how many mozzie bites to get immunity?

[troypiggo (Troy)]

How many mozzie bites do you reckon you need to become immune to them? I don't care what number you throw at me, I reckon I got them all last night.

They were sneaky little stealth mozzies, too. Couldn't hear them buzzing around my hands. My fingers were bitten so much I could hardly turn knobs on the scope and type on the keyboard.



And how many thousands of millions of times have I told you... I don't exaggerate...

[Fossil (Jonathan)]

I have found that using a radio jammer prevents mozzie bites here in sunny Murrumbateman.

The bludgers around here are so big that, when I don't have the radio jammer on, you can here them asking the control tower for permission to land.

I saw my cattle dog 'flying' across the backyard once and realised that a mozzie had him. I had to bludgeon the mozzie with a baseball bat before it would let him go.

With the radio jammer on they can't get the required permission to land and they go elsewhere.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

How many mozzie bites do you reckon you need to become immune to them? I don't care what number you throw at me, I reckon I got them all last night.

They were sneaky little stealth mozzies, too. Couldn't hear them buzzing around my hands. My fingers were bitten so much I could hardly turn knobs on the scope and type on the keyboard.

And how many thousands of millions of times have I told you... I don't exaggerate...

Have your heard of roll-on insect repellent? Even your optical surfaces have no objection to that. There is always one in my laptop bag.

Of course you don't exaggerate Troy. The other 4e9 residents of planet earth all agree with me on that.

[Fossil (Jonathan)]

I find that insect repellent just annoys them and makes them angry.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Haha. Yeah, the insect repellent doesn't even slow them down with me. I've seen them use it as mouth-wash after they've bitten me.

Fair dinkum, I can be at a BBQ with 20 people and if there's 20 mozzies in the room, every one of the buggers will go me and noone else notices but wonders why Troy is scratching like an alien is about to break out of his skin.

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

How many mozzie bites do you reckon you need to become immune to them?

You are going to hate me.... I don't get bitten by mozzies! Everyone around me gets murdered, but they can't handle my blood so they leave me alone.

Better half says they hit more caffine than blood and it blows their brains before they get a chance to do any damage...

[rider]

Troy, I think you are using the wrong scale.
Over on the Bayside of Brisbane we use "litres of blood per minute" to determine mossie population.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Rom - I think I do hate you, in a nice way of course. I drink waaaay too much coffee too, doesn't seem to help me. Unless the effect of the beer cancels out the coffee...

Rider - my wife reckons I need to check myself into Wesley Hospital to get a blood transfusion. I came to bed last night and she said "Good-night Casper" I was so white and anaemic.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

I came to bed last night and she said "Good-night Casper" I was so white and anaemic.

Ouch! Sounds like you got bitten one too many times and you're developing some kind of allergic reaction. The more you get bitten the worse it gets. Gotta be careful. Roll-on aeroguard is the best for the dusk period. That's when they're at their worst then it dies down.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

I may have been exaggerating a little there. But thanks for your concern

[gary]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

How many mozzie bites do you reckon you need to become immune to them? I don't care what number you throw at me, I reckon I got them all last night.

Hi Troy,

They certainly can be a nuisance. I see that your location says "Brisbane" so
you might want to take steps to avoid getting bitten at all.

In recent weeks the health authorities have noted a mosquito infestation there
and are on the lookout for dengue fever spreading that far south. Apparently
in 1905 an epidemic hit 75% of the Brisbane population, so it is technically
possible to reach there.

Consider a repellent with DEET such as RID or Tropical Strength Aeroguard
(the normal one won't cut it). Watch this stuff on your plastic and rubber bits
and pieces though, it can eat into it. So wipe your hands before picking up
cameras or eyepieces or before typing on a keyboard.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Thanks mate. I'd heard that "Easy Off" one is best around our gear, bit more friendly for lenses/rubber or something? I ran out, hence the post, although they do seem to enjoy the challenge of chewing me through the repellents.

