Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with mosquito

Are spiders crawling on my sleeping face?

Morrigan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:31:58 -0800

Periodically (maybe a couple or few times a year), I wake up with something on my face that seems like a bug bite. Nothing dramatic; it itches a bit, raises a small welt and then heals. My family called these "spider bites." Is that what they are? My home (mid-Atlantic US) has no obvious evidence of spiders living inside. Do mosquito bites present differently on the face? These are not as itchy as mosquito bites usually are and I haven't noticed it happening more in summer. It doesn't resemble a blemish, either; its center seems to have bite-like qualities and it is often in non-blemish-prone areas like my cheeks. Googling "spider bites" is an unhelpful horror show.

How can I deal with rampant indoor mosquitos?

GilloD — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:51:12 -0800

How can I rid myself of indoor mosquitos? My wife and I live in a small South Korean apartment that faces the street. Right now we can't open our windows- We'll spend the rest of the night swatting mosquitos and scratching bug bites. Even with the windows closed they keep finding a way in and making my sleep miserable. To make matters worse, my bug bites BLOW UP. I've tried snuggling under the covers and jacking the AC, but then they just nibble on my face. Right now I look a bit like I lost a fight.

So, question: What can I do INDOORS to rid myself of/deter mosquitos? I have no idea how they're getting in. I sealed every crack and loose panel I could find and we haven't cracked a window in weeks. I'm a little weirded by DEET and definitley don't want to spray it around indoors. What're my other options?

Bonus Q: What's the life cycle of a mosquito? It's starting to cool down a bit, when is it safe to open the windows again?

I'm some bug's moveable feast

egeanin — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:07:50 -0800

What the heck kind of bug has been biting me?? Sometime in the last 24 hours I've discovered about 12 bug bites (a bunch on my lower legs, three in my groin area, one on my back, a few on my knees) that are itchy as all hell!

The not knowing what caused it is far worse even than the itchiness, so if you could hear out the details and suggest real possibilities for what kind of bug feasted on me, I'd appreciate it. Especially if you have anecdotal experience that matches mine.

1. None of the bites are in a straight line, but some of them are in clusters. I've seen no signs of fleas.
2. I have THOROUGHLY checked my bed for bedbugs, there's no sign of them either on mattress or any linens
3. I have no pets
4. I just moved into an apt with hardwood floors that is very clean, no spiders or dust. All the furniture is clean and in good shape, i.e. we didn't pick up anything off a curb. We did all the moving ourselves, used no hired trucks that could have brought in bugs.
5. It's true I was wearing shorts yesterday, but how would the bugs get up to my groin area?? And the small of my back was covered by a shirt all day. Except--
6. I got a massage at a place I often go, and first noticed the itching sensation about 2 hours later. But I checked online reviews of the place and no one has complained of any bug bites following a massage there. However I did have scented oil on my body for several hours following it, which could have led to attracting bug bites.
7. I did spend some time outside in shorts, but not in high grasses or anything. I didn't sit down in grass or anything, just walked around the neighborhood.
8. My boyfriend has not had any bites, and he shares the apartment with me
9. The bites don't hurt, but they are dime-sized and itchy. I tend to be sensitive to bites.
10. I live in an area that doesn't have a bad mosquito problem, and certainly haven't noticed any flying around.

So was it a spider that roamed all over me while I was outside? Was it some sort of infestation at the Massage place? Are there some sorts of mites or midges that can get under my shorts during the day if they smell scented oil? I don't know how else to check for Bedbugs except the constant looking around the mattress seams, but there's been nothing suspicious there whatsoever.

Thank you for your help!

Please advise! I'm going nuts trying to figure it out. Thanks!

Mosquito borne blood infection

singingfish — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:55:12 -0800

What do you think the probability of catching a blood borne disease would be from swatting a mosquito filled with fresh human blood of unknown origin? Another way of stating the same question: Would the risk associated with driving to the pathology centre to get tests exceed the risk of infection?

