain has long been considered by herbalists to be a useful remedy for cough, wounds, inflamed skin or dermatitis, and insect bites. Bruised or crushed leaves have been applied topically to treat insect bites and stings, eczema, and small wounds or cuts." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_major
Bless your heart! I'm sure you will get so many good suggestions here, and hope they work for you :) I keep a spray bottle handy with the following mixture: 8 oz distilled witch hazel, 30 drops of a 50/50 peppermint/eucalyptus essential oil blend. It soothes on contact, and is also a mild deterrent. It's not long-lasting though, and so won't be an overnight repellent. Mosquitoes are also very weak fliers, so a fan can be very effective. They are drawn to both CO2 and heat. I once read a fascinating account about a tropical village in which the eldest member had built his thatch home on stilts, with openings at the top of the wall. He had almost no mosquitoes because his heat and CO2 would rise and draw the mosquitoes right up and out the openings! I hope you will find relief soon!
Thanks, Sydney! I think I have a eucalyptus bottle lying around here. I’ll try your suggestion. There’s also an overhead fan in the room which I run overnight. I think it helps too! Fascinating story. Thank you for sharing. So, C02 and heat. Good to know that as well.
Such a great post, Stella - thank you! I am plat du jour for any passing mosquito - apparently, I'm delicious! I am a little ridiculous in that I do nothing about the bites - or to deter the creatures themselves from landing on me - because I can't stand the feel of anything (spray, cream, oil etc) on my skin. The day will surely come when I resort to a suit of armour!
Oh, I love that description- plat du jour! That’s definitely me. Thank you for sharing Mary B’s illustration. Might as well make art, right? It did make me smile seeing it.
Sigh. Some of us are definitely mosquito magnets. Such is life. (Please excuse me while I scratch. Yet again. Sigh...) Hmmm... I just remembered a recent tip from Tumblr - rubbing a hot spoon over the bite! I’ll have to try it. Others seemed to find it miraculous!! And thanks for the tip about peppermint. I’ll have to try that one too. Hugs dear Stella. 🤗🤗😘
The luck of the draw, right Beth? It does suck to be one of those mosquito magnets. I hear my niece Marina always runs cold so she doesn't get eaten like I do. (Sigh!) The hot spoon I have not heard of at all. Hmm, I'm guessing I'll have to hold it above a stove to warm it up. I'll be curious to try this as well. Thanks so much!
Oh dear! I'm sorry for your itchiness! We have a lot of mosquitos here in NC, too. Ever since childhood, calamine lotion has worked well for calming my insect bites. I'm curious to try the peppermint recipe Sydney suggested. Feel better soon <3
Thanks, Ann! Good ol' calamine lotion. I think that's the purple (or was it pink) liquid from my childhood from what I recall. The brand we use was Caladryl (why do I even remember it from so long ago) I wonder if they still make it or perhaps there are more updated brands now. Hmm. Good idea too Thank you.
You can order a mosquito killer lamp from Lazada or Shopee. They cost less than $10. Just leave it in the room where you hang out and it will electrocute those mosquitoes dead. Mosquitoes are drawn to people with Type O blood.
Yes, you can leave it on all night. It works best when the lights are dim or completely out because the ultraviolet light emitted by the device attracts the mosquitoes. Since they are made in China, try reading the buyer's reviews of the product before deciding on a model.
For relief: take a metal spoon and run it under hot water, as hot as you can stand, then press it to the mosquito bite. The sooner you do this after being bitten, the better. It’ll make it not itch anymore; something about breaking down the proteins in whatever it is they inject into our skin? Otherwise, a bit of lavender oil will help
Welcome to my world! After 60 years in coastal California and short seasons for mosquitos, we moved to N.C. 5 years later, I'm still the neighborhood choice for their diet. Deet works best, just not for my health! Aromatic oil concoctions really help, but not well enough to make one truly happy. Think I'll try the diffuser on the now screened porch. My only refuge!
“he filled a loose gauze bag with the insects”
This seems like a good beginning; too bad he didn’t keep going!
Wishing you comfort and relief; intriguing to learn about the peppermint oil!
Wanted to also mention I’ve found that isopropyl alcohol or witch hazel in an alcohol base provides me with relief from the itching.
Ooh, there’s some isopropyl alcohol here too. Makes sense since it cools the skin after applying it. I’ll try this as well. Thanks, Daniel!
We use something called “The Bug Bite Thing”. You place it over the bite, then use the little plunger to create suction against the bite, which helps draw out the saliva which causes the itching. It’s most effective right after you notice a bite. We also have a magic salve a friend made us that works wonders. Best of luck!
Wow, I’m curious about this. Is this a kind of gadget, Janean?
It's on Amazon and is a suction device. Also, BiteMe works very well for after-sting relief. Also Amazon, as well as stores. Empathy!
Love the Haiku and collage!!
I am warm body myself, apparently, because mosquitos LOVE me.
My friend, who is an herbalist, made me Salve made of plantains. The best cure for mosquito bites and itching o have ever used!
I wonder if you can research plantain and how to make a simple salve.
Plantain, huh? I’m in a tropical country so plantains are abundant here. Hmm, 🤔 maybe I’ll do some research or even ask around here about a salve. Thanks for the suggestion, Manuela!
