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Herb or plant that repels flies?
Does anyone know of a herb or plant that can be rubbed onto the skin
that repels biting flies? I swatted four horse flies yesterday while working in the garden. Luckily they seem fairly slow and clumsy and are generally easy to swat before they take a bite. However, I still managed to get a bite on my leg. I dislike having to wear jeans in the garden on hot days rather than shorts just because of the biting insects. The wife has a terrible reaction when bit - the last bite made her whole forearm swell up and go red, it was touch and go whether she needed anti-biotics, but on this occasion the swelling went down after a few days. On other occasions she hasn't been so lucky. Anyone recommend any leaves that can be rubbed on the skin that really work as a fly deterrent? It doesn't matter if they smell horrible because it is only for use at home in the garden. If such a plant exists it will be well worth buying and growing. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#2
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
On Jun 29, 11:00*am, David in Normandy
wrote: Does anyone know of a herb or plant that can be rubbed onto the skin that repels biting flies? I swatted four horse flies yesterday while working in the garden. Luckily they seem fairly slow and clumsy and are generally easy to swat before they take a bite. However, I still managed to get a bite on my leg. I dislike having to wear jeans in the garden ......... Generally speaking, David, I think that naked gardening is to be discouraged, but what you guys do in France........ |
#3
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
In article ,
David in Normandy wrote: The wife has a terrible reaction when bit - the last bite made her whole forearm swell up and go red, it was touch and go whether she needed anti-biotics, but on this occasion the swelling went down after a few days. On other occasions she hasn't been so lucky. Antibiotics for histamine reactions are a SERIOUSLY bad idea. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#4
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
In message , David in Normandy
writes Does anyone know of a herb or plant that can be rubbed onto the skin that repels biting flies? I swatted four horse flies yesterday while working in the garden. Luckily they seem fairly slow and clumsy and are generally easy to swat before they take a bite. However, I still managed to get a bite on my leg. I dislike having to wear jeans in the garden on hot days rather than shorts just because of the biting insects. The wife has a terrible reaction when bit - the last bite made her whole forearm swell up and go red, it was touch and go whether she needed anti-biotics, but on this occasion the swelling went down after a few days. Not anti-histamines? or corticosterioids? On other occasions she hasn't been so lucky. Anyone recommend any leaves that can be rubbed on the skin that really work as a fly deterrent? It doesn't matter if they smell horrible because it is only for use at home in the garden. If such a plant exists it will be well worth buying and growing. Bog myrtle (Myrica gale) is rumoured to repel midges. -- Stewart Robert Hinsley |
#5
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
Stewart Robert Hinsley writes
Bog myrtle (Myrica gale) is rumoured to repel midges. Scotland is full of bog myrtle ;-) Seriously, I haven't found it to be particularly effective, but in the absence of anything else, it's worth trying. -- Kay |
#6
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
"David in Normandy" wrote in message ... Does anyone know of a herb or plant that can be rubbed onto the skin that repels biting flies? I swatted four horse flies yesterday while working in the garden. Luckily they seem fairly slow and clumsy and are generally easy to swat before they take a bite. However, I still managed to get a bite on my leg. I dislike having to wear jeans in the garden on hot days rather than shorts just because of the biting insects. The wife has a terrible reaction when bit - the last bite made her whole forearm swell up and go red, it was touch and go whether she needed anti-biotics, but on this occasion the swelling went down after a few days. On other occasions she hasn't been so lucky. Anyone recommend any leaves that can be rubbed on the skin that really work as a fly deterrent? It doesn't matter if they smell horrible because it is only for use at home in the garden. If such a plant exists it will be well worth buying and growing. Well, pyrethoids originate from pyrethrums. Being similar to your wife in the sense that if I get a bite I suffer a bad allergic reaction and have to be careful not to get a bite infected, may I suggest that unless either of you has some medical reason why you both shouldn't be around it, that you apply an insect repellent containing DEET. It is very, very effective, especially the high concentration stuff. But it is also an effective solvent and can dissolve parts of some plastics, rayon, synthetic fabrics, leather, paint or varnish, so you wouldn't want to be spilling any on your best french polished table top... It is, however, my magic bullet for getting through the summer without being bitten to shreds.. |
#7
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
Martin wrote:
OTOH horse flies can transmit nasty bugs. She had a horse fly bite on her leg once which needed antibiotics. As you say they can transmit some nasty bacterial infections. Normally I don't get a reaction to such bites, just a raised bump which is itchy for a day or so. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#8
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
"wafflycat" wrote in message ... Well, pyrethoids originate from pyrethrums. Being similar to your wife in the sense that if I get a bite I suffer a bad allergic reaction and have to be careful not to get a bite infected, may I suggest that unless either of you has some medical reason why you both shouldn't be around it, that you apply an insect repellent containing DEET. It is very, very effective, especially the high concentration stuff. But it is also an effective solvent and can dissolve parts of some plastics, rayon, synthetic fabrics, leather, paint or varnish, so you wouldn't want to be spilling any on your best french polished table top... It is, however, my magic bullet for getting through the summer without being bitten to shreds.. Forgot to mention good old citronella oil candles - smell nice - mildly effective against midges. I find that having a few citronella candles burning (in suitably safe holders and in a suitably safe position) in a bedroom before sleeping is effective at removing small flying biting things from the area. |
#9
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
