What the heck is biting me?

Sounds like mosquito bites to me. Has anyone by you got a pond or an open water butt? My son used to get bitten to death by mosquitoes - our next door neighbour had a big pond, I blamed that!

One thing that living is Spain for eleven years has taught me is that flies bite. Yes, flies. I always have lots of bites on my ankles and yes, they itch like Hell. Iam64 suggested Avon Skin So Soft, which I did once read the soldiers in Iraq were using to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Watch when a fly lands on your skin and give it a minute. It might not happen evey time but you may have a bite, which swells up with a very wide red circle around it. I tend to put Eurax on them, as this can lessen the irritation, once you've been bitten.

I hope this helps.

I was cutting my ivy one year and my arms were covered in bites. Apparently it was from fleas in the ivy! I always wait until it rains before I cut any plants in my garden now and have not been bitten since.

Our workplace once had to be fumigated as there was a fox den underneath it (old building) and the fleas were coming through the floorboards to have a munch of everyone who worked there. Hedgehogs are also well known hosts. Maybe you have 'visitors' under the house?

DH rarely gets bitten.
There used to be a pond where our garden is now, apparently. I'm sure this could be a traditional breeding ground as I see them hovering around outside the back window - just waiting for me to venture out.

I must order some Skin so Soft, thanks for the reminders.
And Eumovate too, I used that years ago.

The worst bite I had was when we were camping in France - so avoid camping in Western France

Tanith I don't suppose your bites are on bits of the body where you have tight clothing when in the garden, are they (sockline; knickerline, both leg and waist; bra-line and straps etc.)? I get badly bitten by harvest mites (mentioned earlier by Tricia) at this time of year. The bites are almost all in those areas, or in other cosy intimate places such as under my breasts! Does that ring any bells with you?

I spent 2 years trying to work out what was biting me, and to this day, eight years from when it first started, have still never spotted the culprit, and treated the whole house and the beds before my research on the internet led me to the conclusion that it is harvest mites. The bites usually appear the day after I have been gardening, but by changing my clothes as soon as I have finished gardening has drastically reduced the number of bites I get.

I get bitten every summer, mostiquito, gnats, horse flies. They itch alot and swell into blisters, it's a warm or hot summer and they'll almost be waiting at the back door for me to go out in the garden. Spraying with insect repellent helps and Eurax Hc helps with the bad bites.

I have tried the Skin So Soft, eating copious amounts of Marmite and taking garlic capsules (all supposed to work) but well, they didn't for me.

I would still give each of these a go if you have not tried them - they may well work for you - I think I am just a hopeless case.

Any suggestions re. the best (i.e. as few bities as possible) European holiday resorts? Thanks.

I would put savlon on the bites. I get my legs bitten gardening so I wear long trousers now not cropped ones . Best of luck.

Candelle, Sorrento is full of swallows flying around eating all the airborne mosquitoes. We didn't get bitten at all.

Many thanks, J52. We have visited Sorrento and I don't remember being bitten, so I am sure you're right!

Any other suggestions gratefully received!

I use Savlon sometimes after the itching has gone but it doesn't stop the itch.

Lots of advice thanks I've got no new bites thank goodness.