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Effective Insect Repellants


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As usual, some of us got off topic a few days ago on this thread:

We got into a discussion about insect repellants, what works in some areas and for some insects, etc.  I have a question and decided to start a new thread, on this specific topic, which will also probably get hijacked.  :laugh:

On 6/30/2020 at 10:18 PM, 2Valen said:

A few years ago I started to do the following:

Mix as mop bucket about 3/4 full of water

Add the correct amount of Permethrin plus another 1/4 of the amount to the water.

Then roll up a pair of pants and shirts and place into the water for a couple of hours.

Remove and wring out into the bucket then add your hats to do the same.

Allow the clothes to drip dry and your done.

This procedure will remain on your clothes for about 2 weeks at at time, or through 2 wash cycles, that was all I tried when I was in the woods.

Worked great keeping the ticks, chiggers, and other bugs off me. I would wear the same clothes for a couple of days to keep from retreating all the time, but the only person around me at the time was myself.

You can always reuse the same water mix if you add a small amount of Permethrin to the added water when it gets a little low.

My specific question to 2Valen is:  what concentration of Permethrin are you using?  I have some spray stuff but it's only 0.5% Permethrin.  I doubt that's what you are dilluting.  Also, you say "add the correct amount...".  Could you be more specific. 

I get eaten alive by chiggers and although spray Deet works OK, they still seem to find a way around that to a limited extent.

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.5% is the correct dosage for clothing. I buy Permethrin concentrate by the gallon, and mix it myself.

Jim

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7 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

My specific question to 2Valen is:  what concentration of Permethrin are you using? 

Sorry for that, as I use between .5% to .75% solution. When I used the .5% it seemed that some chiggers did get past it, and then when using the .75% it completely stop all insects from getting through. I find the higher concentration stays on the clothes a little longer and I have had no problems with it.

I buy the 10% concentrate bottle.

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17 hours ago, Jim in Idaho said:

.5% is the correct dosage for clothing. I buy Permethrin concentrate by the gallon, and mix it myself.

 

16 hours ago, 2Valen said:

I buy the 10% concentrate bottle.

Thanks for your responses.  I've found some 36.8% concentration on Ebay.  Seems the higher concentrations sold are meant for spreading on the ground and structures to drive away insects, and some to put on livestock.  Is this the same stuff that can simply be diluted for use on clothing?  (I do recall someone mentioning natural vs. sythetic versions, implying some kind of difference.)  Here's what appears to be a decent assessment of hazard risk.

Would either one of you mind posting the brand/product name you have used?

 

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I was using Sawyers, but the last gallon I bought was labeled Farm Gard. Cost me $80. For .5% solution, for clothes, you mix it

5 1/2oz/gallon of water. So, that gallon I bought will make about 23 gallons, or $3.50/gallon, or less than a dollar/quart. if you buy the premixed sawyers, at Walmart, it's about $13.00/quart. I think that gallon I bought was around a 10% solution.

Jim

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I always thought chiggers were in water only but now I know they are on land too. I wear a wet suit in the water but I still get some bites on my ankle. I think I'll get neoprene socks.

An ugly bug.

 

Chiggers.jpg

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40 minutes ago, Rick N. MI said:

I always thought chiggers were in water only but now I know they are on land too. I wear a wet suit in the water but I still get some bites on my ankle. I think I'll get neoprene socks.

An ugly bug.

 

 

Actually what you are likely experiencing is called "Swimmer's Itch" caused by cercaria (flat worm larva).  The rash is similar but results from a completely different mechanism than chiggers.  Chiggers don't actually bite but inject an enzyme into the skin to liquify it and then feed on that and the result are the telltale pinprick type red bump rashes.  Flat worm larva detach from snail hosts in 60F degree or higher temp water and them burrow into the skin of their hosts.  They cause irritation similar looking to chigger "bites" but die soon after doing this are relatively harmless because they are not a vector for disease.  Chiggers do not live in the water but they do like to live in waterside plant life. You can read more about swimmer's itch and how it is different than chigger "bites" here.  The other possibility is that you are picking up chiggers as you walk through plants that line the shore of whatever body of water you are working.  Everyone enjoy your lunch now...

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I've been out in swim shorts detecting and when you stir the bottom up digging you get swimmers itch. Also on windy days. I don't hunt in the water in my swim shorts anymore. Thanks for the correction.

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6 minutes ago, Rick N. MI said:

I've been out in swim shorts detecting and when you stir the bottom up digging you get swimmers itch. Also on windy days. I don't hunt in the water in my swim shorts anymore. Thanks for the correction.

Makes sense, the swimmers itch larvae can't swim so they need something like that to stir them up and then allow them to attach onto people.

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