Not anti-histamines? or corticosterioids? On this last occasion she used some anti-histamine cream and her reaction disappeared after several days. Her whole forearm was eventually red and swollen before it started to go down. Bog myrtle (Myrica gale) is rumoured to repel midges. Sounds worth further investigation. Thanks. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#10
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
moghouse wrote:
Generally speaking, David, I think that naked gardening is to be discouraged, but what you guys do in France........ If only the garden was near St Tropez. :-) I never quite know what to do with my eyes on French beaches, many of the women sunbathe topless. Well, actually I do know where to look, it is just a question of for how long without inviting a slap from spouse or anyone else. ;-) I wouldn't fancy naked gardening. Too large a surface area to defend from insects ;-) -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#11
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
Martin wrote:
If there was such a plant instead of growing it and beating ones skin with the leaves, they would extract or synthesise the active ingredient and call it DEET. Now about these ticks ... Deet eh? Worth an enquiry at the pharmacy; though in France it is possibly called something else. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#12
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
wafflycat wrote:
Well, pyrethoids originate from pyrethrums. Being similar to your wife in the sense that if I get a bite I suffer a bad allergic reaction and have to be careful not to get a bite infected, may I suggest that unless either of you has some medical reason why you both shouldn't be around it, that you apply an insect repellent containing DEET. It is very, very effective, especially the high concentration stuff. But it is also an effective solvent and can dissolve parts of some plastics, rayon, synthetic fabrics, leather, paint or varnish, so you wouldn't want to be spilling any on your best french polished table top... It is, however, my magic bullet for getting through the summer without being bitten to shreds.. Deet sounds like the bees knees so to speak. It will be fun asking for deet at the pharmacy here in France. If I ask if they have deet; it will likely cause confusion as deet (pronounced deet) means "has spoken". So it would be like going into a chemist in England and asking the pharmcist if they have spoken. Oh the joys of communicating in bad French. -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#13
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lusername/ http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/ "wafflycat" wrote in message ... "wafflycat" wrote in message ... Well, pyrethoids originate from pyrethrums. Being similar to your wife in the sense that if I get a bite I suffer a bad allergic reaction and have to be careful not to get a bite infected, may I suggest that unless either of you has some medical reason why you both shouldn't be around it, that you apply an insect repellent containing DEET. It is very, very effective, especially the high concentration stuff. But it is also an effective solvent and can dissolve parts of some plastics, rayon, synthetic fabrics, leather, paint or varnish, so you wouldn't want to be spilling any on your best french polished table top... It is, however, my magic bullet for getting through the summer without being bitten to shreds.. Forgot to mention good old citronella oil candles - smell nice - mildly effective against midges. I find that having a few citronella candles burning (in suitably safe holders and in a suitably safe position) in a bedroom before sleeping is effective at removing small flying biting things from the area. You could have a look at Neem tree products, I believe they're supposed to be quite effective, probably doesn't have the same effectiveness as DEET. I don't know about growing it though in your garden though :-) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem Bit more info here http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/397...uito-repellent HTH Tim |
#14
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
"David in Normandy" wrote in message ... wafflycat wrote: Well, pyrethoids originate from pyrethrums. Being similar to your wife in the sense that if I get a bite I suffer a bad allergic reaction and have to be careful not to get a bite infected, may I suggest that unless either of you has some medical reason why you both shouldn't be around it, that you apply an insect repellent containing DEET. It is very, very effective, especially the high concentration stuff. But it is also an effective solvent and can dissolve parts of some plastics, rayon, synthetic fabrics, leather, paint or varnish, so you wouldn't want to be spilling any on your best french polished table top... It is, however, my magic bullet for getting through the summer without being bitten to shreds.. Deet sounds like the bees knees so to speak. It will be fun asking for deet at the pharmacy here in France. If I ask if they have deet; it will likely cause confusion as deet (pronounced deet) means "has spoken". So it would be like going into a chemist in England and asking the pharmcist if they have spoken. Oh the joys of communicating in bad French. Pour vous.. http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/N,N-di%...9thylbenzamide http://www.pharmacorama.com/ezine/lupourvous41.php http://www.webmarchand.com/a/liste_p...te_produit.htm |
#15
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Herb or plant that repels flies?
David in Normandy wrote:
Does anyone know of a herb or plant that can be rubbed onto the skin that repels biting flies? I swatted four horse flies yesterday while working in the garden. Luckily they seem fairly slow and clumsy and are generally easy to swat before they take a bite. However, I still managed to get a bite on my leg. I dislike having to wear jeans in the garden on hot days rather than shorts just because of the biting insects. The horse flies are intolerable this year, not quite sure why. Maybe the unseasonable heat, I always thought they liked standing water and there isn't much of that around. Ground is bone dry, actually. I don't know if DEET is authorized in France, but it is the best available, normally. If you get some, let me know what it's called. I have some 23% from the US, which I sprayed liberally before going out to mulch a field (sadly not enough farmers left here to want the extra hay, and its very good this year), the horse flies stayed off for a couple of minutes then were as thick as ever. They pretty much ignored the DEET, and I don't know anything better. Wormwood is meant to repel flies, but as mine is currently covered with blackfly I shan't be performing the experiment. -E P.S. David, saw your thunderstorm the other day, impressive. Whole sky was lit up, the power cutting in and out with the strikes. But we hardly got a drop of rain from it, all went north your way. |
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