Mosquito screening in Tuscany

feelinggood — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:33:15 -0800

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.

Getting rid of mosquito bit scars

mooza — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:10:07 -0800

Is there any remedy out there that will make welts/scars from mosquito bites heal faster? I get bitten A LOT. I know scratching means the bites take longer to heal, and I'm usually pretty good about not doing it, but when I get heaps of them at once, often I scratch without realising it. As a result I have several purplish welts, some have been around for months. Is there anything out there that will help these things fade?

Girl Seeks Traveling Companions

liverbisque — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:18:40 -0800

Best clothing for traveling in South East Asia in April and May? For five weeks in April and May, I am planning on backpacking through Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. I will likely be more often in urban areas, though I'd like to be prepared for anything.

I have read enough SEA threads on askme to know that I should be able to get cheap clothing while traveling, but I'd like to not head off with an empty pack. I am planning on ordering a much-hyped macabi skirt. I also just ordered some lightweight nylon pants, a long sleeved shirt and a bandana from the Buzz Off brand.

I am particularly concerned with mosquito bite prevention, as I have proven very susceptible on at least three continents. April/May is during the hot season in SEA, apparently, which means there shouldn't be as many mosquitoes out as in the rainy season... right? Should I be sporting long sleeved, light-colored shirts every day, or would that just be more necessary around dawn/dusk? I am planning on permethrin spray-coating everything I am taking with me, unless advice here suggests otherwise. Also, would it be wise to invest in a mosquito net? I will probably be sleeping in hostels and couchsurfing.

And for footwear: it seems a lot of people in other threads talked about flip flops and Tevas. It sounds like I could get flip flops cheaply in country, but I feel like I should have something else for any possible hiking, or for just walking around all day. After backpacking in Europe I feel it'd be insane to go without a good pair of walking shoes, but it's likely I don't know what I'm talking about.

I want to stay cool, be culturally respectful and as unbugbitten as possible! Lend any and all suggestions and recommendations, and feel free to detail your wardrobe choices on past excursions to the area. Thanks!

Help me kill my pet mosquitos, please.

echo0720 — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:51:05 -0800

How do I get rid of or repel mosquitos from my apartment? I have a couple of pet mosquitos. I'm not sure how many, but I always see at least one in my bathroom and I know they are around elsewhere b/c I itch a lot. (sidebar: I get a little freaked out about where the mosquito plans to bite me when I'm in the bathroom. I've been fortunate so far in that mosquitos tend to like my feet - why is that, by the way? Is the blood in my feet more accessible than the blood somewhere else?).

I have no idea where these mosquitos are coming from. I haven't had the windows open in a couple of weeks, and my door opens to a hallway, not the outside. I thought maybe it was the fireplace, but the flu (no idea how to spell that) is closed, and wouldn't that prevent anything from getting in?

I would really like to find a way to either kill these bugs or keep them away without spraying myself with OFF every couple of hours. And ouch, the itching hurts. Any suggestions?

How to prevent mosquitos from breeding in my rainwater barrel

darsh — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:08:35 -0800

We have a rainwater barrel in the back yard, for the purpose of collecting water to then water the plants with. This has worked well through the summer, but we're now finding that the mosquito population on our deck has exploded. How do I prevent the larvae from growing in our barrel, or otherwise kill them before they bite me? Whatever way we treat the water has to be safe for plants and pets - I dont want to end up poisoning the neighbours dog, or indeed the tomato plants that the rainwater is intended for.

I did read previous threads about mosquito control, and am thinking about trying the suggestions in this one, but was wondering whether the mosquito dunks will keep the water safe for watering plants? What other non-chemical ways are there to solve this?

Mosquitos suck

Blazecock Pileon — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 12:03:27 -0800

Mysterious mosquito attacks within a small living space... We seem to get bitten once every other night, and can kill a mosquito or two once a night. Itching and scratching are getting tedious.

