I just spent an hour or so spraying all my clothes with Permethrin in anticipation of my July 4 departure for Zambia.

This is a ritual I go through before every trip. My forearms look like Popeye's.

Anyone else do this? Is it worth it? Does this stuff really work? I haven't contracted any mosquito or tick borne disease yet, so I guess I'll keep doing it. . . .

Yeah. I usually take a small amount of concentrate and a spray bottle to mix up in camp, too, then leave it at camp.

Hi BuffNut, I used Duranon a couple months ago in South Africa, the ticks were really, really bad and I had no problems at all. I sprayed my boots and pant legs every morning before we started the day. The active ingredient in Duranon is permethrin. I can't say you won't have problems but I will say it can't hurt! Have a great trip. Joe

BuffNut,

I've used it quite a bit to prep uniforms for Southeast Asia. It seemed to work well.

I have used it and have had no ticks so I am guessing that it worked.

Leave a shirt out flat on the ground someplace, bugs that walk across it usually die.

BigB

I used it in Zimbabwe a couple of years ago. I did the same as Steve, I took some concentrate with me and sprayed boots and pants every couple of days. I also sprayed them a couple of times before I left to go over as well since it's supposed to last several washings.

I used it in Zambia as well. Worked great for both ticks and mosquitoes. I did the spraying back home and then folded each pair of pants/shirt and put them in a large ziplocks for travel. Kept the poison at full strength and helped keep my luggage organized as well. You can take some extra to freshen your clothes there.

If you want to have some fun take some and spray it on the dashboard of the hunting vehicle. Tsetses land on it in preparation for an assault on you and after a few second just keel over.

quote:

Originally posted by G L Krause:
I used it in Zambia as well. Worked great for both ticks and mosquitoes. I did the spraying back home and then folded each pair of pants/shirt and put them in a large ziplocks for travel. Kept the poison at full strength and helped keep my luggage organized as well.

I did the same thing for my trip last week to Zim.

Gotta admit guys, I have not heard of this stuff. Where can I get some??

I ordered the pump spray thru Amazon.com. Sawyers is the brand I have.

Thanks Ed! I just found it at REI too, and I have one about 3/4 mile from my house.

I use it on my spring bear hunts in Montana when the ticks are everywhere. Works like a charm!

Took a pint of the 10% with me to Namibia last year. Sprayed my boots and pants. We also sprayed the horses to kill those armored horseflies. Get it at most feed stores.

I bought it at Dick's Sporting Goods

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
I bought it at Dick's Sporting Goods

Great! Have one of them close to here as well.

Here's another tip: Many flea and tick pet sprays contain permethrin (or the similar resmethrin, allethrin, pyrethrin, etc). I have found these sprays work just as well as the brand-name Permanone. I've even sprayed bare areas of my skin as well with no problem, but you're on your own here as it's only label-cleared for use on dogs. Most vet clinics and pet stores will have a 16 or 32 oz spray bottle pretty cheap.

I have used the horse, cattle and pet labeled permethrin on myself for years as do most of the vets i know.

SSR

I bought a case of it some years ago. I spray all clothing, including hats, prior to departure. I never transport it as it will last through the safari (don't want it bursting or leaking in luggage) and does not require refreshment through multiple washings.

And it does work.

I use a combination of DEET on myself and permethrin on my shoes, pants legs, and gaiters to ward off ticks and chiggers.

I have found sprays containing permethrin or pyrethrin at convenience stores and farm supply stores in South Africa. Check the pet supply area.

Guys,

Permethrin is some good stuff but take care not to get too much of it on you. Permethrin is one of the pyrethrins and while it has a low toxicity to humans, its still something you don't want to bath in.

While I do treat all my outdoor clothing with Permanone, I also treat my house with permethrin to keep the bugs out. That ought to tell you something about how potent this stuff is.

quote:

Originally posted by BuffNut:
Anyone else do this? Is it worth it? Does this stuff really work? I haven't contracted any mosquito or tick borne disease yet, so I guess I'll keep doing it. . . .

I use it and it works great. Many bugs will die after landing on treated clothing or netting. Tsetses are tough enough that they will fly away seemingly unharmed, but they will not bite you through treated clothing.

I am always glad I use Permethrin when the Tsetses start dive bombing the land cruiser and everyone is slapping them and howling as they get bit in tender places.

Just curious how long the shelf life is. I bougtht some a couple of years ago that I still have but I'm tempted to buy some fresh for my upcoming trip to Zambia.
Thanks

You can find at dog and kennel stores. I buy it in unscented version and its much cheaper than the people spray. Same stuff read the label.
It will sure make scorpians run out of a thatch roof.

