Mosquito netting
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Sally
Mosquito netting
Do we need to bring mosquito netting for our bed? I read someplace that it would be a good idea, but now I don't know where I saw that. Advice?
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Steve Wooler
- myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
- Posts: 4856
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
- Location: Suffolk, England
- Contact:
Hi Sally
NO. It's not a good idea. In this day and age you do not expect to be travelling thousands of miles carrying mosquito netting.
To be honest, mosquito netting is BAD news anyway. It not only stops the mosquitoes getting in - it also stops the breeze, so you’ll never sleep really comfortably. If a mosquito has inadvertently got inside the net (easier than you might imagine), it can’t get OUT – so will spend the night making a meal of you. Believe you me, I know about mosquito netting – I spent almost every night of my childhood inside one.
A lot depends upon when you are visiting Tobago and where you are staying. Mosquitoes tend to be mainly a problem during the wet season. If you’re staying somewhere on high ground, that gets the breezes, you will find them less noticeable.
My suggestion is to buy a couple of the electronic BugMats – a small device that ‘burns’ a mosquito deterrent tablet. You may be able to get them at home, but if not, you’ll pick one (or two if you’re particularly susceptible) at any general store in Tobago. They’re dirt cheap. You simply put one of the deterrent “tablets” on the mat on your bedside table(s), a couple of hours before retiring for the night. It’s best to close the windows at this stage. By the time you come to bed, the room will be “treated”. You can then open your windows to get the air. If you have a floor standing fan, set it running on a medium setting blowing across your upper body. Mosquitoes can’t fly in strong breezes, so they won’t be able to land on you and do any damage, so to speak – and the fan will keep you nice a cool.
Finally, if you are really susceptible to insect bites, don’t forget to add a good dose of deterrent all over your body before you retire. See our Insects article (menus: Odds & Sods/Health Matters) for more information on the subject.
NO. It's not a good idea. In this day and age you do not expect to be travelling thousands of miles carrying mosquito netting.
To be honest, mosquito netting is BAD news anyway. It not only stops the mosquitoes getting in - it also stops the breeze, so you’ll never sleep really comfortably. If a mosquito has inadvertently got inside the net (easier than you might imagine), it can’t get OUT – so will spend the night making a meal of you. Believe you me, I know about mosquito netting – I spent almost every night of my childhood inside one.
A lot depends upon when you are visiting Tobago and where you are staying. Mosquitoes tend to be mainly a problem during the wet season. If you’re staying somewhere on high ground, that gets the breezes, you will find them less noticeable.
My suggestion is to buy a couple of the electronic BugMats – a small device that ‘burns’ a mosquito deterrent tablet. You may be able to get them at home, but if not, you’ll pick one (or two if you’re particularly susceptible) at any general store in Tobago. They’re dirt cheap. You simply put one of the deterrent “tablets” on the mat on your bedside table(s), a couple of hours before retiring for the night. It’s best to close the windows at this stage. By the time you come to bed, the room will be “treated”. You can then open your windows to get the air. If you have a floor standing fan, set it running on a medium setting blowing across your upper body. Mosquitoes can’t fly in strong breezes, so they won’t be able to land on you and do any damage, so to speak – and the fan will keep you nice a cool.
Finally, if you are really susceptible to insect bites, don’t forget to add a good dose of deterrent all over your body before you retire. See our Insects article (menus: Odds & Sods/Health Matters) for more information on the subject.
Last edited by Steve Wooler on Sat May 27, 2006 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
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AndyHarries
Mossie bites
Hi Sally
As Steve says, don't take the netting with you. Instead, invest heavily in Jungle Forumla roll on sticks from Boots - the only thing that keep the little b*ggers from feasting on me every evening. I would cover myself with it, but they would still find the one tiny spot that I had missed. I then come up in a huge reactive area which subsequently blisters. Nice!
But Jungle Formula is definitely the best product I have found so far.
Rachel
As Steve says, don't take the netting with you. Instead, invest heavily in Jungle Forumla roll on sticks from Boots - the only thing that keep the little b*ggers from feasting on me every evening. I would cover myself with it, but they would still find the one tiny spot that I had missed. I then come up in a huge reactive area which subsequently blisters. Nice!
But Jungle Formula is definitely the best product I have found so far.