The thing is, we have a really small apartment where it seems impossible to have open, stagnant sources of water. We do, however, have vents in the bathroom, living room and bedroom where we have seen mosquitoes.

• Is it possible for central air vents (running cool air) to contain pockets of water (condensation) to allow mosquitoes to breed?

• How can I phrase my help request with the landlord, in such a way that the problem can be fixed? Taking apart the vents is probably not workable, I assume.

• Failing that, is there a way to kill these pests without chemically treating the apartment?

Help my mom fight off the mosquitos with a pleasant smell.

Mavri — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:10:53 -0800

Can anyone recommend a non-chemical lotion mosquito repellent? My mom likes to garden in the muggy Texas heat. She loved Off Botanicals because it didn't smell like nasty chemicals and was a lotion. And it worked. Off no longer makes it. Can anyone recommend a replacement? Bonus if it would be available in a small town.

Natural Mosquito Control?

Ufez Jones — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:43:47 -0800

Is there anything I can spray under my patio and around the backyard that will keep the mosquitos away without poisoning the well (or my dog)? Yes, it's skeeter season already in Texas and just like last year, it appears the little buggers are reproducing under our deck again (they're very heavy there, not so much in the rest of the yard, and our yard slopes such that water runoff tends to pool up there when we water or when it rains). I'd really like to get rid of them if I can, but I don't want to be using something that is bad for the water supply/local eco-system. I'd also really like to avoid poisoning my dog (yes she's on heartworm preventative...don't worry).

Something liquid is ideal, since in order to get it underneath the deck, we'd basically have to pour it on top (bear in mind that ruining the stain would be a major bummer). I don't mind something that I'd have to do once a week or sporadically throughout the Summer.

Why am I unattractive to local mosquitos?

beniamino — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 21:46:38 -0800

Why don't Bay Area mosquitos bite me? Last year, in Desolation Wilderness (CA), the air was thick with mosquitos, and I was bitten liberally and painfully. This year, in my apartment in the Bay Area, the air is again thick with mosquitos and I am without noticeable bites. Why? Is the Bay Area home to many mosquitos that don't bite humans?

Am I personally disgusting to local mosquitos?

Have I become desensitized to the particular flavour of poison that local mosquitos use?

Is there some spraying programme that means they grow up unable to bite?

Or have they just not reached the point in their life cycle where they suck me dry?

Can I develop immunity to mosquito bites?

paul_smatatoes — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 14:53:00 -0800

Can you build immunity to mosquito bites? My theory is, if I let mosquitos bite me (ie, use no repellant, don't kill them) early in mosquito season and don't scratch, I develop an immunity which seems to last most of the summer. So far, it seems to work, but someone's finally called me on it. Am I making it up, or is there any kind of evidence for this?

Wheeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnn! For the love of God, help me sleep through the night.

donpedro — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:42:15 -0800

Bloody mosquitoes, trying to suck my blood, why won't you just let me get a good night's sleep? So here's the thing: The more the weather warms up, the more I wake up in the middle of the night with burning red bumps on my hands, arms, feet, and it takes a while to fall back asleep. Even when the nasty little fuckers don't bite me, sometimes I'll be awakened at 4 in the a.m. by that awful wheeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnn noise in my ear. I've started sleeping as much under the comfortor as possible, with only my eyes and mouth exposed, but too often I get hot (sleep hot, you know?) and kick off the covers. Please, somebody, help me get a good night's sleep. It's only going to get worse in the next couple of months. Here's what you need to know:

1) I find it almost impossible to sleep without a window open, so shutting them out isn't a good option. (It's a fresh, cool air thing, ya dig?)
2) I'm not sure a mosquito net will be a good option, as I have very high ceilings and a chandelier directly where a net would have to hang.
3) The people I'm subletting from left behind something made by Raid, a clear bottle of liquid that screws into an electrical device that one then plugs into a power outlet. Not sure what the stuff is, but the idea of airborne poison as I'm sleeping kind of freaks me out. Does the stuff work, and is it safe?

