Gnat bites

No worse than usual in Scotland. Only have the usual motley collection of bites on each limb.

Ah, but the Scottish variety of midgie is a different kettle of fish, which is why we`ll never go back to Loch Lomond between June and September, I was nearly eaten alive! It almost ruined our holiday that year. And yet, during 3 summertime visits to Kintyre, we`ve had no sight of the little beggars. And I still recommend common or garden vinegar to stop the itching, as long as you don`t mind smelling like a chippy, which doesn`t bother me at all.

Midges only bother me by getting in my hair, ears, eyes, nose...you name it. But bites don't show up on me. The worst were in Torridon, rising out of the heather in clouds after rain.

I think this is a bad year. I'm used to being eaten alive but this year it's happening more often and the bites seem to be bigger and more inflamed. ATM I have 3 on my legs and 2 on my arms.

At this time of the year, I've always got itchy bites/lumps here and there, and although I can never see the culprits, can feel them creeping on me. We have a lot of bushes and trees in the garden, o that's probably where they're lurking, ready to pounce. I bought some Tiger Balm the other day (Boots had it, thankfully) as suggested by Bags, and I must say, it's really helped! Other 'arf was quite interested when he saw the jar, saying that it was banned from the squaddies when he was doing his National Service, as in those days it used to contain a narcotic, and the boys used to put it on the end of their tongues for a 'hit'.....he didn't, of course....

It would be interesting to know why some people are more attractive to biting insects than others or is it that these seemingly impervious people the bites don't come up. Anyone know?

I seem to remember Annobel that you recently came back from holiday and you son had a flea problem in his house.The same thing happened to my daughter when she got home last night and she has had to come and stay with me.She spent ages last night on Mumsnet and it seems to be a very common problem at the moment.Did the 'bombs' he used work?Her cat is the problem and it seems that fleas have become immune to Frontline, the usual cat de -fleaer and the warm, damp weather hasn't helped.

You remembered correctly, Grannylin. I think the 'bombs' worked reasonably well but they also acquired a spray of some kind. In about 4-5 hours they declared the house a vermin-free area. The two cats, when subjected to thorough examination, appeared to have no fleas on them and the carpets and beds upstairs were the infested areas. Downstairs the floors are, fortunately, solid wood without carpets. Fleas have indeed developed an immunity to Frontline.

Thanks anno.Think the problem occurs when you take the cat out of the house.Unfortunately I look after the cat when she goes away and it mixes with my cats who often get fleas but live outside mainly.Its a problem of Town cat and Country cats.Consequently, I am now neurotically searching my house for the blighters but so far no show.Hope that Hoover Globe arrives soon- they might get a very interesting video!

I have dreadful bites all over my legs and up one arm - shouldnt go in the rough looking for DH golf ball i suppose. Trouble is they wont heal up been itching and bleeding for weeks!

Since using skin so soft (GN tip) I haven't had one!
Touches wood quickly

Susiecb, the itching is caused by venom still in your skin. Buy an Aspivenin kit to draw the venom out at the bite site. You probably need some antibiotics from your doc to help clear them up.

Have ordered skin so soft from Amazon. Hope it gets here soon!!

suzieare you sure they're not tick bites and is there any Lyme disease round you?

In reply to the original question, my opinion is that it is a bad year. After spending three evenings on the patio my daughter and I have loads of bites. I don't usually get any when I am in England. I'll try Tiger Balm tomorrow.

Out of interest can anyone tell me if this is true.

I do get bitten by mozzies and not hubby. Someone told me it was because I have ARhd blood group and they can be more yum yum for mozzies?

I struggle with the idea, any clever sticks out there.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I think some brave bug did bite me once in 2007 but that's about it. Could be the blood type possibly, I'm Group B rhesus negative.

I'm O negative but so was my mother and she was a martyr to insect bites.

pogsthey always go for me and and I'm A+ !
Can we have some more results please,
This is interesting!

I think we need to look at the thesis pos and neg aspect as well!
Any statisticians out there to correlate results?

Lots of mosquitoes/gnats around this year probably because they spend the first half of their life as larvae in water. So the more ponds and puddles there are the better they breed. Get rid of any standing water in your garden e.g. buckets with rainwater standing in them. It only takes a cupful and they are away.
These insects are attracted by smell - we all have our unique pongs, partly driven by genes and partly by the biome of friendly bacteria that live on or in our bodies. Biting insects attracted to the smell of humans (or whatever is their meal of choice) so not unreasonable to suspect that some smell more alluring than others. My DH is more attractive to mozzies than i am, but sandflies in NZ (completely different species) love me as much.
Mozzies bite after dark. Hence mosquito nets. Windows closed after dark maybe? and check bedroom for lurkers?
But other things - like horseflies - hunt by day.
It is possible though that the red bites on one person and not on another are because although they have both been bitten one persons immune system is reacting more strongly and producing more histamine than the other one. It is the histamine that makes you itch.
Anthisan antihistamine is the drug of choice in our house.
A couple of times I have been so badly bitten that I could only sleep by taking one of DH's antihistamine hayfever pills, which damped them down successfully.

That should read rhesus pos and neg. iPad doesn't seem need to know about monkeys

I am O rhesus neg and mozzies love me and I come out in big red angry bumps, but thinking about it if I get a wasp sting the area of the sting is red and very swollen and I have to take anti histamines.

My midge bites (and cleg (horse fly) bites when I get them) itch even though I take antihistamines daily. That's why I use Tiger Balm. I think my immune system just goes crazy about producing histamine.