Left to Right:

Muskol, 100% Deet (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide 95%, other isomers 5%)

2 fluid ounce tube made by 3M for the US Military (N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide 31.58%, other isomers 1.75%, Inert Ingredients [carrier cream] 66.67%)

Identical product in consumer packaging



Deet is mildly neurotoxic. It will make your lips go numb if some runs off your face onto them. That is why the labels caution against using 100% Deet on kids. 100% Deet also runs off pretty quickly with perspiration. The 3M research showed that the 33% product is equally effective to the 100% formulation, and it lasts for 6-8 hours.



The real downside to Deet is that is dissolves polymer fishing lines and leaders. I don't know if it will migrate into and dissolve breast implants, but you shouldn't take any chances with your trophy companions.



JCN

Another great product is permethrin based products. While you are not supposed to put it on your skin(although it supposedly will not be absorbed by your skin), it works well as a deterent on your clothes for ticks, and biting flies. I watched insects land, start to crawl up and then fall over dead. It lasts for several weeks and will make it through at least one washing according to my reading. I haven't tried it outside of Michigan, but it seems to work here. It's dries odorless and doesn't stain even a white shirts. Repel and a few others others make it. You can even spray tents and other gear to keep out ants etc. The big things is that it is safe for kids. It may not be the be all end all like deet, but it's safer. I hate ticks and this seemed to be a great way to deter them. I did a search and it came up on the CDC as an option. There were several other articles by pharmicists and others.

Permethrin kills ticks, chiggers, fleas, roaches (don't use around Ass Clown), ants, and even termites (DRG uses it as a daily scalp tonic for that reason).



Skin so soft is basically mineral oil with, I believe, some camphor products in it. I'll do a literature search and post the results this evening.



Here on my land lord's horse ranch we sometimes rub Skin So Soft into their hides during the height of the fly season. The flies don't land, mainly because Skin So Soft smells like my dead aunt Mae did three days after a mediocre embalming job.



Here's a little comparison taste test courtesy of the CDC. This specifically addresses mosquitoes. I'll post some more info on specific fly repellents later today:



DEET Still Tops at Beating Mosquitoes



July is typically the month in which biting insects like mosquitoes become a problem for those of us who enjoy spending time outdoors. Once mosquitoes begin to hatch and breed, events such as lakefront festivals, outdoor picnics and church fairs can become a mosquito free-for-all at the expense of you and your exposed flesh.



In addition to the annoying itch that comes with mosquito bites, these days we also wonder if we should start worrying about mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus. Arriving in North America in the summer of 1999, West Nile Virus has claimed the lives of 18 people on the East Coast, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that up to 2,000 people were infected in the year 2000. It has since been detected in dead birds in many states.



So what do you do about those pesky mosquitoes? Browsing the aisles of your grocery or drugstore, you can find a confusing array of products designed to keep bugs away from you and your family, but how can you tell what works and what doesn�t? Which one lasts the longest? Which is safe for children? And are the so-called �natural� products any better for you than synthetic ones?



According to Gary Barnas, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, once you know your products the choice is fairly simple. �You should be looking for the best insect repellant for the money," he says, "the one with the longest duration.�



The New England Journal of Medicine (Vol. 347, No. 1, July 4, 2002) has published the results of a laboratory study conducted on insect repellants. The results, while not surprising, give consumers a definitive answer as to the effectiveness of the various products available. The study showed that products containing N,N-diethyl-3-methyl-benzamide � known to most of us as DEET � were most effective in repelling insects for long periods of time



Concerns about the safety of DEET have been widespread in recent years, but documented side effects from DEET have occurred infrequently, and only developed after extreme overuse. Users should always apply only the amount specified on the product�s package. Says Dr. Barnas, �There won�t be any side effects if the product is used prudently.� Infectious disease specialists also point out the fact that the advantages of insect repellants, especially in areas where mosquitoes may spread dangerous illnesses, far outweigh the disadvantages.



It is important to note that this study was conducted in a laboratory and not in the outdoors. This means that a product that failed in the lab would certainly be a failure in the field. But a product that did well under ideal lab conditions may or may not fare as well in the field, where different kinds of mosquitoes could be present, and conditions such as environment and climate can alter results. Also, the amount of DEET in the products tested varied. On the low end was OFF! Skintastic for Kids, which contains 4.75% DEET. On the high end was OFF! Deep Woods, with 23.8% DEET. Coincidentally, both products are made by SC Johnson right here in Wisconsin.



The list below shows the products tested, along with their active ingredients and the average amount of time that each product repelled mosquitoes.



OFF! Deep Woods (DEET 23.8%) - 301.5 min.

Sawyer Controlled Release (DEET 20%) - 234.4 min.

OFF! Skintastic (DEET 6.65%) - 112.4 min.

