We were supposed to go for a day out on broardwater Sunday but as weather closed in we decided to have lunch and pleasant day on balcony . The house is on canal on the Gold Coast. Bottom line is Between my wrists and elbows and knees to ankles I ended up with 80 plus midge bites and am still suffering whereas my three companions got none! Has anyone got any idea what I can do to minimise bites. Google says 'live with it'
Probably the only way to stop the bites from happening is to use something like Deet If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten the one thing that does work to kill the itch and scratch is to put a teaspoon in extremely hot water and then apply the back of the hot spoon to the bitten area.
the best stuff ever is this
www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcfile7.uf.tistory.com%2Fimage%2F230C8E4B53CCA87917C23B&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fkowview.tistory.com%2F368&h=357&w=482&tbnid=dlHASq1Kovi4qM%3A&zoom=1&docid=saDSZo7ZQC2sMM&ei=n9S0VLWrHOevmAWnuoHwBA&tbm=isch&ved=0CGUQMyhdMF04ZA&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=1&page=11&start=182&ndsp=20
you can find it in a Korean grocery store. I could not find a picture of the stuff I use but it looks similar and its made by Hyundai.
rub it on and wait about 2 minutes.. it begins to burn like tigrebalm and the itch will go away. if you don't get a burning feeling then rum more on. don't touch the spot while your waiting for the burning as this seems to reduce its efficacy
I get bitten bad and this stuff is the only thing that has ever worked. better than anti histamines. I seriously thought about importing it and rebadging it in English packaging as the stuff is like nothing we get in Australia.
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said..
Probably the only way to stop the bites from happening is to use something like Deet If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten the one thing that does work to kill the itch and scratch is to put a teaspoon in extremely hot water and then apply the back of the hot spoon to the bitten area.
Thanks for that . Seems deet is best solution .I could try drinking lots of beer .I went to supermarket and could not find one repellant with deet.
Currently putting an itch cream on that has menthol ,seems to be working.
Select to expand quotebubble7777 said..
the best stuff ever is this
www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcfile7.uf.tistory.com%2Fimage%2F230C8E4B53CCA87917C23B&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fkowview.tistory.com%2F368&h=357&w=482&tbnid=dlHASq1Kovi4qM%3A&zoom=1&docid=saDSZo7ZQC2sMM&ei=n9S0VLWrHOevmAWnuoHwBA&tbm=isch&ved=0CGUQMyhdMF04ZA&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=1&page=11&start=182&ndsp=20
you can find it in a Korean grocery store. I could not find a picture of the stuff I use but it looks similar and its made by Hyundai.
rub it on and wait about 2 minutes.. it begins to burn like tigrebalm and the itch will go away. if you don't get a burning feeling then rum more on. don't touch the spot while your waiting for the burning as this seems to reduce its efficacy
I get bitten bad and this stuff is the only thing that has ever worked. better than anti histamines. I seriously thought about importing it and rebadging it in English packaging as the stuff is like nothing we get in Australia.
I opened page and translated it . As I'm not pregnant seems I could use. I have some korean friends at golf club who I will ask to get for me.
Thanks
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said..
Probably the only way to stop the bites from happening is to use something like Deet If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten the one thing that does work to kill the itch and scratch is to put a teaspoon in extremely hot water and then apply the back of the hot spoon to the bitten area.
Wow just tried the hot spoon trick on a couple ,seems to have worked .I'll wait an hour and if not itch Iwill get to work on the other 80 odd
Midges breed in the tidal zone of the canals the council used to spray the areas where enough people complained.
The man made canals create an ideal artificial habitat for the midges that's why they get so bad
Asking the council to spray the tidal zone might work
There are some areas like clear island waters where the weirs stop the tidal movement and there are no midges
I hate the little buggers
Select to expand quoteandy59 said..
Midges breed in the tidal zone of the canals the council used to spray the areas where enough people complained.
The man made canals create an ideal artificial habitat for the midges that's why they get so bad
Asking the council to spray the tidal zone might work
There are some areas like clear island waters where the weirs stop the tidal movement and there are no midges
I hate the little buggers
Daughter has house at Calypso Bay ( Jacobs Well) and canals are tidal. Where I am council sprays Nov. to Jan. every year
Select to expand quoteBananabender said..
Wow just tried the hot spoon trick on a couple ,seems to have worked .I'll wait an hour and if not itch I will get to work on the other 80 odd
The heat destroys the enzymes that cause the itch, the same trick also works with jellyfish stings, but instead of a spoon use a towel and soak it with water as hot as you can stand and apply to affected area.
