Bushmans for midgies

Good camping shops , some chemists , was originally formulated in WW11 by the yanks , [ deet the active ingredient that is] the more deet a product has the better repel of flying insects , Bushmans normal has 20% deet can also get with an 80% deet ,be aware that very small children should NOT be sprayed with it , also it is not exactly cheap , large can at our local bcf camping store is $16.95 ,same size can of Aeroguard is $9. but when all else fails Bushmans works.

Have you tried RID? Available in supermarkets and chemists in roll-on or cream. It also contains DEET but not sure how much and I don't have any here at work. DEET is actually quite nasty stuff so its best to use the lowest strength that you find works. I think Tropical Strength Aerogard contains DEET but I have never found that the normal Aerogard does anything.

That answers a nagging question for me too as I am heading to Arnhem land in August. I have also seen on the net that taking vitamin B pills may help to stop them biting. Has anyone else seen this mentioned anywhere?

My little brother lives in Darwin and swears by a mixture of 50/50 baby oil and dettol for sandflies, which I think are also called midgies in some areas. And Blaze and Des, no cracks about other uses for baby oil thanks.

GB

bushmans the gel variety is 80% deet and nothing comes remotley close - it isnt even good for Humans. Spray varietys are around %20 and are also good - sogood every full strenght repellent (rid, aurogard tropical etc etc) now contains %20DEET
If it hasnt got DEET min %20 dont buy it.
The Gel used to allow us to fish in the Port River mangroves, the mzzies would sit around in a huge cloud not 30cm from us but would not come closer (same as the fish)

I find plenty of Garlic and Ginger does the job for me.......
Have not been bitten by a mossie, sandfly, or anything else these days.
Only once did I use anything like that and it was a product that was supposed to make the STING GO away......
Did an experiment after being stung behind both knees by a jelly fish whilst being a divemaster/underwater photographer in the Whitsundays.
Since the sting was the same size on both legs I decided to let one leg sting and apply the stuff I will not name that is supposed to make the STING GO away on the other leg.......
Beauty the sting disappeared but the one without the said product hurt for maybe 2 hours before the sting subsided.
To my disbelief the leg with the said product took 2 weeks to heal. the leg without healed in 2 days.
Apart from that time have never put anything on my body including sunscreen. In the sun will wear long sleeves. If getting bitten by anything then also longs

Dunworkin, it depends how attractive you are to Midgies, Sandflies, Mozzies etc. I assure you, people have different levels of attraction and reaction to these pests.
I get bitten a bit, but they are a nuisance only unless swarming.
My wife on the other hand attracts every biting insect within kilometers. When they bite, she comes up in great welts, sometimes the size of a saucer. This has a major impact in her enjoyment of our northern travels.

We just came back from several weeks fishing in the Gulf and spent 16 weeks in the Kimberley ant NT last year. Kathryn has tried everything. The best is the 80% DEET creams, if you are prepared to take your chances with cancer. I have no medical facts on this, but we never use it for more than a couple of days at a time, and try to avoid it whe. we can; though it is the only commercial product that does the job for Kathryn. We have read reports of high and repeared use of DEET causing cancer.

We have tried evey commercial spray, including Bushmans, Aeroguard, Rid and many more. Have also tried the Detol, Baby Oil and Metho mixture. Kathryn says the Detol mix is as good if not better than the commercial sprays, but she is covered in oil all day, which is not pleasant.

By the way, before our last trip, she took Vitamin B for about 8 weeks and continued to take it during our travels. No noted benefit.

During the travels, she heard of another 'remedy'. Vitimin E cream with Citronella Essential Oil. She is yet to try this, but we understand there may be a warining for over use of Citronella oil for people with high blood pressure or heart problems (only heard this, but have no knowledge). We will investigate this further and if it seems appropriate we'll try it on our next northern trip.

Midgies won't stop us from heading north at every opportunity, but finding a remedy for Kathryn (and others similarly affected by bites) would make the trips eve more enjoyable.

Hope the bugs don't bite you too much.

Thanks to you all for your replies, will weigh them up and see how we go.

Cheers

D

Bushmans doesn't work for mosquitos!

Dunworkin

Midgies do not bite. They urinate on you and that causes an allergic reactions. Filthy little buggers.

Insects repellents are good. Non-drowsy antihistamine such as “Telfast”help to prevent the sores.

Tjilpi

Dunworkin

I believe they are seasonal.

Tjilpi

Had a trip up north a few years ago in febuary and the midges and mosquito's were thick enough to carry you away !
On this trip I found the tropical strength Aerogaurd to be working better and for longer, and was also more bearable than the oily bushman spray. Who knows, bushman were looking at changing their formula at the time. It may be better now.