Tips To Lessen Bites On Hols In South Of France

[lynbrown]

Last year I had numerous huge very itchy bites on my legs. We are going back this year and I have ordered a cream from Avon and will take anti histamines too. Any other remedies?

[Sqad]

In the Med, the evening is the bad time for bites.......the daytime isn't that much of a problem

If you go out for a meal, cover your arms and legs and put on a repellent on the exposed parts of your body.

Spray the bedroom before you go out in the evening or before you go to bed.......BLOOM can be bought from supermarkets and it is very efficient.

I am not too keen on antihistamines by mouth, but antihistamine creams or better still 1%hydrocortisone cream (takes longer to act but acts for longer)

I have assumed that the "bites" are insect bites and not the result of passionate love making.

[Sharingan]

I hate citronella but if you can stand the smell , make a small posy bag and infuse it with citronella oil and stick it in your pocket, they hate it.
lol@Sqad

[Connemmara]

Sqad - always a sexual innuendo in your post. LOL

[lynbrown]

Thanks all. Sqad - no chance! I will search out citronella.

[woofgang]

This stuff
http://www.qvcuk.com/Margaret-Dabbs-Foot-Oil-Duo.product.203772.html?upsh=1
is a dry oil spray that is scented with citronella. It is designed for feet but is also lovely on arms and legs. Its not only available on qvc but the price on there is pretty good.

[rockyracoon]

If they are persistent mossies the only thing I've found to work is a proper repellent, one with plenty of DEET in. A fella in the army gave me this, I used it when I went to Thailand and only got bit once (my fault) in the rainforest.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=3m+insect+repellent&tag=googhydr-21&;index=aps&;hvadid=9671882288&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=953528&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15941259561977256862&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=t&;ref=pd_sl_68o5cio179_e

[lcg]

yeast tablets......or marmite. little critters hate the way it makes you smell.

[LyndaB]

I have tried all of the above and plenty others besides and none of them have worked. I now use Boots own brand tropical strength (in a grey bottle) and it's the best stuff I ever used, and I've recommended it to loads of friends who now swear by it. It's a bit more expensive than the stuff in the yellow bottle, but who cares, so long as it works?

[woofgang]

Have you tried the Avon Skin So Soft oil spray? Some people have success with that.

[Eve]

A lot of my friends who spend time climbing mountains and other exciting outdoor stuff swear by Deet.

Wish I'd had some when I was in Canada, ended up with large welts from the mozzie bites.

[Peter Pedant]

. Yeah anything with D E E T in it,
see above.

citronella works well - esp with horse flies/cleggs (diptera) which are also present there. They land but wont settle - the citro clogs/ irritates their spiracles.

cover your wrists and ankles at sunset - the time for mozzies

migrate towards smokers - flies are repelled by smoke - except one which is attracted but is not present in S of France

oh and dont scratch them ! v difficult

[meglet]

Concur with LyndaB, Boots grey/silver repellent with 50% DEET all the way.

[boxtops]

I don't know what cream you've bought from Avon, but it's the Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray which is the one which deters mozzies. You can buy it on eBay, that's where I get mine.

[spudqueen]

I agree with some of the others - Avon skin so soft dry oil body spray (original). One year I stood in front of a mirror and counted 30+ bites. The next year I started using skin so soft and now I only have one or two bites a year!

[pixie373]

... anything with deet