Best bug stuff for first timers to Tobago??

[Debbie]

Hi

We are coming over end of October for three weeks our first visit to Tobago but not the Caribbean from Scotland.

A relative of someone from work was over in December and her trip was ruined as she was savaged by insects and had a really bad reaction to the bites.

Can you advise what we are likely to encounter and what the best products to use are, if possible something I can get here before I leave.

I am not usually to bothered by bites but I just want to be on the safe side as this lady was really quite ill and also isn't usually troubled by such things.

Any other useful tips for first timers would be gratefully received.

Well done on the site content Steve, it is very helpful and I am enjoying ready all about the Island.

Debbie

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Debbie

One can simply never tell how different people will react. Yes, there are people who suffer serious (allergic?) reactions to insects in the tropics (this is a tropical problem, not a Tobago problem) and yet other people in the same party may not be touched. If you've been to the tropics before you will have a good idea whether you are normally affected.

May I start off by suggesting that you read our article at http://www.myTobago.info/insects.php and then scroll back through this forum (try a search on 'insects' or 'bites') and take it from there.

[Debbie]

Thanks Steve, I will read that.

Debbie

[Tony J]

Hi there

We were in Tobago just a few weeks ago and i thought we had gone prepared. Normally i am the one that gets bitten, but my partner really suffered. Not from Mosi Bites but from Sand Flies.

When you buy your repellant make sure that it is suitable for the Tropics and remember to put it on if it rains during the day. I made the mistake of not reading the back of the box and the repellant was not strong enough. There are many types of mosi as well, some that like to eat and drink during the day and some that like to dine at dusk and dawn.

Sand fly bites are only from the foot up to the knee and usually and come out in large purple bumps. To avoid these, don't walk on the beach or through grass early in the morning or from 4pm (or after a rain shower).

If you run out of repellant there is a good one that you can buy locally called 'Off'. That kept everything off us. Another good one i found locally was in 'Gourmet Foods' I can't remember the name of it but it was near the repellant and bug sprays, this was in a small tube similar to an antiseptic cream, it was odourless and the cream disapeared quickly. Again brilliant for evening meals out, as you didn't carry an 'odour'with you.

Also the locals told me to eat garlic, chilli and put fresh lime on our skin. We had plenty of the garlic and chilli but didn't try the lime (only in our drinks!)

If you do get bitten, put some antispectic on them as soon as you can to stop infection, especially if they are sand fly bites.

You can see the mosi coming out at dusk, so in the end we always planned to be back at the hotel around 5pm or we carried the repellant with us.

I am back there in November and will be going prepared this time with 50% Deet!!

Don't let the insects bother you too much. Tobago is beautiful even with the little bugs around and no matter how many times you get bitten, they do disapear in the end but not the good memories of Tobago.

[Joe King]

If you are worried about allergic reactions, I suggest you go to the Pharmacy and get some Anti-Histamine tablets. Start taking these a few days before you go on holiday and it will increase your bodies defenses against reaction to bites. Also Vitamin B is meant to be a repellent.

I would agree with Tony J, go with 50% deet.

Joe

[Florian Baldauf]

As was already mentioned before, it seems to be certain that everybody has a different type of attraction to biting and stinging insects.
The first days after our arrival, we used Autan from home. It did work on me first (no stings for 3 days), but not on my wife.
When things got worse (not really bad, though, but still annoying) we changed to Citronella, with very little success.
At that time a local recommended a stuff called "odomo" (is that the correct name) which had to be applied like a gel, with better success, but still not perfect.
The thing that did help in the end was a mixture of all three: No more stings or bites - and some decent problems with social contacts (´twas a little smelly after all.....)

[Wanda]

We found a spray call GO at Sinanan's West End Pharmacy in Bon Accord, it worked very well, did not smell, was easy to apply and kept us bite free especially during the evenings.
Wanda

[Jill M]

Hi,

My doctor recommended using Avon Skin so Soft, so I used the shower gel. I have been told that everyone gets bitten, but diffrent people react differently, so the antihistamine is a good idea. My doctor told me to buy the cheapest from Superdrug and take that just before and during the holiday. I also took my Zanza Click, which stops the itching straight away. When we left, I had to leave it with one of the other guests as he was plagued with bites.

