Do you need mosquito netting over beds?

[mindehankins]

I'm looking at villas for April, and I notice so many of them have mosquito netting over the beds. Do you need mosquito netting to sleep in villa beds? If a rental shows mosquito netting over a bed, does that suggest that the villa is in a "buggier" area?

[EagleRayLover]

We've stayed in quite a few villas- never had a netting, never felt the need for one either,

[toni]

Never had netting in any of the places we've stayed, perhaps like you mention it's a buggier area.

I'm excited that you'll be returning in April

[Dome526]

My wife bought me netting as a birthday present before our trip in Nov. I couldn;t believe she wasted the money on netting!!!! Needless to say, it did not make the cut for Carry-on only! Not once did I ever wish I had netting.

[mindehankins]

Me too, Toni!!!

I haven't looked at too many villas cause we've been satisfied with Cruz Views. I thought it was very odd that most places I looked at (all lower budget) had nets prominently displayed over the beds! Maybe they're thinking it looks "tropical?"

[GotToGetAway]

My rule is if there is mosquito netting, I'm not renting.

[liamsaunt]

The mosquito that transmits dengue fever is an indoor mosquito. That said I think most people use netting as a design choice, whether it be one of those inexpensive rings that hang from the ceiling or something more elaborate and customized to a king sized canopy bed.

[Dome526]

Dengue Fever....makes one think that netting might not be a bad idea!

[Caw954s]

Mindehankins, we did not have mosquito netting either, but I saw a lot of mosquitoes and my daughter had many bites. I think some of those bites were from sand fleas, but I still saw plenty of mosquitoes and we were high up with a breeze. So, they are everywhere, I would use a mos. netting if the villa had it, and some bug spray if you're sitting outside. You and I were in STJ about the same time and we had quite a bit of rain. Rain=mosquitoes, so if April is a rainy month, they may be more of a concern.
Have fun planning another trip..you bugger! I'm planning in my head only right now....we won't have time to go back again until December 2014.
Cheers!

[lazylane]

We have never had it, I if I see it in a villa, I don't rent it for fear it is a buggy place!! We usually try to rent high up so there is a breeze to keep bugs down. We also never rent a villa without a/c in the bedrooms, keep the bedroom door and windows shut and use the a/c to sleep.

[Lindy]

Minde - I think it's more of a design choice unless it happens to be an older "open air" type of villa where you have bedrooms off of a central living area where you open up a series of doors without screens to let the breeze blow through. Also, take a close look at the villa pictures.....if the windows and screens look really old, it's possible that mosquitos are getting through. If the windows and screens look pretty good and the netting is "artfully" arranged to hide the lack of a head board or something like that then it's probably part of the Caribbean ambiance. I've never had a problem with mosquitos in any of the villa we've rented except when someone leaves a door open too long at twilight.

[Pia]

The mosquito that transmits dengue fever is an indoor mosquito. That said I think most people use netting as a design choice, whether it be one of those inexpensive rings that hang from the ceiling or something more elaborate and customized to a king sized canopy bed.

I have never heard of an "indoor" mosquito - Liamsaunt - can you tell me more about that or who told you that - it isn't like there are mosquitos that only can survive inside (that I have ever heard of anyway )

Hubby currently has Dengue (actually he is 2 weeks in so on the road to recovery) There are many mosquitos that transmit Dengue and one of the most popular is the "Yellow Fever" mosquito - Aedes aegypti - it can be recognized by white markings on legs not that (personally) I ever look at them before I squash them

Here is some info.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever

Pia

[Caw954s]

I have never heard of an "indoor" mosquito - Liamsaunt - can you tell me more about that or who told you that - it isn't like there are mosquitos that only can survive inside (that I have ever heard of anyway )


Hi Pia, first, I am so sorry that your poor hubby came down with dengue fever! Hope he is better very soon. It is true that the mosquito "Aedes aegypti" that can carry dengue fever can and does breed inside. But, not exclusively indoors, it prefers a stable temperature and does not need much water. Plus the female doesn't fly very far....so, thats why its imperative to check all plant pots with drainage trays, or bird baths, or fountains, get rid of any standing water or use mosquito donuts, a non-pesticide approach to killing the larvae. The mosquito actually gets the virus from an infected human, the now infected mosquito can bite another human and transmit the dengue. That's why urban areas have elevated incidences of dengue fever cases when the virus is around.

Please visit the World Health Organization (WHO) for more information.
http://www.who.int/denguecontrol/mosquito/en/index.html

We do not have dengue fever in Kansas City...at this time. But we do have West Nile virus and with the climate change situation I foresee mosquitoes becoming more than just a nuisance in our future. Hope the fogging helps you guys in STJ!!

[Pia]

Caw954s - Hope you are staying warm in KC (I don't know if you know we moved from the Plaza to STJ 8 years ago) Yes that is what I meant - I have never heard of a mosquito that only lives indoors
Unfortunately as far as I know the scheduled fogging never took place

Pia