[casstony]

Apart from tropical infectious diseases spreading southward, Ross River Virus and Barmah Forest Virus exist across most of Australia.(not sure about Tas.). There are typically ~6500 notifications per year for the two diseases combined. Symptoms include joint pain/fatigue of varying severity, but can be disabling in some individuals.

[Screwdriverone (Chris)]

Hi Troy,

I have often found the reverse, there are HEAPS of people getting bitten by Mozzies and they leave me alone.

I read somewhere that they "navigate" to their prey by the amount of CO2 the animal is emitting similar to the way leeches can detect the heat of a warm blooded animal (e.g. us).

I have no way of knowing how much CO2 I am emitting (no, I dont mean CH4 which is methane from the other end) from your skin and breath, but I assume its a LOT less for me than the others like my wife and kids as they seem to get swarmed and I am fine, kicking back, not getting bitten?

I think the repellents mask the co2 or taste yuck when they do land and bite you, but I am puzzled as to why I am spared more often than bitten. Could be diet? Could be skin type, dunno.

Food (pun) for thought...

Cheers

Chris

[pvelez (Pete)]

Originally Posted by Fossil

I have found that using a radio jammer prevents mozzie bites here in sunny Murrumbateman.

In the immortal words of Mdme Hanson - Please explain?

Pete

[TrevorW]

Try Vitamin B tablets

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Originally Posted by TrevorW

Try Vitamin B tablets

I tried that, but the mozzies wouldn't eat them.

[gary]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

Thanks mate. I'd heard that "Easy Off" one is best around our gear, bit more friendly for lenses/rubber or something? I ran out, hence the post, although they do seem to enjoy the challenge of chewing me through the repellents.

Hi Troy,

Who has considerable professional expertise and advice with regard mosquito
control is our very own forum regular Scott (aka Wavelandscott) and possibly
he might see this thread and provide additional advice on current best practice.

The company Scott works for produces a sizable percentage of the world's
mosquito control larvacides and also developed, manufacture and distribute those
marvelous permethrin impregnated washable mosquito nets that have been
deployed in parts of the third world in their millions. One can only speculate
as to how many lives they have probably saved by now.

Certainly when I visit parts of the world where there is a risk of malarial
or other mosquito borne infection, I always pack a roll-on repellent with
N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (aka DEET). Unfortunately DEET has the side
effect of eroding some plastics.

A cold shower before going out for the night and the wearing of light colored clothing
can often provide additional help at keeping mosquitoes at bay.

As Chris mentioned, some people seem luckier than others.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by Screwdriverone

I read somewhere that they "navigate" to their prey by the amount of CO2 the animal is emitting similar to the way leeches can detect the heat of a warm blooded animal (e.g. us).

That's it. I'm definitely getting off the Heinz Beans now! Oh. no wait. That's methane. All good then

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Thanks for the detailed reply, mate. TBH, I think the reason they're attracted to me is sweat. My body has a temperature control issue and I run a little hot all the time and do sweat more than most.

Originally Posted by gary

Hi Troy,

Who has considerable professional expertise and advice with regard mosquito
control is our very own forum regular Scott (aka Wavelandscott) and possibly
he might see this thread and provide additional advice on current best practice.

The company Scott works for produces a sizable percentage of the world's
mosquito control larvacides and also developed, manufacture and distribute those
marvelous permethrin impregnated washable mosquito nets that have been
deployed in parts of the third world in their millions. One can only speculate
as to how many lives they have probably saved by now.

Certainly when I visit parts of the world where there is a risk of malarial
or other mosquito borne infection, I always pack a roll-on repellent with
N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (aka DEET). Unfortunately DEET has the side
effect of eroding some plastics.

A cold shower before going out for the night and the wearing of light colored clothing
can often provide additional help at keeping mosquitoes at bay.

As Chris mentioned, some people seem luckier than others.