Same thing for stingray or fortescue ouchies although the treatment may not be as effective as usually the toxin is deeper under the skin so not nearly as easy to treat with heat.
When i was working in Broome many years ago, guys used a mixture 1/3 dettol, 1/3 baby oil and 1/3 citronella !
I tried it after I looked at my legs on the way to work one day, and thought they'd never be the same again, covered in bites.
I was building the Pasparley Pearls Shopping Centre on re claimed swamp land, midgee paradise, human torture, and going home to the luxury of a 2 man tent.
Can't really remember how well it worked, i was probably self medicating fairly aggressively at the time, could be worth a go ?!!
Select to expand quoteshoodbegood said..
When i was working in Broome many years ago, guys used a mixture 1/3 dettol, 1/3 baby oil and 1/3 citronella !
I tried it after I looked at my legs on the way to work one day, and thought they'd never be the same again, covered in bites.
I was building the Pasparley Pearls Shopping Centre on re claimed swamp land, midgee paradise, human torture, and going home to the luxury of a 2 man tent.
Can't really remember how well it worked, i was probably self medicating fairly aggressively at the time, could be worth a go ?!!
Saw that mix highly recommended on Google today.
I applied back of spoon after immersing in boiling water to the 136 bites on forearms and lower legs today and aside from 3 0r4 bites no more itch . Mind you I might have third degree burns.
I found a repellant with 40% deet I'll try that next time I go down there . Misses refused to go out with me unless I put long pants on as she rekoned I look like I had leprosy.
Select to expand quoteBananabender said..
Saw that mix highly recommended on Google today.
I applied back of spoon after immersing in boiling water to the 136 bites on forearms and lower legs today and aside from 3 0r4 bites no more itch . Mind you I might have third degree burns.
I found a repellant with 40% deet I'll try that next time I go down there . Misses refused to go out with me unless I put long pants on as she rekoned I look like I had leprosy.
I know I'm getting old and forgetful 
and all that but I think I did say extremely hot, I don't recall boiling 
being mentioned at all. I guess I'm fortunate that they don't like me and I never get bitten, even when I was in SE Asia, must be the meds I'm on make my blood taste funny. 
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said..Bananabender said..
Saw that mix highly recommended on Google today.
I applied back of spoon after immersing in boiling water to the 136 bites on forearms and lower legs today and aside from 3 0r4 bites no more itch . Mind you I might have third degree burns.
I found a repellant with 40% deet I'll try that next time I go down there . Misses refused to go out with me unless I put long pants on as she rekoned I look like I had leprosy.
I know I'm getting old and forgetful and all that but I think I did say extremely hot, I don't recall boiling being mentioned at all. I guess I'm fortunate that they don't like me and I never get bitten, even when I was in SE Asia, must be the meds I'm on make my blood taste funny.
Ha , One mans hot is another mans boiling. Boiled the jug .Sitting here in 28degree 92% humidity and not one itch ,thanks mate.
Heat is good. Too late if you've got the kind of skin that comes up in giant welts. My wife has that. I get smashed by sandflies and mozies on the island, but a hot shower later....all itchies gone.
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said.. I guess I'm fortunate that they don't like me and I never get bitten, even when I was in SE Asia, must be the meds I'm on make my blood taste funny.
As I understand it they don't bite you. They pee on you.
Select to expand quotecisco said..
As I understand it they don't bite you. They pee on you.
From a great height?
Select to expand quoteHG02 said..
You could move to Victoria or Tassy 
I am a mexican from Melb. .moved up 10 yrs ago to escape the cold . Even sold my greasy wool jumpers ,no thanks
Select to expand quoteBananabender said..HG02 said..
You could move to Victoria or Tassy
I am a mexican from Melb. .moved up 10 yrs ago to escape the cold . Even sold my greasy wool jumpers ,no thanks
Can you remember what Chimney is
My best mate had a problem with mozzies, if there was one within about 5 kilometres it would attack him. I remember an article in Choice magazine a few years back and their tests proved that the best repellants was the old mosquito coil. I seem to remember their comment on citronella as a favourite food for mozzies and sandflies.
We always use mosquito coils at home and also carry them on the boat.
Select to expand quoteBoatin said..
My best mate had a problem with mozzies, if there was one within about 5 kilometres it would attack him. I remember an article in Choice magazine a few years back and their tests proved that the best repellants was the old mosquito coil. I seem to remember their comment on citronella as a favourite food for mozzies and sandflies.
We always use mosquito coils at home and also carry them on the boat.
I live close to a swamp ( wet lands in Vic)< So they don't have to do much and nearly get taken away with the Mozzies here
