Mosquito screening in Tuscany

May 20, 2008 7:33 AM

I need ideas for mounting screening on windows during a 3-week visit to Italy. We're staying in a house in Tuscany for 3 weeks and I understand it's not common to screen windows in Italy, and that there a lot of mosquitoes. My only idea is to bring some window screening with me and to stick it up on the window frames with duct tape.

I'm a little worried that this might strip the paint off the window frames when I take it down, and I'd rather not do that. I'm not worried about diseases, or anything: I just don't like itching and scratching. And wearing insect repellent to bed isn't exactly attractive.

Also - any ideas about how to attach a mosquito net to the ceiling above a bed without causing a permanent mark or damage?

Thanks.

posted by feelinggood to Travel & Transportation around Italy (9 answers total)

In similar situations I've used either drawing pins (on wooden window frames) or blu-tack (on metal, be careful if paint or plaster are involved, and it may unstick itself every few days anyway, but should also work on plastic) instead of duct tape.
posted by Lebannen at 7:56 AM on May 20, 2008

How about a few thumb tacks (tiny holes) to hold the weight of the screen and regular old packing tape (wide masking tape) to create the 'seal' around the window? You can line the screen with duct tape if the masking tape doesn't adhere to the screen itself.
posted by cowbellemoo at 7:56 AM on May 20, 2008

We had portable window screens when I was a kid-- they extended to fit the sides of the window, and then you just dropped the window down on top to hold it in place. Perhaps a few of those?

Also, I think 3M's got removable sticky hooks that don't mar most finishes-- get one of those, stick it above the bed, attach some twine and a big embroidery hoop or other large circular frame, and drape the net from it.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 7:57 AM on May 20, 2008

Tuscany here. Not at all uncommon having screens at the windows, and - surprise! - you'll find screen by the metre in any hardware store. As for mounting, staple the screen on a light wood frame and set it inside the window sill, so you won't need to nail/glue/tape anything.

For the bed screen, if you're somewhere in the countryside, and/or in an older building, most likely there'll be beams on the ceiling, so a screw hook is all you need, and you won't damage anything.

Besides, I 'd just spend a night without anything and see how it goes, because mosquito presence is extremely variable. (and Tuscany ain't the Amazonas anyway!)
posted by _dario at 8:01 AM on May 20, 2008

FWIW, the places I've stayed in Italy don't have drop-down casement windows, so those slidey temporary screens won't work - the windows open from side-to-side and there are louvered shutters. But FWIW I don't remember a problem with mosquitoes in any of the trips I've taken - maybe it depends on the time of year.

I'd bring soft mosquito netting, thumbtacks, duct tape, and masking tape to cover several contingencies. You don't know what kind of window frame you'll encounter.
posted by nkknkk at 8:03 AM on May 20, 2008

I've spent several summers in Tuscany. I think you're appproaching the problem in the wrong way. Most people use plug-in mosquito killers (like this) - you'll probably find they're already in place in your apartment/villa and all you need to do is buy the tablets. I can't recall having seen screens but that's because everyone has shutters. You can keep your windows open but close your shutters.

I've used mosquito nets in the global south, but I really wouldn't bother for this.
posted by boudicca at 8:06 AM on May 20, 2008

Close the shutters at night and spray the repellant over the slats, and use the plugin deals, you should be golden.

Or, you could use my method: leave the windows wide open and enjoy the nightly parade of bats flying in circles around the ceiling, handily removing mosquitos from the air as they go. Tuscany was a lot of fun, but the first day I was there I stood next to a fountain for three minutes in bare feet and ended up with bites on my ankles so bad that I couldn't walk for a day. I still slept with the windows open at night though, and did not wake up in the morning with new bites.
posted by annathea at 10:36 AM on May 20, 2008

You can't win, it's hopeless.
posted by a.mosquito.or.something at 11:01 AM on May 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

When I was living there I did find some sort of temporary soft mesh cloth with an attachment system (sticky-backed velcro? I don't remember) at a local store. Not that it helped, much. (Nor did the little mosquito-killer candles or plug-in things.)

Ah, the choices: close all the windows at dusk, spend an hour killing mosquitos in the room and then attempt to sleep in the 100-degree heat

or

leave the windows open and spend all. frigging. night. swatting at them.

Sorry.
posted by wyzewoman at 6:27 PM on May 21, 2008