Mosquito defense planning

[toes in the sand]

Will we be able to find mosquito repellant products on STJ? We will be bringing the personal products with DEET and others, but will we be able to find things like Yard Guard or mosquito coils to use at the villa? If so, will I find them at Starfish Mkt or can you recommend somplace else?

[sailorgirl]

I got effective bug coils at Peace Pine called "Cobra". To your left on a shelf as you walk in the door.

[MrB]

When you get off the ferry, go right up the steps to St John Spice and ask Ruth for some zappers. Trust me...they are worth it for the entertainment value alone!

[brenda]

How are the skeeters there now? Did they do that fogging thing?

[Neeners]

I think I saw one mosquito the whole time I was there. I diligently applied Skin So Soft - even used their shower gel. I got bit a lot. Oi.

Would that make me hesitate about going back? Hell no!

[Pia]

Right now, on parts of the island, they are brutal (especially on any trail)

They are quite bad at dusk then "lighten up" so to speak after that. I'm using alot of bug repelent right now

I have no idea if they did spray - I saw no sprayers in Coral Bay - I'll ask my friend if she saw anything in the Cruz Bay area.

Pia

[mrsb]

I really like the lemon eucalyptus. I bought a bottle of the pure 100% oil and mixed it with cyclomethicone (buy it from the chemistry store on-line) The cyclomethicone is what is used to make the dry oil sprays. Mixed the two together, put it in a spray bottle and it worked great. Sprayed directly on mosquitoes it kills them. Burt's Bees and others make this repellent but I found Burt's Bees mixture to be too oily (cannot always be somewhere where I can wash my hands when I am applying the stuff). You can go to the CDC and look at what has been tested and proven to work. They found only three things that are definitely effective- DEET, IR (something), (the stuff in skin so soft and others) and lemon eucalyptus. We found the citronella to do nothing in keeping the biters away.

The bug zapping rackets are so much fun. And it helps knowing that you are thinning the herd, not just repelling them

[RickG]

Claritin works great to keep the welts from forming. Before you do any fogging check out the Material Safety Data Sheets on the products. DEET is a very strong neuro toxin. Seizures suck on vacation, you might spill your drink.

Cheers, RickG

[SanDiegoMark]

RickG, Claritin? As in the over-the-counter allergy medication? I take that every day! Are you rubbing the pill on the bite or just the fact that you take the pill reduces the bug bite? I haven't heard this before!

[toes in the sand]

Seizures suck on vacation, you might spill your drink.

Cheers, RickG

I always keep a firm grip on my drink even when semi-comatose.