Bite Blocker for Kids (Soybean Oil 2%) - 94.6 min.

OFF! Skintastic for Kids (DEET 4.75%) - 88.4 min.

Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard Plus (IR3535 7.5%) - 22.9 min.<

Natrapel (Citronella 10%) - 19.7 min.

Herbal Armor (Citronella 12%; peppermint oil 2.5%; other ingredients <2%) - 18.9 min.

Green Ban for People (Citronella 10%; peppermint oil 2%) - 14.0 min.

Buzz Away (Citronella 5%) - 13.5 min.

Skin-So-Soft Bath Oil (Uncertain) - 9.6 min.

Skin-So-Soft Moisturizing Suncare (Citronella 0.05%) - 2.8 min.

Gone Original Wristband (DEET 9.5%) - 0.3 min.

Repello Wristband (DEET 9.5%) - 0.2 min.

Gone Plus Repelling Wristband (Citronella 25%) - 0.2 min.

In addition to mosquito repellant, it makes sense to take other precautions against insect bites � cover as much skin as possible with loose, light-colored clothing and a hat. Remove any standing water (the ideal breeding place for mosquitoes) from yards, campsites and other outdoor areas as soon as possible. If you will be exposed to mosquitoes for long periods of time, consider adding using mosquito netting to your defensive lineup. Some of the nets are even available pre-treated with repellant. At home, be sure your window and door screens are tight and free of holes.



By following these common-sense guidelines and using the appropriate product for your location and activity, you�ll be able to enjoy your outdoor summer activities with fewer worries. One final tip: watch for mosquitoes landing on you, but not biting - this is a sign that your repellant is beginning to wear off. Remember to use all insect repellant products as directed, and enjoy the great outdoors this summer!



This article includes information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



JCN

Hey prof 242,
Were the caribou still in velvet?
JCN

Just got back today from my caribou hunt on the Quebec tundra. Tried Sawyers, Deep Woods, Ultrathion, etc, etc. The flies were terrible. Nothing worked perfectly, but the products with 29% or more DEET worked the best. Permethrin works great on the clothes. You can buy it cheaply at any farm and ranch feed store. CAUTION: You must dilute it to the same solution %age as the Wal-Mart brands. Works out to a tenth of the cost.

Sorry about the extreme close up, but now you can read the ingredients from the label.

On the left is a black fly repelent. Our friends from the great white north probably hate those little bastards, eh. This elixer is produced by LJB Laboratories, Inc., 1001 East Case Street, St. Johns, MI 48879

Someone might want to try it out on mopane flies, eh.



On the right is a $3.00 USD can of Permethrin for spraying on clothes. I'll let you in on a little secret. Your wanker won't fall off if you get a little over spray on your skin. We in the (admittedly crude) medical business have people rub 5% Permethrin on their scalp for head lice, and on their short hairs for another type of lice.



The orange bottle at lower left is a relic bottle of 100% Deet bought at LL Bean before they totally became a discount store for preppies on the weekend.



Do not discount the value of a mesh bug shirt and pants. They have kept me from going out of my mind in a few Alaskan fishing camps



What do I do for bug repellency?

If ticks are a possiblity, I spray the crap out of my clothes with Permethrin. I have a little cloth bag that I'll put the next day's sprayed clothes in at night to get it really worked into the fibers.



If mosquitoes are on the menu, I get a big ass can of spray on Deet, or some tubes of the milspec cream, and put it on from head to toe. Avoid the forehead - it will run into your eyes. Wear a hat.



If biting flies are about, either Skin So Soft, or my Black Fly Repellent.



I am admittedly paranoid, but I have treated people with malaria, lyme disease, mosquitoe borne encephalitis (that is how West Nile is classified, BTW), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and staphylococcal skin infections after bug bites.



JCN



PS If you are using Deet, don't wear a watch with a rubber, or synthetic band, or a platic face plate. Don't wear eye glasses with plastic lenses. Rinse your hands before tying flies on the fishing line.

Raw garlic (lots) for ticks, Gin & Tonic, AKA malaria juice (lots) for Anopholes mosquitoes does it for me!

I cannot argue with your methods. The only downside to the Gin and Tonic that I can see is that it often leads to waking up in strange places next to strange persons. Tequila prevents pain or death from scorpion bites, but the next morning you might wish that it had been fatal.

Avon Skirts Regulation with Bath Oil Bug Dope

by Don Jordan





SILVER GATE, Mont.--

It's that buggy time of year, and if you don't like insect repellents laced with potent chemicals, new research indicates you might want to go outside and roll around in your flower beds.



The potent chemical called "DEET" (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) dominates today's repellent market, but a university scientist has discovered that a compound produced in some flowers is as effective as DEET in the field. The compound is coumarin, and it is what makes Avon's Skin-So-Soft bath oil a bug battler.