More details, to help you help me: I'm living in Mexico City, moved here about 5 months ago. Altitude is about 7,400 feet, so I'm not in the tropics. Hottest season is apparently around late April to mid-June; then the rainy season begins, when apparently I can expect daily thunderstorms and downpours until, say, August. My apartment is three floors up, with French doors in the bedroom opening onto a small balcony. There are no nearby parks or ponds, but I do have some potted plants on the terrace. Could they be breeding grounds for the skeeters, and should I get rid of them?

Does the Thermacell mosquito repellent product really work?

gfroese — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 11:50:15 -0800

Recently purchased a mosquito repellent device from Thermacell and am wondering if anyone else has used a similar device, and how effective they really are. I searched the web for reviews and the ones I came up with all seemed to be worded a little too similarily to not raise some flags about them coming from the manufacturer. It is not cheap to buy refills for these devices, and living in the Canadian prairies there are a lot more mosquitos than hours in a refill cartridge.

I'm a little leary to open the package and get stuck in the endless loop of refills if this product turns out to be a bust.

If you have any other suggestions you have found to be effective I'd like to hear those as well.

Itchy itchy itchy

WCityMike — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 10:50:34 -0800

How can you tell the difference between mosquito bites and flea bites? (Does one heal quicker than the other?) I have been rather thoroughly bitten by some sort of insects ... more so than I ever have in the past.

(I never see them, nor do I really ever feel the sensation of being bitten. I do, however, sleep without a shirt, and, during the last few hot evenings in Chicago, I slept without a covering sheet on me.)

I think that these are mosquitoes -- but I wonder if they might be fleas, since I have a cat. However, he does not show any signs of scratching (and is an indoor cat), which makes me think that fleas are unlikely.

I'm suspicious only because I seem to have been more vehemently attacked (in number and in coverage) by the little buggers (of whatever species) than I have in the past, and I wonder if such more widespread behavior might indicate flea origin and not mosquito origin.

What's the best way to soothe mosquito bites?

kathryn — Thu, 02 Jun 2005 09:00:41 -0800

It's that time again: summer, and the bugs are out in full-force. Common insect bites and stings, while not life-threatening, can be irritating and uncomfortable. And scratching often leads to infection. What's the best way to soothe mosquito bites? After a Memorial Day in the park, I came home with some bites on my hands and fingers. I've tried Maximum Cortizone 10 (Hydrocortisone), Calamine Lotion, Aveeno Anti-Itch Lotion (Calamine, Pramoxine HCl, and Camphor), and Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Cream (Diphenhydramine HCl, Zinc Acetate).

I'm also currently taking Claritin for seasonal allergies which should help. And doing cold compresses when I can. But the itching is still driving me insane!

When I was overseas, I was given topical sulfadiazine. The sulfadiazine helps bring the swelling down, but it's not available OTC in the US so it's not a good long-term solution because I get bitten quite often.

What works for repelling mosquitos?

sirion — Sat, 16 Apr 2005 00:08:08 -0800

What works for repelling mosquitos, indoors and outdoors? I'm going to spend this summer in Vermont, where the mosquitos aren't full of deadly diseases, but extremely annoying and numerous nonetheless. What options have people tried with some degree of success? Various:
I'm aware of DEET, and used it to decent effect last summer. However, I'm a little uncomfortable spraying it all over myself when I go to sleep at night. I imagine DEET isn't particularly good for you, particularly sleeping in it (Granted, I can't recall why I have this belief, but I have a feeling I read it somewhere). Also, for hiking trips in the area, even tons of DEET wasn't effective. There were simply *so* many mosquitos, that the only pseudo-effective tactic was running erratically and brushing every body part with ones hands as quickly as possible (looking awfully silly in the process)

Any of those sound-producing devices work? Something like the wing-beating of a female dragonfly or something?