bitten !!!

I find that once the bite is opened up, either by Fennel's method or, in my case more like Elegran's method, the itching eases quite quickly once Anthisan is applied. But with the horsefly bite that I had earlier this year, oral antihistamines and an antiseptic ointment were the only thing that helped. And it took weeks to properly heal up too.

When we were kids, spending the holidays in Fife where we picked berries in granny's garden, berry bugs drove us crazy and the best remedy was a dip in the North Sea at St Andrews. Apart from that, we went to bed at night covered in calamine lotion which was probably the only remedy in those days. Even the dog got bitten - you could see the bites through a boxer's short coat. Mercifully, at home on the West Coast, we didn't have those awful mites.

I must have a unsppitising blood or something as I rarely get bitten even when I lived in the tropics I ve had a couple of wasps stings over the years and one been sting and a few moskies but the amount of time I spend in the garden and beach I m surprised I don’t get badly bitten

If you aren't scratching now, read this and you soon will be - www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th5i.htm

The bit about the Harvest Mite (Trombicula autumnalis) is about half-way down the page. I can see why Fennel and I have had success with our methods.

It seems we should strip off as soon as we come in from the garden or from a walk in long grass, have a hot shower with plenty of soap, and wash our clothes on a hot wash.

Elegran Yikes!! this sure makes you feel itchy Lol.

I use rubbing alcohol on the bites. It stops the itch longer than anything else.

A paste of bicarb and water - my MIL put one on a really nasty bite I had years ago and it worked miracles.

Elegran

It seems we should strip off as soon as we come in from the garden or from a walk in long grass, have a hot shower with plenty of soap, and wash our clothes on a hot wash.

I can vouch for the fact that the shower works. When I had an allotment, I adopted that practice, showering as soon as I got home. Unfortunately now that I grow my veg at home instead, I am in and out of the garden all day long do it is no longer practical.

The advice about washing clothes is interesting, but is different from the advice that I have been following, which said that hanging your clothes up in the sunshine for a while would work, as the resulting dryness would dessicate the mites. It seems to work.

Dispute nine years of severe attacks, I have still never actually spotted one of these blighters!

"MamaCaz Fri 10-Aug-18 19:46:21

That's interesting, Fennel. How quickly does the itching subside after pricking and applying antiseptic?"
Almost straight away. Make sure the spot is bleeding and squeeze. I think the mite is actually inside the spot so you need to get him out.
I only used antiseptic as a precaution.
The little b......rs were prolific in France, called aoutats, from Aout, August.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombicula_autumnalis

I have heard that it is bicarb for bees and vinegar for vasps (wasps)

As for gnats and mosquitoes - whatever is best for you.

Like Elegran I use Afterbite (with ammonia) which usually does the trick. Ive been munched by every type of bug this summer but the worst is a sting on the big toe 2 weeks ago by a tiny ant and nothing has helped. Its only just beginning to improve having become infected (too much scratching ). I have been applying Lucas' Paw Paw ointment to soothe it. Great for all wounds

Nothing works for me except Germolene.