Can no-see-ums live inside?

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 7:21 pm

We got bit up again this year, inside, in the evenings, and I'm wondering if a place can be infested with no see ums inside? We don't bring sand or sandy items inside, but we were definitely being bitten inside, sitting on the sofa. I'm sitting here still scratching myself relentlessly and am wondering.....

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 7:28 pm

Yes, they get in through the screens, the mesh isn't tight enough to keep them out. The worst noseeum biting incidents I've ever experienced were inside. My very worst experience was on our first stay on STJ and we didn't know about them; I got over 200 bites, mostly when I was in bed. My second worst experience was when we stayed at a villa where the doors didn't seal tightly and they were able to get in around the jambs.

Now we always keep the windows shut at night.

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 7:33 pm

The first couple of times we stayed here, we were fine, but the last two, we've been bit up. I don't like insect repellent and shower as soon as I know we're in the for the night.
I'm looking for other accommodations now, for our Spring trip.

Knolmom · Post by **Knolmom** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:40 pm

Minde, I have to tell you that in almost 30 trips to St John, I have only stayed in 2 villas, plus Caneel, Lindholm and Gallows, where I have not been bitten while sitting on the couch. Those were villas Ellison and Capiz. Ironically, those were two of my least favorite villas. To be frank, I rarely sit on a couch at a villa where I am staying. I don't care how upscale or clean they are, I make it a point to do all my TV watching and reading while sitting on a hard chair at the inside or outside tables. Under those circumstances, I have never been bit.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:47 am

They are really attracted to certain people over others...I will get 50 bites before my husband gets 1 bite...and I use unscented everything (deodorant, lotion, etc.). It's been a problem my whole life, mosquitoes love me too.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:58 am

The only time I was bothered by them was sitting on a sofa.

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 6:32 pm

Well, I'm glad I know this now! I only knew to be off the beach at dusk and dawn, so I was pretty befuddled. Saw Jillian today and she said "mom, is it normal to still be itching so bad?" That poor girl slept on the sofa all week.

cocosmom · Post by **cocosmom** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:29 pm

So why wouldn't the no-see-ums also go to a mattress? Just trying to understand the couch thing. Lots of villas have open living areas and/or cushioned outdoor furniture, how do you avoid them?

Knolmom · Post by **Knolmom** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:43 pm

In addition to coming in through the screens, they are notoriously carried in on your sandy feet, sandy towels, sandy bathing suits ect. Not wise to put your beach bags, towels or sandy feet on the couch or the upholstered chairs, or on the bed or bedspreads.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:40 pm

cocosmom wrote:So why wouldn't the no-see-ums also go to a mattress? Just trying to understand the couch thing. Lots of villas have open living areas and/or cushioned outdoor furniture, how do you avoid them?

My two worst noseeum incidents happened when I was asleep in bed.

rdb1204 · Post by **rdb1204** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:05 am

Like a previous poster has stated, some people, for what ever reason, are more affected than others. My wife is a magnet, and me, not so much. What we do every time at our villa stays is day two we do our shopping for the week to provision and we purchase bug bombs. We will set them off and stay out at the pool for about at least five hours as recommended. This wipes out any foreign critters that you do not want inside. This works great and lasts for almost the full week at the villa. My wife does not get bit at all at the villa. When she is happy, I'm happy. That makes for a great vacation.

dreamshark · Post by **dreamshark** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 4:29 pm

Wow, I had no idea! The only time my husband or I have been bothered by noseeums was at Francis beach just before dusk. Never inside. I didn't know they could go through screens. Are they are year-round problem, or (like the mosquitoes) just after a rain?

I did some googling and learned that the itchy bites are like mosquito bites - actually an allergic response to either the insects themselves or to the plant material they were feeding on prior to biting you. So maybe all of us are being bitten by them all the time, but only some unlucky folks have enough of a skin reaction to even notice. Cortisone cream would probably help. Maybe even taking an antihistamine if you have especially bad reactions (like the poster who mentioned itchy welts lasting for days). I found one online post by someone who found that rubbing baby oil on her skin seemed to either stop them from biting or stopped her skin from reacting (unclear which was happening). Might be worth trying - harmless at worst.

Also, you can buy noseeum-grade screening. So it is possible to noseeum proof a house or villa if you care enough to change the screens, or add a layer of new screening. Not sure if that is practical for the traveler. Maybe if you are super-sensitive to the little monsters it might be worth temporarily taping up some noseeum screen in the bedroom?

P-600 · Post by **P-600** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:53 pm

Just wanted to chime in and say that since living here I realized that no see ums do come in through the screens at night, especially when the lights are on inside the house, if we shut the lights off and watch tv we are fine. There is a company that sells no see um screen with a tight enough mesh to keep them out. I agree with the other posters that some people are more prone to no see um bites than others. My sons legs were a mess for the first couple of months we were here but have since stopped biting him. My husband and I were fine.

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:38 pm

RDB1204 - I've never bombed a place before. Does it smell when you go back in? Does the smell blow away if you point a fan toward a door?

And I'm going to look into no-see-um netting/screening. Itch. Itch. Scratch. Itch. Scratch.....

rdb1204 · Post by **rdb1204** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:30 pm

Once you return after the required amount of time it is like you never used it and you never left. Nothing additional to do except for throwing away the cannister......done.

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