Thanks Bryn for your mosquito and hematology lesson! Where you are at seems to have a preponderance of these creatures and the net seems a good strategy. Are there any fragrances they don't like? My wife seems to have undue favor with her blood type, as well. And she would appreciate the embroidery work!
You’re welcome, and thanks for reading! I’ve heard some say citronella candles/coils work (so lemony smelling?) but they persist right through to me regardless 😅
Absolutely fascinating, Bryn - I learned so much! I'm sorry to hear that you're a martyr to mosquitoes and their bitey buddies. We both got horribly bitten by midges a couple of summers ago when we camped too close to a river (no alternative: the campsite's location beside the river meant we had no option - LOL!). I don't think in general I get bitten any more than the general population, though, so I'm pretty grateful for that.
I had no idea that blood vials are filled in a particular order - that's really interesting. I'll pay particular attention next time I go and see the vampires!
They're those pesky little tiny, tiny, tiny fly-y things that you can barely see... but you know when they've bitten you! The bites aren't anything like those from a full-on, fully-loaded four-engined mozzie, though....!
The headpiece looks very effective, but I note that Rebecca mentions midges in the comments. The net, I'm afraid is porous to those little things.
I used to trek through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and cross the Canadian border in the lakes and portages. The mosquitos in that region are humongous. Minnesota's mock state bird is the mosquito, by the way, though the buggers are rivaled in size to their cousins in south Florida's Everglades. Get too many of them on you and they'll fly off with you!
I grew up in central Minnesota in a rural outskirt of a small town. In my early teens,I started going up to the BWCA with a group, and continued doing that for years. At that time, the BWCA was relatively sparsely visited, because it was very basic and forbade motorized boats. Canoes only, and navigation through the area was via loosely associated lakes. Many, many "portages" between the waters. We'd check in with Canadian customs on Lake Saganaga ("Sag") and otherwise just paddle through the border at will. Some of the most beautiful portages were also the most challenging. On Rose Lake, the portage went up steeply, and I recall it being a last portage of the day, so the sunset illumined the rock faces on the lake. The grueling portages were long. (They're measured in "rods" which is a canoe length, thereabouts.)
I'd usually go in June, but the mosquitoes were out in abundance. I can recall standing in the smoke of campfires to get some relief. I don't know whether it worked. Could be the stick of smoke combined with sweaty teenage odor helped. Or hurt.
We'd always stop at the Dairy Queen in Grand Marais, Minnesota, after trekking out. Smelly kids lined up at the counter, all wanting the luxury of a cold ice cream cone. Then, a sauna to peel off the grime that night.
Today, the BWCA requires a permit so that the throngs of canoers don't get too thick. I think I went at the good time in the history of the place.
That sounds incredible, honestly. Not the mosquitoes, but everything else - even the sweat and smoke, and of course the ice cream at the end of a hot day. Customs used to be so much more chill, almost EU like, back in the day.
Thanks Bryn for your mosquito and hematology lesson! Where you are at seems to have a preponderance of these creatures and the net seems a good strategy. Are there any fragrances they don't like? My wife seems to have undue favor with her blood type, as well. And she would appreciate the embroidery work!
You’re welcome, and thanks for reading! I’ve heard some say citronella candles/coils work (so lemony smelling?) but they persist right through to me regardless 😅
I know; what can you do?! 🙄
Hi Bryn! You may be interested in this research at Nutritionfacts.org: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/natural-alternatives-to-deet-mosquito-repellent/
Thank you, James! I will try anything!!
Absolutely fascinating, Bryn - I learned so much! I'm sorry to hear that you're a martyr to mosquitoes and their bitey buddies. We both got horribly bitten by midges a couple of summers ago when we camped too close to a river (no alternative: the campsite's location beside the river meant we had no option - LOL!). I don't think in general I get bitten any more than the general population, though, so I'm pretty grateful for that.
I had no idea that blood vials are filled in a particular order - that's really interesting. I'll pay particular attention next time I go and see the vampires!
Thanks Rebecca! 😊 I’ve heard of midges but I don’t know that I’ve encountered them...so I have that going in my favour 😅
They're those pesky little tiny, tiny, tiny fly-y things that you can barely see... but you know when they've bitten you! The bites aren't anything like those from a full-on, fully-loaded four-engined mozzie, though....!
Ugh. Midges. I think an alternate term is "no-see-ems," which is quite descriptive. Nasty little things.
'No-see-ems' - that's a brilliant term, Mark!!!
The headpiece looks very effective, but I note that Rebecca mentions midges in the comments. The net, I'm afraid is porous to those little things.
I used to trek through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and cross the Canadian border in the lakes and portages. The mosquitos in that region are humongous. Minnesota's mock state bird is the mosquito, by the way, though the buggers are rivaled in size to their cousins in south Florida's Everglades. Get too many of them on you and they'll fly off with you!
I looked up that area but I can see why it would be infested with them! Looks beautiful, though. How did you stumble upon that area?
I grew up in central Minnesota in a rural outskirt of a small town. In my early teens,I started going up to the BWCA with a group, and continued doing that for years. At that time, the BWCA was relatively sparsely visited, because it was very basic and forbade motorized boats. Canoes only, and navigation through the area was via loosely associated lakes. Many, many "portages" between the waters. We'd check in with Canadian customs on Lake Saganaga ("Sag") and otherwise just paddle through the border at will. Some of the most beautiful portages were also the most challenging. On Rose Lake, the portage went up steeply, and I recall it being a last portage of the day, so the sunset illumined the rock faces on the lake. The grueling portages were long. (They're measured in "rods" which is a canoe length, thereabouts.)
I'd usually go in June, but the mosquitoes were out in abundance. I can recall standing in the smoke of campfires to get some relief. I don't know whether it worked. Could be the stick of smoke combined with sweaty teenage odor helped. Or hurt.
We'd always stop at the Dairy Queen in Grand Marais, Minnesota, after trekking out. Smelly kids lined up at the counter, all wanting the luxury of a cold ice cream cone. Then, a sauna to peel off the grime that night.
Today, the BWCA requires a permit so that the throngs of canoers don't get too thick. I think I went at the good time in the history of the place.
That sounds incredible, honestly. Not the mosquitoes, but everything else - even the sweat and smoke, and of course the ice cream at the end of a hot day. Customs used to be so much more chill, almost EU like, back in the day.