The Jungle Formula wipes also seem to work well and I just rubbed it on my legs & arms when going onto the beach or into the rainforest.

Have a great time.

Jill

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Florian – yes, it is ‘Odomos’. We’ve got a tube – TT$13.95 from Dove Drugs in Carnbee. We’ve also used the ‘Off!’ mentioned by Tony (TT$44.95 from Dove Drugs). I also agree with Jill – never travel to the tropics without a Zana-Click.

[Lyndon]

Living with biting insects is a normal part of life where we are from. Our Tobago experience was that I, the ususal victim was not bitten at all, my wife who has some kind immunity at home suffered a few bites but had fairly dramatic skin inflamation from the bites. We picked up a tube of Cortizone cream from one of the local pharmacies (over the counter) which provided very quick relief.

[Chris Raffael]

Hi...

I´ve never been to Tobago yet, but our flight goes on 22nd of Sept. 04...

Last 4 times been to Jamaica I ´ve been eaten by Mosq.+Sandflies...

Off-Spray helped me out of that situation very well. (4 Cans for 2 Weeks)

For healing stitches I used Aloe... and for big stitches I used a little rum, salt and limes which I put on with a tissue...

Don´t use medics or sprays from Europe, because the Mosq like it...

Sorry for my bad english...

[Colin Fairburn]

we've travelled extensively throughout the world including the tropics and by far the best repellent weve used for mossies has been 'mosquito milk' - its quite pricey (but i guess thats because it must be difficult to milk them!). Anyhow, its actually made from natural chemicals that mossies dont like.
The really good thing is that it comes in a roll on and you dont have to smother yourself in it - just a strip up each arm, one either side of your legs, one round the ankle and one round your neck and that will keep mossies away for up top 8 hrs, providing you dont go swimming of course. Between the 3 of us we usually get through 1 1/2 on a 2 week stay

The final big plus is that it actually smells really nice and it definitely does work!
Finally as with everything, prevention is better than cure and if you just avoid dawn and dusk when scantily clad and dont use perfumes or aftershaves and cover up well at night then the mossies should leave you pretty much alone.
As for sand flies..... thats a different matter altogether! I got bitten badly in the cook islands and no matter what I put on them they itched like buggery! Only when i got into the airconditioned plane on the way home did they stop.

[Julia C.]

Just got back from first trip. We took 'Mosiguard', Boots own 50% deet spray and gel and Avon's 'So Soft' spray oil. We stated off by using the 50% deet, but found the gel very sticky and the spray was difficult to use without inhaling the stuff. This stuff is also very strong - if you get any on your lips it makes them go numb!

On a trip to Scarborough we visited a chemist and bought 'Off' and 'Odomus'. 'Off' has a not unpleasant fruity smell, but it sometimes attracted little fruitfly things. "Odomus" had hardly an odour and was very pleasant to use, so I used that on my hands and face. I also bought some citronella oil and poured half of it into the 'So Soft' oil, did a skin test, no problems, so also used that. It was great for the after a shower application as it acted as a moisturiser as well.

I averaged about 2 bites a day, with some days no bites and some days quite a few. We reckoned that all the products we used worked, but not sure how long the effects lasted for each. We also found that the mossies could bite at all times, perhaps there are morning feeders, just before rain feeders, during rain feeders, after rain feeders, afternoon feeders, dusk feeders and night time feeders! So we were applying repellant at least 3 to 4 times a day. I think we got bitten when we missed bits or when we forgot to apply repellant.

If/when we return to the Tropics I will definately take suntan lotion with a repellant in it.

We also used a Zana click and hydrocortizone cream on bites which helped reduce the itchiness a lot. And I had some antihistamines incase I had a bad reaction to the bites, as I sometimes do in Europe, but I didn't seem to need them.

[Steve Fifield]

Hi All,

I also get bitten bad, so must share a few lessons with you, that I have learned about bites.