Rachel
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Alan Stalker
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Jill M
- Oh, so Sad!
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:55 pm
- Location: Burton on Trent, England
Alan - my doctor told me about Avon Skin So Soft. So I bathed in it, rubbed it on and just for good measure used a Jungle Formula spray and the Jungle wipes. I also used a Zanza Click - which is great to reduce the swelling of the bite and to stop the itching. No flies on me !!! I'm particularly susceptable to bites and these worked really well - I also didn't wear anything black in the evening.
Jill
Jill
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Thomas Riemer
hi to all of you !!
All the electricity and chemicals...
I tried so many different products, some did work some not.
I do sleep with the net and does not find it too hot inside.
As Steve said, it depends very much where you stay when.
Check with your host if he maybe provides nets.
And if you are bitten...i use a slice of Aloe and it helps very good
in the most cases.
Have fun, Thomas
All the electricity and chemicals...
I tried so many different products, some did work some not.
I do sleep with the net and does not find it too hot inside.
As Steve said, it depends very much where you stay when.
Check with your host if he maybe provides nets.
And if you are bitten...i use a slice of Aloe and it helps very good
in the most cases.
Have fun, Thomas
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Joe King
OK, the one problem we had with Tobago... The Mossies!!! Nothing we did stopped them biting! We had Coils in the room, we had tablets like Steve suggested above, we sprayed the room with Baygon that fellow guest gave us, we left the air-con on and directed ithe flow of air over our bodies by leaving the door of the wardrobe open(!!!!) we sprayed with Autan, Jungle Formula, Off, and boots own brand Repellent and we used citronella in our after sun. Cheryl got bitten numerous times every night, I survived until the 10th day and then got bitten 50 times in one night, and at least twice every night after that.
So our verdict is that if they are going to eat you they will, no matter how many chemicals you use!!!
Our advise is prepare for the reaction. Our four tips are:
1. start taking Vitamin B and Piriton(an antihistamin, obviously you should check with your doctor before taking a course of these) a week before you go on holidays
2. Keep taking both while on holidays (you can pick up Piriton much cheaper in Scarborough than in Ireland/Britain)
3. Stock up with plenty of Antisan, and Frucibet(again get medical advice first with this cream, it is a perscription Hydro-Cortizone Cream)
4. If you are still being bitten, one way to protect your legs and arms is to sleep with damp towels wrapped around them. This was the only way Cheryl got any relief.
Obviously number 4 will put a dampner(No Pun Intended) on your spontaneous love life but if it stops the mossies biting its worth it
Joe
So our verdict is that if they are going to eat you they will, no matter how many chemicals you use!!!
Our advise is prepare for the reaction. Our four tips are:
1. start taking Vitamin B and Piriton(an antihistamin, obviously you should check with your doctor before taking a course of these) a week before you go on holidays
2. Keep taking both while on holidays (you can pick up Piriton much cheaper in Scarborough than in Ireland/Britain)
3. Stock up with plenty of Antisan, and Frucibet(again get medical advice first with this cream, it is a perscription Hydro-Cortizone Cream)
4. If you are still being bitten, one way to protect your legs and arms is to sleep with damp towels wrapped around them. This was the only way Cheryl got any relief.
Obviously number 4 will put a dampner(No Pun Intended) on your spontaneous love life but if it stops the mossies biting its worth it
Joe
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Steve Roughley
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Dave Guest
We were in Tobago from 4th to 15th May and neither of us got a single bite. Either that or we didn't react to them as suggested above.
We spent time on the balcony at night and ate in the outdoor restaurant at the hotel each evening, and we went in the rainforest, to the Argyle waterfall and to the Grafton bird sanctuary where there were millions of gnats and other flying creatures yet we both came out unscathed.
We used a plugin mozzie killer from Boots that has a plastic jar of liquid attached to it. Similar to the tablet one that Steve described I'd imagine but in liquid form rather than solid and it seemed to do the trick. We only ever saw one insect in the hotel room and that was just a fly.
For novelty value I tried to take a close-up photograph of a mozzie on the balcony one night but the little bxxxxr kept sitting on the camera lens instead of in front of it
We spent time on the balcony at night and ate in the outdoor restaurant at the hotel each evening, and we went in the rainforest, to the Argyle waterfall and to the Grafton bird sanctuary where there were millions of gnats and other flying creatures yet we both came out unscathed.
