Acid or Alkaline?

[Old Hack]

This reminds me of one night on the Ile de ré last year, when a swarm of biting insects hit us. We just got out the Provencal rosé and hoped we'd be asleep before the bites started hurting.

Next day was interesting though, in 32 degree heat...

[EternalOptimist]

I used to lick them then suck the poison out till the missus introduced me to anti-histamine.
I got one on my elbow right now, a mossie the size of a chicken attacked me on Harris

[mudskipper]

I used to lick them then suck the poison out till the missus introduced me to anti-histamine.
I got one on my elbow right now, a mossie the size of a chicken attacked me on Harris

Yep, elbow ones are the worst. And you can't lick your elbow.

Just had a bath and did a proper tally. 23 frickin bites.

[KentPhilip]

This thread is making me itchy.

a mossie the size of a chicken attacked me on Harris

I suggest that was a haggis, not a mossie..

[gingerjedi]

What about those electronic zapper things? I'm guessing it's the same as the ignition bit from a lighter, no idea if they work??

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MOSQUITO-STI.../dp/B002AXL266

Reviews say they do.

[Bacchus]

I got one on my elbow right now, a mossie the size of a chicken attacked me on Harris

I'm confused, is this on your elbow or your harris? Can you tell them apart?

(c:

[KentPhilip]

I'm confused, is this on your elbow or your harris? Can you tell them apart?

(c:

And is the chicken still stuck up his 'arris?

[mudskipper]

Blimey, there's a turn up.

Was intending to go and give blood this afternoon - just phoned to check that having taken antihistamine wasn't a problem. They're not, but the fact that I have mozzie bites is, and I apparently shouldn't give blood until they're healed. Well who knew that? Fairly certain that's not on the donor form.

[OwlHoot]

I'm an idiot.

I stopped on my cycle home from work to pick up a geocache. It was called 'trick or treat'. Took me a bit of searching about to find the box, then, when I opened it, there were about 20 diddy containers inside, all with a rolled up bit of paper. Tweezers were provided. I extracted about three (all of which said 'trick') before I realised I was being eaten alive by mozzies. Persevered, and extracted all 20 before giving up in disgust. Had a 'duh' moment on the way home when I realised where the likely hiding place for the log book was - not in any of the diddy containers of course.

Anyway - I have counted 17 mozzie bites on arms and legs. Going insane with itching. Googled 'cures' which range from baking soda and ammonia (alkali) to vinegar (acid).

So which is it? How can I stop these bloody things from itching? (I'm two beers into the alcohol remedy, but, apart from brief relief when holding the icy bottle against the bites, it's not really working).

Closing the stable door and all that, but Vitamin B1 (thiamine) repels mozzies. It takes a few days to work through your system to the skin (whose smell attracts the brutes).

Also, as you can't overdose on B1 (*), you can snarf them by the handful a week or two before going on holiday or venturing onto Yateley Heath at this time of year

(*) NOTE: _unlike_ some of the other B vitamins!