Bitting bugs and the colour blue
Submitted: Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 15:40
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Keith J (QLD) bushcamper
A couple of years ago after hearing that the colour blue attracts March/Marsh? Flies on Fraser Is I began to wonder if there was any truth to it and if so were any other bugs attracted to blue.
The shirts I wear at work are either blue or green, the only time I’ve been bothered by March flies since I’ve been aware of the possibility has been when I’ve been wearing blue.
I went to look at a CT for sale before lunch on sunny day set up on short grass and when we got near the blue canvas we were attacked by mossies and inside was worse. The colour was the only reason I didn’t buy that one.
I’ve done a few Google searches and it seems to confirm my suspicions. In one article regarding tree stand hunting the author believes that many blood sucking bugs including ticks are attracted to blue.
This is an extract from this link . Site Link
Perich says mosquitoes can find you in several ways. Some of the cues are visual. Mosquitoes, like other insects, see in the blue, ultraviolet spectrum. So they're attracted to blue lights and clothing, but not to reds and yellows. That's why bug zappers have blue lights and why some people use yellow lights on porches.
Because they're often out at night when they can't see
well, mosquitoes also are attracted by heat and aromas. This explains why some people are more attractive to the insects. They may "smell better" or have a slightly higher body temperature.
Finally mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide — the stuff that comes out of your mouth when you breathe. "You can breathe," Perich jokes. "Just don't exhale.
These days I try to avoid wearing or using anything blue while I’m camping.
Reply By: Member - Boo Boo (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 15:46
Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 15:46
Keith
We came to the same conclusion many years ago when we were on Fraser Is.
Blue anything became a no no.
AnswerID:
215240
Follow Up By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 20:53
Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 20:53
We have noticed more flies on the backs of those wearing blue shirts.
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Reply By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 15:51
Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 15:51
Makes sense when all the mozzi zappers as you have mentioned are blue. Have also been told they are attracted to people with high colestrol must be why they eat me alive. Regards Steve M
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Reply By: Peter 2 - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 19:12
Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 19:12
We were camped down at
Tom Groggin this time last year, pretty warm and the march flies were in a permanent cloud around the wife who had a blue shirt on and covered her legs with a blue towel to stop them biting her. I was sitting next to her and wasn't bothered by them.
When we went for a swim she had a blue cossie and they gave her hell, again I was left alone.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: CLC50 - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 20:08
Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 20:08
MARCH FLY
Well this time of the year, Up on
the Beach ,camping @ Freshwater or North or South. March Flies can spoil your Weekend.
I have discovered that by slow Burning of Coconut Husk ,The Smoke Smell through your
Camp ,which have a nice smell ,(husk only, not the hole rotten Coconut ) No MORE March Flies. So give it a try next Time it Works
They just Leave. I have found that some this Year draw Blood .& this year has been very bad.
Last November some of my sons contractor spent a week end camped on
the beach with me ,They Played Cricket on
the Beach they scored 28 Runs in 1/2 Hour, I won with 74 March Flies Dead ,
IT DOES WORK
Well it does & I discovered it by accident,my son & I were been attached big time early morning Last Year ,
Our camp fire was still warm from the night before so I threw some coconut husk on to get the fire going as we where going to
cook a cheese, bacon & egg Damper later.As soon as the smoke & smell came the march flies went, other times I have sat by the fire & the little Sh------- s still bite
Also Blue is True as
Well, They love my Blue Esk.
IT works don't need much smoke just the smell of the coconut husk Smouldering
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Norm C (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 21:12
Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 at 21:12
I've found with mosquitos it is dark colours, particularly navy / dark blue and black that attract them. Light colours, particularly white,
grey, yellow etc nowhere near as much.
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Reply By: live4theweekends - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 20:18
Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 20:18
I knew there was something about blue! We were on a camping trip last year with some friends. Our annexe is
grey with blue stripes and theirs is
grey with burgundy. Every evening when we rolled the windows on the annexe back down there were little 'nests' of small wasp like creatures built in the rolled up pieces of canvas. They were only ever on our annexe and not our friends annexe. We were at this particular spot side by side for almost 2 weeks!
Heading off for a few months later this year and guess what...I not packing anything blue!
Cheers :-)
AnswerID:
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Reply By: zha zha cruiser - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 13:06
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 13:06
This is incredible. I just purchased a new CT with royal blue canvas. Yep march flies in pairs were sitting on outside os the canvas all the time on fraser over nyears.
Ill be burning coconut husks from now on, I wonder if the coconut suntan oil could help? My son pulled the wings off many march flies and killed heaps, dare say we had some releif. I wish the dingoes ate them
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Follow Up By: Shaker - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 14:33
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 14:33
For the life of me, I don't understand why so much camping equipment is blue.
Regarding mossies though, I was always under the impression that they were attracted to blood temperature, which is why one person may get bitten when others don't ... slightly higher blood temp!
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Follow Up By: Member - Mary W (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 15:00
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 15:00
They always bite me.
Maybe I'm a blue blood!
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Reply By: Keith J (QLD) bushcamper - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 15:55
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 15:55
There seem to be a few people around of the same opinion, but of all the people I've told about it, none have ever heard it before.
May be if it were common knowledge it would cause a bigger problem than a few insect bites. Imagine if people stoped buying new and used blue coloured items, cars, CTs, tarps, tents, jeans etc. If you think about it there's not much that doesn’t come in blue.
My wife already thinks I'm paranoid, if she reads this I could be posting from the funny
farm.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Keith J (QLD) bushcamper - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 16:01
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 16:01
If you have a look at my profile pics you'll see a couple of blue jerry cans.....they're now green.
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Follow Up By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 16:23
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 16:23
Your not paranoid !!!!, but you painted the jerrycans green ??? hahaha
Bad idea, if you left them blue, you could put them 50 m away and ALL the bugs would be over there out of your hair, now they will be hanging around your
camp, waiting for a blue flash!
Happy camping .
Cheers Pesty
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Follow Up By: Keith J (QLD) bushcamper - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 17:22
Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 17:22
No......I replaced them with green ones that don't let as much light through......at least that was my excuse any way.
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