We used a plugin mozzie killer from Boots that has a plastic jar of liquid attached to it. Similar to the tablet one that Steve described I'd imagine but in liquid form rather than solid and it seemed to do the trick. We only ever saw one insect in the hotel room and that was just a fly.
For novelty value I tried to take a close-up photograph of a mozzie on the balcony one night but the little bxxxxr kept sitting on the camera lens instead of in front of it
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Kate H
In our case, knowing that the house we would be renting was not supplied with a mosquito net (or sheets or towels, etc. for that matter), we traveled those thousands of miles with all mentioned and more. I could have left the mosquito net at home, though. Most nights there were more of the clever little b******s inside the net than outside. We used the coils and all sorts of foul smelling repellents. To no avail. I was starting to look like I had measles...
Halfway through our stay, I bought a fan at the market in Scarborough and wished I'd thought of it earlier. For $140 (TT), I slept like a baby for the rest of the time we were there. The wind blasts away the mosquitos and makes it nice and cool too (I hate aircon, but of course the house was not supplied with this either).
This could be a solution for those who want no nets, no electric zap devices, no coils, no aircon, no chemicals and last but not least, no mosquitos pestering you at night. A small investment well worth considering.
And I agree with Thomas, if you do get bitten, aloe provides a nice natural relief.
Halfway through our stay, I bought a fan at the market in Scarborough and wished I'd thought of it earlier. For $140 (TT), I slept like a baby for the rest of the time we were there. The wind blasts away the mosquitos and makes it nice and cool too (I hate aircon, but of course the house was not supplied with this either).
This could be a solution for those who want no nets, no electric zap devices, no coils, no aircon, no chemicals and last but not least, no mosquitos pestering you at night. A small investment well worth considering.
And I agree with Thomas, if you do get bitten, aloe provides a nice natural relief.
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Steve Wooler
- myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
- Posts: 4856
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
- Location: Suffolk, England
- Contact:
Hi Kate
Yes, you're spot on. This is exactly the method we prefer.
I know I go on about it, but I will keep mentioning our Insects article. The methods and preventions we detail will not work for everyone, but if they work for YOU then we could be saving you an awful lot of grief and irritation.
Yes, you're spot on. This is exactly the method we prefer.
I know I go on about it, but I will keep mentioning our Insects article. The methods and preventions we detail will not work for everyone, but if they work for YOU then we could be saving you an awful lot of grief and irritation.
Steve Wooler
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
myTobago.info - the definitive Visitor Guide to Tobago
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Kate H
Hi Steve,
Can you tell I didn't have to work today? I have progressed from newbie to rookie status in just one day! Who is hooked on Tobago?
Yes, everyone has to find the solution that works the best for them and them alone. That's why I elaborated a little - I'll go on and on about natural solutions myself - perhaps it might help somebody who thinks likewise. Sometimes you can't get enough advice and lots of different solutions work for lots of different people.
I wish I had known about your site and your insects article before fate brought me to Tobago!
Can you tell I didn't have to work today? I have progressed from newbie to rookie status in just one day! Who is hooked on Tobago?
Yes, everyone has to find the solution that works the best for them and them alone. That's why I elaborated a little - I'll go on and on about natural solutions myself - perhaps it might help somebody who thinks likewise. Sometimes you can't get enough advice and lots of different solutions work for lots of different people.
I wish I had known about your site and your insects article before fate brought me to Tobago!
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Kate H
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Steve Wooler
- myTobago Editor & Chief Anorak
- Posts: 4856
- Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2002 11:00 pm
- Location: Suffolk, England
- Contact:
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D. Gould
- Tobago Guru
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:43 pm
- Location: Brooklyn, New York
travel tent
i will be bringing my travel tent to trinidad and tobago in 2005. i have to admit though that i did not use it in tobago when staying at sanctuary villas.
i will be at crown point beach hotel and i don't anticipate too much insect activity but i never leave home without it. i need to get the bug mat. do they sell it in pennysavers? or where else in tobago? i don't think i can get it in the u.s.
i will be at crown point beach hotel and i don't anticipate too much insect activity but i never leave home without it. i need to get the bug mat. do they sell it in pennysavers? or where else in tobago? i don't think i can get it in the u.s.