blood-sucking FLEAS & MOSQUITOS

Slobgob · Jul 8, 2009

I only know about mosquitoes.

1) Wear pants/long sleeves if you're out-n-about around in the evening

2) DEET on your clothes, but most don't like it on your skin. Vile stuff.

3) Avon Skin-so-soft... ALL OVER. (skin safe) Wife works in a rain-forest, literally, and she swears by it. Maybe lasts a few hours at most, gotta reapply.

4) Maybe watch the perfume/lotion?

5) Garlic. =)

Lisa From Maui · Jul 8, 2009

*smiling ear to ear* Garlic? Does that really work?

*laughing* Heaven forbid... someone's gonna start a new thread,

"How do I get rid of the garlic-smelling woman I work with?"

And someone else will reply,

"Eat lots of onions. The garlic woman will stay away."

*pleasant smile* Slobgob, sincerely... mahalo for the reply. --Lisa ;-)

*laughing again* P.S. Wanna dog? Comes with free flea shampoo!

elkpark · Jul 8, 2009

I swear by BioSpot for my dogs -- years ago, I had a dog with the "flea bite allergy" who suffered terribly eight or nine months of the year; each year, I tried whatever new, Rx, expensive flea treatment was supposed to be the newest, greatest remedy ever, and none of them ever helped. I tried BioSpot (non-Rx, topical application, v. reasonably priced -- esp. if you shop around and buy in bulk) after a pet supply catalog I get recommended it as their first choice (over the more expensive Rx treatments that they also sell -- that impressed me), and I've never looked back. It finally relieved poor Molly's torment, and has worked well for every dog I've had since then. No fleas on the dog, no fleas (not enough to notice, at least) in the house. The BioSpot line also has a home/carpet spray, although I've never used it -- just keeping the dogs treated has worked for me (although I've had awful flea infestations in the house in the past, before I started using BioSpot regularly), and a yard spray for outdoors. It also repels mosquitos.

I hear what you're saying about being out with your friends -- I grew up in FL and my family always marvelled that the four of us could be standing together outdoors, in a fairly close grouping, and Dad and I would be eaten alive by mosquitos while my mother and sister wouldn't get a single bite! I've read since then (but don't know how true it is) that it has to do with blood types, some of which are more appealing to mosquitos than others.

Good luck!

thekid · Jul 15, 2009

Lisa do you live on windward side or near a lot of trees/standing water?

When I lived in Hilo, I was MISERABLE because of the skeets. I burned the coils, doused self in DEET, I did find a 'natural' skin lotion they didn't like but I was so sick of being greased up. Lack of sun and skeets were two main reasons I wanted to come back to Oahu :)

My outdoor cats had fleas, I did not let them in the house. Our female got in once and that's all it took for a swarm of fleas to breed ..it took a lot of flea powder on the carpets and vacuuming and we never did get them all.

my sympathy..hate hate hate skeets..I think I prefer roaches

WindwardOahuRN, RN · Jul 16, 2009

Where do you live??

I have lived here almost ten years. I have dogs (inside dogs ALWAYS). NO fleas. NONE. I use Advantix and Sentinel on my dogs for flea/tick/heartworm control.

I live in Kailua, Oahu. No problem with mosquitos whatsoever. I've had fewer bites in the last ten years than in the last year I lived in NY. I blast out my birdbaths and my bromeliads (plants with cup-like water reservoirs) on a regular basis and make sure there is no standing water anywhere else in my yard.

One last note---mosquitos supposedly are attracted by CO2. LOL---if you are prone to excessive talking just STOP!! ;-D

Lisa From Maui · Jul 16, 2009

Dear Windward: *smiling ear to ear* If you are prone to excessive talking... just stop! *laughing out loud*

Do you have any idea how hard that is? Quick, find me a 12 step meeting! -- Lisa ;-)