I buy it at the local Farmers Coop. The only thing I've found that works on the damn stink bugs!

L David Keith, who is on AR and is an outfitter recommended something before my last buffalo hunt and it worked really good. He posts here on Ar and he told me where to get it on the internet and the stuff worked great,, I leave in 3 weeks and I have everything laid out from socks pants shirts etc to get a treatment before I hit africa in less than a month.

Great stuff and I have used it for years with great results however instructions on my can says do not put on skin!
I have used it in Africa and we use it at the ranch all the time for chiggers!
Hang your clothing outside and spray all sides until clothing is slightly damp. Let dry and pack. You are good to go.

It works good but as stated you can only treat clothing with it.

For exposed skin I really like Bullfrog Mosquito Coast combination sunscreen and repellant. It does not sweat off and keeps you from getting sunburned. I use it at home all the time. I gave a PH friend of mine some and he used it in Mozambique. He reported it worked excellently.

The scabicide cream used on children and adults is 5% permethrin, and is usually used all over the body and left on overnight. Getting some of the 5% spray on skin is unlikely to cause any problem.

As for Tsetse's, I do the permathone aka permethrin on clothes and around tent at zippers.. This really worked for the tsetses

http://shop.avon.com/shop/prod...ept_id=0&pf_id=31314

This spray and the toweletts worked all day. Had to reapply once or twice only. skin so soft with picirdin bug repellant


Mike

Permethrin based sprays work and I would recommend them to everyone.

I do a lot of crop damage hunting on Maryland's Eastern Shore and we hunt during the summer. The farms we hunt on are near swamps and creeks, there is a huge problem with insects. (Chiggers, mosquitoes, ticks, deer flies, etc) It is bad. :-/ We use Repel's Clothing & Gear spray, which has permethrin in it, on our clothing and boots. We use DEET based bug spray on our skin and we also use Thermacells when we are stationary, but these only keep the flying insects away. Permethrin sprays, not only keep the flying insects from biting through our clothing, but they are the only thing we have found that really keeps the chiggers and ticks away. When I use it on my clothes, I have no ticks or chigger bites. When I don't, I get bit.

As Retreever says, works great on tsetses as well. They'll land on you, but will only bite where the treated clothing ends.

Thanks for this thread. I never thought of spraying clothes in advance.

In Capstick's Safari, as I recall, he recommended taking a heavy metal (not plastic) fly swatter. Safari had just been published and it seemed like a good thought, so I took two.

As soon as I got to the Kafue, both were appropriated by the wives of the PHs. They went maniacal swatting tsetses and both swatters were completely destroyed within two days. As I recall, it did relatively little harm to the tsetses.

As we used to say at Monsanto, "Without chemicals, life itself would be impossible." <g>

As already mentioned it is superior for safari clothing. I also spray my window screens and the post I hang my hummingbird feeder on. Buh-bye to biting bugs and ants!

I got some yesterday, and will be using it next week in Mozambique. Thanks all for the tip!

Aaron - This stuff really does work and good luck and stay safe on your Moz adventure.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
I got some yesterday, and will be using it next week in Mozambique. Thanks all for the tip!

Sure NOW I find out about this stuff.

Only really got into a bunch of ticks two 0f teh 14 days but WOW do they bite and itch. Been home 9 days and they still itch.

Definatly going into the duffle next trip.

Buy plenty - it doesn't go as far as you might think. AIU

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Aaron - This stuff really does work and good luck and stay safe on your Moz adventure.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
I got some yesterday, and will be using it next week in Mozambique. Thanks all for the tip!

Thanks Larry!

AIU - I bought two bottles?

OK, help me out here. I just ordered some and will use it to try to keep the ticks off. I live out in the country in Georgia, on a piece of property covered with pines, and the ticks are terrible.

I know you are only supposed to use it on clothes, not skin, but can you use it on close-fittng garments, like socks, or underwear? Ticks seems to like the waistband of my underwear and my hind end, as well as around my lower legs.

How's the best way to treat one's clothes, and how do you keep from getting in trouble with it? Is it not toxic to humans after it dries?

It's not toxic once it dries. I simple hang my clothes outside and spray them good until they are damp and then let them dry. Close fitting clothes should be no problem and I've done socks many times. As far as underwear goes there shouldn't be any need. If your pants and shirt are sprayed they will never get that far, even on loose fitting clothes.