Avon's product has long been recognized as a good insect repellent, but the company has never marketed it as an insect repellent and claims it has never investigated why the product wards off insects, says a report in Science News.



William S. Bowers of the University of Arizona has discovered four compounds in Skin-So-Soft that repel mosquitoes. The strongest one, coumarin, is said to smell "like new mown hay" and is widely used in perfumes.



Coumarin (and many other insect repelling compounds) is present in hundreds of plants, including Ageratum, a flowering plant commonly used in flower beds.



Bowers applies coumarin instead of DEET when he heads into bug country but doesn't destroy his flower garden to get the stuff. There isn't enough coumarin in the flower to ward off many insects, he says. He buys "pure" coumarin from a science supply company, because ageratum contains some other, more toxic components that he would rather avoid.



Coumarin itself can be hazardous. The Food and Drug Administration bans coumarin in food, because tests showed it causes liver damage if eaten. Not many people drink their Skin-So-Soft, and the consuming public has simply assumed Avon's bath oil\bug dope is a more bio-friendly product than DEET.



That conclusion may or may not be true, but common sense argues that a chemical like DEET that melts plastic, removes paint and causes health problems for some users is at least as dangerous as bath oil. However, DEET has been tested and approved as an insect repellent while coumarin has not.



"Manufacturers have shown little interest in any new repellents because of the high cost of getting them to market. They ignore even synthetic chemicals that rebuff mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects better than DEET," reports Donald Barnard of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Center in Gainesville, Fla.



These are the reasons Avon has never called its product a repellent, says insect repellent manufacturer Tender Corp.



"Avon's Skin-So-Soft does not market itself as an insect repellent, although it knowingly allows the product to be sold for that purpose. By marketing their product only as a bath oil, Avon avoids the (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) registration process entirely and thus doesn't have to prove product effectiveness or safety to the EPA or to list the ingredients in its formula," said a Tender Corp. spokesman.



DEET dominates because it has been tested and approved by the FDA, and it works. We buy an estimated $100 million worth of DEET products every year.



Citronella is the only compound besides DEET registered for human use as an insect repellent. Citronella is a plant derivative (the citronella plant) that is widely used in patio candles. It is also found in soaps and is even used as a food flavoring. As you might suspect, however, citronella is a less potent insect repellent than DEET and coumarin, and it does not repel ticks and chiggers. It does work against mosquitoes and some flies.



Since children are particularly sensitive to DEET's harmful side, citronella is a good alternative. Or, you might want to try one of the diluted mixtures with 15 percent DEET. The strongest repellents are 100 percent DEET, like "Ben's 100."



Since the risk of contracting Lyme disease or some other debilitating malady is worse than the risk posed by DEET, it is a good idea to stick with it in areas where such diseases are present. Lyme disease is present in most eastern states.



You don't need to bathe in DEET to get the job done. Spray around the elastic bands of your underwear, behind your knees, under your arms and around your wrists and ankles. Tuck pant legs into boots and wear rubber bands around your wrists. Keep your collar buttoned to the top and spray around it too. This method thwarts both ticks and chiggers. Avoid applying DEET directly to your skin if possible.



At night, it is better to use a mosquito net than to keep spraying yourself with DEET. I melted portions of my sleeping bag with DEET doing that one buggy night.



Mosquito nets are 100 percent effective when used the right way. If you're camping in a badly infested area, you will want to spray inside the net with a flying insect spray before entering. Let the net air out first.



Besides that, there's a certain romantic charm associated with mosquito nets. They remind me of the Dragon Lady, Saigon and the bad old days when nobody cared if their insect repellent melted plastic...

Hey Geronomo,
Those little black bastards are the worst thing going in NA. They aren't stupid either. Any insect that hates the smell of Avon SSS has to have something on the ball.
JCN

Over half of the caribou were still in velvet. The ones my small group shot were not. The weather was warmer than normal for the last week of September which is why we had allllll those flies.

Best $5.00 investment you can make Campmor Head Net

Regards,

Terry

Terry,

This one is WAY better:



From Cabela's, it comes with a hat/storage unit.

Yeah John, we surely do hate black flies in the Great Lakes area. When they bite, you feel like you've been jabbed with a pin. Then the bite itches like hell, swells up, and sometimes festers. Damnedest thing is, you can be thirty miles out on Lake Erie, no land in sight, then all of a sudden at three PM you have a boat full of the bastards. I don't know where they come from or why they only seem to bother anyone from late afternoon to sunset. Anyway, us Great Lakes fishermen take unofficial credit for the initial use of Skin So Soft to ward off these pests after observing, back in the late 1980's that some of our female fishing partners were not harassed by these little monsters. Well a few years later AVON got the word, added a sun screen, and well, you know the rest of the story.

Geronimo