INSECT PROTECTION
An extremely important topic in all northern countries !
© Copyright by Ch. Breier
The plague of the north!
© Copyright by Ch. Breier
Summertime is mosquito time in the north !
© Copyright by Ch. Breier
Just the buzzing of a mosquito drives many people crazy, including me!
Only the females sting !
Our blood contains a nutrient that pregnant females need for the production of their eggs. Only they suck the blood, the males are satisfied to sip only flower nectar or fruit juice.
Mosquitoes reproduce rapidly!
A single female can lay up to one million eggs per year. These hatch out of the larvae after about three weeks. Since mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant waters and wetlands, many areas in Alaska and the Yukon are ideal breeding grounds for them.
© Copyright by Ch. Breier
What helps?
Essential oils such as lemon, bergamot, lavender or anise have some effect, but only very weakly and not particularly long. Eating a lot of garlic doesn't help either, I've already tested that myself.
Mosquito repellent in the form of lotions or sprays is extremely effective.
The active ingredients DEET or Icaridin are usually used for this purpose. However, you should pay attention to numerous possible side effects when using DEET. Both products are not waterproof. I don't take any more products with DEET, because the stuff even destroys plastic...
Mosquitoes orient themselves mainly by means of a highly developed sense of smell. Over kilometres they find their way to people. It is said that sweet blood attracts mosquitoes, but that is absolute nonsense! Sweet blood doesn't exist. But people who drink a lot of sugary drinks like cola and lemonades, for example, are really bitten more often
Even blood with a high cholesterol content is smelled by biting insects and attracts them irresistibly. These two scents signal the mosquitoes: Here fat and sugar, a strength food waits for you!
So mosquitoes are attracted primarily by the smell of a human being. Sweat and other body odors simply attract the nuisances irresistibly, so when travelling in the wilderness, or when playing sports, they are guaranteed to find us ALWAYS.....
It is also said that the light attracts the mosquitoes, that is neither right nor absolutely wrong!
Unfortunately, we humans are mostly where there is light. Mosquitoes are active at night and therefore you have to protect yourself from the pests in the evenings and at night. In the north in the summer, however, generally the whole day over, because high up in the North in the summer it does not get dark...
Dark clothing attracts mosquitoes unfortunately, much trekking clothing is dark, so that one does not see the dirt so fast...
Mosquitoes love dark clothes and bite through. Only with Fjällräven G-1000 clothing they haven't bite me yet!
Attention with clothes with Stretch inserts, there the trunks come through! If you wear light and wide clothes you are much less at risk.
The vasodilatory effect of the mosquito saliva causes the slight swelling and itching.
Mosquito bites are usually harmless if you are not in the tropics. But even this changes slowly with the global warming!
After an insect bite, every skin reacts with swelling, redness and itching. As a rule, the symptoms disappear after a few hours and the insect bite is forgotten.
If, however, you experience sudden symptoms such as headaches, nausea, breathing or circulatory problems after the sting, you should immediately consult a doctor or allergist if there is one nearby ...
So if you do get stung:
First, cool the spot! Cooling is the be-all and end-all, so that the swelling after an insect bite is reduced as quickly as possible.
If the sting does not stop itching, a cooling gel from the pharmacy will help. Arnica tincture or tea tree oil also have a decongestant and analgesic effect! A small drop quickly relieves itching or burning spots.
An old household remedy is the onion:
Onions have a disinfecting and cooling effect. Simply press half an onion onto the puncture site.
Lemon household remedy:
However, lemon juice is only effective if it is applied directly after the puncture. In addition to the destructive poisoning effect of the acid, the lemon slice also has a cooling effect.
Scratching is off limits!
The scratching of the puncture site favours skin irritations and infections. If the sting is scratched and not cleaned properly, there is an additional risk of bacterial infection. If a severe swelling persists, a doctor should be consulted to rule out a bacterial infection.
But the BEST is not to be stung at all ....
What do I use myself !
Whether it's skin protection with mosquito repellents or weapon care, I've been relying on Ballistol /Klever products for years! As with all other products, the company Klever does not deliver half things.
Stichfrei from Ballistol
provides the skin with moisture protects against mosquitoes, horse flies, ticks, flies and grass mites protects for up to 8 hours contains sun protection active UV-B filter has a very refreshing effect, reduces the cooling of muscles during sports and is dermatologically compatible with
" very good rating " !
Tropics & Alaska suitable
II absolutely don't like mosquitoes, gnats, NoSeeUms etc. and I usually get stung a lot!
I have already used Stichfrei on some of my expeditions.
At first sight it hardly differs from other mosquito sprays.
It is slightly oily when sprayed on. This makes it easy to spread without drawing in directly on the spot.
The smell is lemony and really very fresh and pleasant!
After a few minutes, sprayed on the skin, you don't notice anything of the spray. Only that it feels somehow better nourished.
The mosquitoes have made a big bow around me. I applied it stitch-free for months !
The result was obvious, with Stichfrei the mosquitoes were still there and buzzing around me, but they don't bite me anymore!
Without applying Stichfrei I was stung again immediately!
In any case, Stichfrei convinced me more than anything.
In the future there will be no more question for me which mosquito repellent is best for Canada & Alaska.
Stichfrei by Ballistol is definitely the BEST insect repellent for trips to the north !
All fellow travellers who tried it were thrilled, because they were no longer pricked, as long as they have not forgotten to spray themselves with Stichfrei, I think that speaks for itself....
But if you really want to sleep in peace, you need a really good tent or hammock with fine mesh mosquito or even better NoSeeUm net !
Thank God I didn't have any problems with ticks in the Yukon and Alaska, but Ballistol also helps against them !
Continue with:
Only those who risk going too far, will discover how far they can go!
Expedition in the USA, Alaska & Canada, Scandinavia with folding boat, motorboat, catamaran, motorcycle, off-road vehicle, bicycle ...
