Sand Flies

Choc,

Use 1 part Dettol and 2 parts Baby Oil as a repellant, they don't like the smell of the Dettol and the baby oil makes the Dettol stick :)

Cheers Kev

G`day,
Vitamin B1 was the only preventative that worked for me, one tablet per day starting a couple of days prior to possible exposure.
I have large collection of so called deterrents and itch cures that didn`t work for my Wife or Myself.
I should probably open a online shop selling containers or packets of .....
.... "Partly used Midgie Lotions and Home Brewed Itch Cure Mixtures"

A good idea to cover up with long sleeves and long pants about sunset.

Scrubby.

Try rubbing Listerine mouth wash on the bites before you start to scratch them. Works like a charm !!
Take vitamin B

Hi Choc

Matybe prevention could be better than cure. If you carry sandal wood, and burn nthat in your fire, the smoke is a fantastic deterence for sandflies in the first place.

Cheers

Marc

Try mixing some cedarwood atlas oil with your suncream, works well for march flies as well!

choc,

the following works real well for me;

1) RID and lots of it.
2) cream called paraderm plus, available over the counter at chemists!

hope it works for you too.....

cheers
asmithy

Hi they eat my father alive,,

baby oil and dettol rubbed on before fishing and after shower if big blisters develop seems to be good for him

Stingoze from the chemist will stop the itch.

Rid is the best of the non greasy repellants. The best of all is "Bushman" but it's greasy and smelly. Some of it's ingredients are not very salubrious either. For after being bitten use Dencorub. An odourless one is available. But the very very best thing to do is to cover up early morning and late arvo and evening. Good Luck.

we used to use the roots of mangroves on the fire, it worked really well ......................... done the cow turds stuff but really do you want to go around collecting that ????
One problem is not many places now alow fires ..

I lived in Hervey bay, sand flies galore the locals said 1 part baby oil 1 part dettol and shake well and eat vegemite / marmite sandwiches source of B1 and it works well, no itchy bites.

Many of us that live beside mangroves use a couple of drops of Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil on the palm of your hands and then rubbed over all the exposed parts of your body.
Heard about it from the USA about 10 years ago and been using it ever since. about 5 years ago I doscovered that half of the locals use the same product.
Very economical too. I am still on the original 750ml bottle.

BW

Talked to a bloke on a beach in Yeppoon area last year, who swore by the dabbing of a bite with cloudy ammonia as soon as possible after the bite. He had a bottle with him next to his fishing gear.

I haven't tried it as the little nasties don't like the taste of me it seems. :)

Vitamin B mega doses daily , thing is you need to start taking it 10-14 days prior to getting into the midge / sandfly country , Rid medicated also works well if you can get it , Longreach and surround is currently under sandfly /midge attack and Rid supplies are sold out.

Also, Natures botanical Rosemary and Cedarwood cream stops them for dead. You can buy it from chemists or Rural Supply stores. In a white jar. Great stuff! Alot of people mix it with Kero and spray on their horses here in Longreach!

One more - Use RID to keep the little buggars away then when that dont work wipe area with vinegar - stops the itch in a couple of minutes.

Iv'e heard and tried all these other remedies but the vinegar works for me every time.

Jeff.

Choc,

I used to suffer terribly with sandfly bites but now take 1 Zyrtec tablet (from chemist) if bitten. It gives 24 hour protection and doesn't make you sleepy. You may have to take one for several days.

And here's another vote for Rid for protection.

Best of all cover up, especially feet and ankles.

Min