Well, this is called broad leaf plantain and you can find it in the woods here everywhere: "Plantain has long been considered by herbalists to be a useful remedy for cough, wounds, inflamed skin or dermatitis, and insect bites. Bruised or crushed leaves have been applied topically to treat insect bites and stings, eczema, and small wounds or cuts." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_major
Bless your heart! I'm sure you will get so many good suggestions here, and hope they work for you :) I keep a spray bottle handy with the following mixture: 8 oz distilled witch hazel, 30 drops of a 50/50 peppermint/eucalyptus essential oil blend. It soothes on contact, and is also a mild deterrent. It's not long-lasting though, and so won't be an overnight repellent. Mosquitoes are also very weak fliers, so a fan can be very effective. They are drawn to both CO2 and heat. I once read a fascinating account about a tropical village in which the eldest member had built his thatch home on stilts, with openings at the top of the wall. He had almost no mosquitoes because his heat and CO2 would rise and draw the mosquitoes right up and out the openings! I hope you will find relief soon!
Thanks, Sydney! I think I have a eucalyptus bottle lying around here. I’ll try your suggestion. There’s also an overhead fan in the room which I run overnight. I think it helps too! Fascinating story. Thank you for sharing. So, C02 and heat. Good to know that as well.
Such a great post, Stella - thank you! I am plat du jour for any passing mosquito - apparently, I'm delicious! I am a little ridiculous in that I do nothing about the bites - or to deter the creatures themselves from landing on me - because I can't stand the feel of anything (spray, cream, oil etc) on my skin. The day will surely come when I resort to a suit of armour!
My friend Mary B posted such a lovely painting of a mozzie just yesterday - do have a look - https://thrivinnotdrivin.substack.com/p/october-20-2023
Oh, I love that description- plat du jour! That’s definitely me. Thank you for sharing Mary B’s illustration. Might as well make art, right? It did make me smile seeing it.
That would make so much sense. My husband (who is always cold) never gets bitten, but I (always hot) get all the bites.
I really have no advice for you, but love your haiku and the collages!
Thanks, Susanne! We mosquito magnets unite. I appreciate you chiming in here today. Hope your Sunday is going well.
Sigh. Some of us are definitely mosquito magnets. Such is life. (Please excuse me while I scratch. Yet again. Sigh...) Hmmm... I just remembered a recent tip from Tumblr - rubbing a hot spoon over the bite! I’ll have to try it. Others seemed to find it miraculous!! And thanks for the tip about peppermint. I’ll have to try that one too. Hugs dear Stella. 🤗🤗😘
The luck of the draw, right Beth? It does suck to be one of those mosquito magnets. I hear my niece Marina always runs cold so she doesn't get eaten like I do. (Sigh!) The hot spoon I have not heard of at all. Hmm, I'm guessing I'll have to hold it above a stove to warm it up. I'll be curious to try this as well. Thanks so much!
Or dip it in hot water. Just don’t make it too hot or you can actually burn yourself! Fingers crossed. 🤗🤗
Oh dear! I'm sorry for your itchiness! We have a lot of mosquitos here in NC, too. Ever since childhood, calamine lotion has worked well for calming my insect bites. I'm curious to try the peppermint recipe Sydney suggested. Feel better soon <3
Thanks, Ann! Good ol' calamine lotion. I think that's the purple (or was it pink) liquid from my childhood from what I recall. The brand we use was Caladryl (why do I even remember it from so long ago) I wonder if they still make it or perhaps there are more updated brands now. Hmm. Good idea too Thank you.
I love the collages and the haiku! I'm sorry they came from your suffering. I hope your diffuser continues to keep the bugs at bay.
Thank you, Jason! Feeling better this morning. No new bites. Yay!
You can order a mosquito killer lamp from Lazada or Shopee. They cost less than $10. Just leave it in the room where you hang out and it will electrocute those mosquitoes dead. Mosquitoes are drawn to people with Type O blood.
Thank you, sir Manny! In your experience, is it quite effective? Can you leave it overnight while sleeping?
Yes, you can leave it on all night. It works best when the lights are dim or completely out because the ultraviolet light emitted by the device attracts the mosquitoes. Since they are made in China, try reading the buyer's reviews of the product before deciding on a model.
Yes, it's quite effective. I even have a tennis racket shaped model that I use when I walk in the garden to zap both mosquitoes and flies.
Works a bit better in a small room. Not so much outdoors, in my experience. before screening the porch.
For relief: take a metal spoon and run it under hot water, as hot as you can stand, then press it to the mosquito bite. The sooner you do this after being bitten, the better. It’ll make it not itch anymore; something about breaking down the proteins in whatever it is they inject into our skin? Otherwise, a bit of lavender oil will help
Thanks, Sara! Beth also suggested this method as well. I’m going to have to try it.
Welcome to my world! After 60 years in coastal California and short seasons for mosquitos, we moved to N.C. 5 years later, I'm still the neighborhood choice for their diet. Deet works best, just not for my health! Aromatic oil concoctions really help, but not well enough to make one truly happy. Think I'll try the diffuser on the now screened porch. My only refuge!
Thanks for chiming in, Lois. I appreciate the tips. I feel you! Looking forward to going back to cooler weather and giving my skin a rest.