You will almost certainly not be aware that you have been bitten, until 4-24 hours after they bite

The assumption is always that you were bitten overnight, but the most likely cause is:

1) You got off the plane and were bitten whilst in transit to your hotel, when you had no DEET on at all.
2) You stayed on the beach to watch the sunset, or have a beer or barbeque, and were bitten to death without even noticing until the following day.

I recommend packing up on the beach well before dusk. You can see the insects becoming more lively. Finally, if you are badly affected, you need to take some Anti-hystamine Cream or 1% Hydrocortisone cream (also available with anti-biotics) to treat the bites. It works very well. I do also find that after the first week, as the body gets over the initial over-reaction, the effects of the bites are not so bad, so perhaps you should have a longer holiday?

The bugs won't ever put me off a holiday in Tobago

[Paul Tallet]

I can relate to that Steve.

But ... earlier in this string, Tony says that the nasties get you up to the knees ...

Not true ... unlike Tony, I like to sit down and relax on a beach and consequently have suffered the 'disfigured buttock syndrome', a symptom of which can include waking up in the morning with shreds of buttock under your fingernails.

I have covered this in another thread somewhere and so will refrain from going into further lurid detail ... but marks my words ... those pesky sandflies will have you if they like you ...

Mossies are not really the big problem.

Lemon Eucalyptus for prevention, keep it lathered on at ALL times ... Lanacane for soothing ... if that fails, avoid the bugs or wrap yourself in cling film !!!

If you stink that's fine ... I'd rather stink after my experiences.

[Steve Pitts]

I can confirm Steve's observations that sand fly bites have a delayed timespan of at least a couple of hours.
I think that they may have some form of anaesthetic and anticoagulant in their saliva, which makes the bite virtually painless. Once the effects wear off - the agony begins.

I spend quite a bit of our holidays fishing the sandy beaches at dawn and dusk and have concluded that the little bug(ger)s are mainly active just as the sun sets and continue to be a pest for around a couple of hours after.

Various deterrents and soothing remedies have been advised in previous posts, from wearing trousers tucked into socks to herbal unctions applied by a virgin. I prefer the latter option, but have yet to find a virgin amongst any of my fellow travellers.

I have however found a fail-safe avoidence proceedure, based on the decoy method, which works as follows:

Out of every group of people you will always find someone who is super-atractive to mozzies and other bitting insects. I'm sure you know someone who comes out in rashes and boils at the sound of the first buzzzzz.

Once you've identified who the victim is, stand close to him/her and 99% of the bloodsuckers will make a bee line for them, rather than you.

If you keep your wits about you, you should be able to slap the 1% that find you more attractive, before they can get their mouth parts firmly attached to your bodily parts.

I guess that the belt and braces approach, is to stand next to a suitably attractive decoy, whilst wearing long trousers tucked into your socks and get a virgin to rub some stinking herbal gunk into your torso - combined with the 'retreat to the bar' strategy.

Just remember - if you do get bitten - don't scratch them, no matter how much they itch (doesn't it just feel great though).

Cheers
Steve

[Joe King]

I think we've been had Steve... The virgin with the herbs was recommended to me for a hang-over cure!! The wife got wind of it though and my mid-morning rendezvous with the blushing beauty was swiftly cancelled

[John Hill]

The herb gunk easy, Virgins a little harder to find !!

[Stuart A]

Use Avon Skin so soft. it works!!! just come back and only got bitten when not covered. sand flies bite before 8.00am, approx. and after 5.00 approx. Don't go to the grafton bird sanctuary at 4.00 without it!! Go to the Grafton bird sancutary but put SSS on. We went the day we were leaving, at 4.00 when the flight was at 8.50. Started to itch during the flight home, in real trouble by the time we landed, silly realy, we knew what we had to do, but forgot!! We didn't even get bitten in the rain forest when we were covered. It dosn't smell great, but who cares if you are bite free! Anyway you get used to the smell after a while.

[Bryn]

On our last TWO trips to Trinidad & Tobago we've used it. Our friends used it as well. No problems with the mossies at all. You can also burn a mosquito coil in your villa or room and that helps as well.

HTH,

Bryn