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Effective remedies for the no-see-ems

6K views 32 replies 22 participants last post by  svHyLyte 
#1 ·
These little buggers are driving my wife out of her mind, and it's going to put a big crimp in my time on the water if I can't find an effective way to deal with them. They're the worst on the hook at low tide in the evening and morning. I've tried the more powerful deet remedies with mixed results. Any sure-fire repellants out there?
Sailhog
 
#2 ·
So far, I've only run into them occasionally on charter, but mosquito netting with extra fine mesh is the best defense I've found against them. I've seen some boats with canopies rigged to cover their entire cockpits. That's probably what I'd do if I was in an area where they are prevalent.
 
#5 ·
One area of screening that is sometimes overlooked are those dorade vents, so I cut some screen material and stapled it to the underside of the trim inside the cabin. Its worked well for us. I'll be back soon, going to Walmart to buy a lawn "tent"
 
#6 ·
Idiens said:
Mosquito nets over the berths?
If you can't get the extra fine mosquito netting, put pantyhose over the ports and such as they no-see-ums can't generally get through it. Also, citronella candles seem to work to repel them fairly well. Coating the pantyhose with Avon's Skin So Soft lotion works pretty well to.
 
#7 ·
On my previous boat I made simple screens by cutting a rectangular shaped pieced of fine mesh mosquito netting big enough to cover the companionway hatch. Then I stitched 3/8" nylon line all around rthe perimeter of it. When I laid it over the hatch, the weight of the nylon line held it in place.

I also made similar screens for the Lewmar hatches. They were in the shape of 3 dimensional triangles, with mesh covering the open part of the hatch, and the main body of the device was made of rip stop nylon. They also had 3/8" line around the base, to hold them in place. Those allowed me to leave all the hatches open for ventilation in a noseeum area.
 
#9 ·
sailhog said:
SD,
This will work well when I present myself as a "pleasure hog" this summer at the various marinas along the ICW... I'll look great AND my skill will be soft. Yuk, yuk...
Thanks, bud,
Sailhog
LOL, but it won't improve your looks any... ;)
 
#10 ·
Noxema Skin Cream .... the 'white stuff'.
I used to travel a lot in the high latitudes where such are ferocious. There are some quite stinky 'dopes' but the best I've ever found is to apply Noxema Skin Cream (the stuff in the blue jar) and lather it on. It also works for most other biting 'flies': green heads, midges, biting house flys, etc. The 'ferocity' of flies during the day dictates how 'thick' you put it on.

Certainly you want to have any CO2 source (engine, cook stove, etc.) off!!!!

Flies also avoid 'wood smoke' ... old fashioned 'punks' and the commercial 'mosquito' rings also work, .... even when underway - just light them and put them in your on-deck / stern-rail barbecue.
 
#12 ·
Looks like it would be an expensive option in the long run, as it requires fuel to work every twelve hours. Also, since it is butane fueled, it would be a carbon monoxide risk...
 
#15 ·
Its camo because Home Depot is marketing it as a hunting accessory.
The dialog states that it works well on boats also.

I'll pay the expense if in fact it works. Here we don't get a whole lot of no see ems. Occasionaly is all.
We get the giant black flies. Nasty as well and you can definitely see em.
How much are the refills? I did not find that info on the page.
 
#16 ·
#17 ·
We don't get many noseeums on our waters, but along some Bay Island shorelines green-head flies are more than a nuisance. They seem more prolific in areas highly populated by deer, during hot weather - mid August being the peak. Since they literally tear the skin's surface open to suck blood, their bites are very painful.

Of course a poor defense against noseeums, but one great weapon I have found to combat these greenheads, is my trusty flyshooter.



It's deadly, fun and accurate. These bloodsucking flies are constantly seeking shade against the sun, so when they find their way into our pilothouse and cabins, the target shooting begins. An attached string makes reloading fast and easy. Mysteriously though, they disappear at night - replaced by mosquitos.
 
#18 ·
My daughter and wife found the same shooter. One day I'm in the cockpit and they are down below laughing the butts off killing flys with the Flyshooter. It was a good time for all....... except the horse flies.
 
#19 ·
In the Quiet Coves......

TB - Come on up the Bay a bit to my marina in Mill Cove in Wickford for some serious no-see-um infestation :eek: As soon as the afternoon SWesterly dies down they swarm out to get ya... Good old Avon Skin So Soft is my cologne of choice for the summer months but sometimes I have to use some of the heavy duty chemicals with DEET etc... :( when leaving windows and doors open if I'm to lazy to screen up to keep them out of the boat.
 
#20 ·
I am suprised that the gun works against the dreaded "Green-heads." I have frequently swatted the little buggers (a good hit too!), they fall, wait a minuite, shake it off, fly back and bite me again! I have since learned that when defending against them that the job isn't done unless I see guts, or I pull a wing off.

My wife thought I was sadistic, until she had it happen to her a couple of times. Now, she's a sadist too!
 
#21 ·
The shooter had such velocity that it knocks them on their little butts, killing them in most cases. But at times they are such tough buggers, they recover in a few seconds. I always pick them up immediately and toss them into the sea before they get another chance to bite.
 
#22 ·
Tossing them into the sea won't do it. They can swim. I suggest stepping on them before tossing. (Yes, I really hate them.)
 
#23 ·
In my experience, the green-head flies are nearly bulletproof... you have to destroy them to kill them... otherwise, all you'll do is stun them, and they come back with a vengeance.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Reviving this thread with some things I've heard about:

Listerine. Makes sense, ingredients include: active ingredients listed on Listerine bottles are essential oils which are menthol 0.042%, thymol 0.064%, methyl salicylate 0.06%, and eucalyptol 0.092%.

I've incidentally found that lavender essential oil seems to do some good. I put it in coconut oil to knock the coconut smell, but I think it keeps the noseeums away

I don't know whether all mosquito coils are created equal, but I can say that the Japanese coil 'katori-senko,' brand pictured below, are excellent, if not cheap:


almost forgot: inside the cabin, we have found the OFF! fan to be effective - we clip it above our bunk
 
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