Smurfing mosquitos!

[Etherealicer]

Couple of weeks back I had 16 bites on my left foot... 

Anyway here is an interesting video
Nathan Myhrvold vs. Malaria

It's all interesting, but they bring out the laser at about 9:40 and at around 14:10 you see those smurfstards getting shot

[Grant Lamontagne]

I remember reading an article may years ago that suggested that very fair skinned people are less attractive to midges, though it didn't go so far as to say why that might be. 

I'm lucky enough that I really don't seem to get bitten very often at all, but when I do I react strongly.

So do I... loudly, violently and with many words you wouldn't want your children to hear....

Def

[Crow]

Been painting my garage for three days now. Ther is much mosquitos around me, and stinging. No itchy bumbs so far. Only bumb that i got, when i found out there was a wasp hive behind one board. Man those things were pissed off when i poisoned their nest. I had to jump down from a ladder and run. Now that sting hurted.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Always hit wasps after dark when they are asleep and slow to react.

There are really good sprays that you can use.   It's basically a poison foam.  You stick the tube up into the nest and fill it with goo before they can come after you.

Def

[dks]

My technique is to always have a really pale person, preferably female, next to me, so they attract/distract all the mosquitoes..
 
Having a lot of body hair also seems to help, as they need to get through the forest of hair to get to the skin - try wearing a fur coat 


Some people get bitten a lot (the sweet ones) , but I am usually lucky not to be one of them   

[AlephZero]

For wasps I always go for Raid Super, pretty much drops em down in a second, generous spray in the hive would pretty much deal with all them buggers at once...

[Megan]

If only Grant would listen to me about the mosquitoes.


My formula:
Cover entire body in Watkins Insect Repellent Lotion: http://www.mec.ca/product/5014-875/watkins-insect-repellent-lotion-240-ml/
Spray ankles (and other prone areas) with Ben's: http://www.mec.ca/product/5002-013/bens-30-wilderness-insect-repellent-pump-spray-37ml/

This combination works far better than Deep Woods Off. It has about the same amount of DEET. Plus the Watkins has some other components that makes it so much better.

[16VGTIDave]

I'd also suggest Permethrin, it's a synthetic chemical that you apply to your clothes.  Its been used in the military of both US and British troops.

I recently got back from a week long motorcycle camping trip. All my shirts, pants, hat, shoes, sleeping bag and hammock w/ bug net were treated with Sawyers permethrin spray. There were lots of insects flying around, but none were near me. This was most noticeable when in the hammock. Before the treatment, the bugs would be all over the outside of the bug net. To the point of waking me with their buzzing. Not this time!

When we went for a hike around a stagnant lake, I found I had to apply a small amount of Citronella based repellant to bare skin. That is all. It was a Deet free week for me, and that is a good thing in my opinion.

Dave

[Syncop8r]

Eat a bunch of wild leeks (wild garlic, ramps) and then work up a little sweat. That will help to keep them away.

That also keeps cheerleaders away

A swarm of cheerleaders?

Where do I sign up?

Actually the correct word for a group of cheerleaders is "gaggle" and not swarm

I think the cheerleaders would disagree and say "squad." But gaggle is more to my liking

I would prefer a bosom of cheerleaders.

[Wilfried]

Just use plain white vinegar.

It will work as a repellent and also to substantially relieve the itching after you've been bitten.

I've been using it for many years already and it always works.

 

[shark_za]

Depending where I am camping mosquitos are either just a nuisance or a life threatening problem.
Malaria is very real high up on the east coast and in Mozambique where I go diving and fishing.

Southern Mozambique and SA are generally ok,  you would need bad luck to get it but it is there. Higher north it's just a matter of time.

Long sleeves, long pants, Deet spray (just local Tabard brand works) at night, zap the tent an hour before you go sleep and I'm usually fine.

Sleeping outside in a hammock = trip to the hospital is imminent.

[comis]

I was fortunate enough to visit Yellowstone and few other national parks in US a few months ago.  While taking a lot of sunrise and sunset pictures, I did learn thing or two about mosquitoes:

1) They like black color.  I worn a long sleeve black jacket during most of the shoot and usually lay down my black camera backpack during shoot.  There were consistently two swamps of mosquitoes circling me and my pack, and my relatives whom worn blue and pink were totally fine.

2) Knowing we would be swamped, I brought along an electronic mosquitoes-killing racket.  Yes, it did work and I must have killed dozens at a time, but their supply is endless.  It gotten so bad that if my cousin just randomly hit me with the racket, he could kill three in a roll(no kidding!)

3) Wear hat net and heavy jacket.  During sunrise shoot, the temperature could go pretty low and wearing a medium weight down jacket kills two birds in one stone.