Black isn't the Colour

[Neil Patton]

I see in the beastie section that it says that mossies are attracted to black clothing. Much though I hesitate to question anything on My Tobago could someone please tell me is this true or merely an suburban myth
I always thought they were attracted to the carbon dioxide you exhaled, or is that only midges.
Reason I need to know iis that if this true I am going to have to purchase a new wardrobe for the holiday!!

Regards

Neil

[Terence H]

I think it is true to say that at night when you are sleeping the mossies will try and "home in" on your CO2. They also love the smell of most peoples feet!

From our experience they will also hide on black clothing or anything else black, especially during the day.

Im one of the people that they love. So I change into trousers when the sun goes down to stop getting bitten. However, I soon learned that putting on black long trousers meant they buzzed round my legs all evening, although they could not bite me.
So I think its probably true.

However I would wait for other replies , please dont change all your clothes on the basis of my reply!
Anyway I guess spraying dark clothing with a chemical repellant should keep them away.

There a lot of suggestions about chemical repellants and other measures ,to keep the buggas away, in the other thread.
Although I am one of those people that attracts them and I always get bitten, whatever precautions I take.

[Tony J]

Hi there

I don't think it is a myth at all. We have a villa down in Tobago and went to buy lots of electrical items. Along with other items, I bought a black coffee maker and microwave and guess what they love, my coffee maker and microwave.

It is good in a way because with these items and a black bookcase, i know if any will be in the house i know where they will be hiding. They seem to love the dark colours and will sit and rest on any of the black bits and pieces. So all i need to do each evening is spray around where i know they will be resting.

It is true that Co2 will attract them but if you are wearing black trousers or shorts and breathing then i am sure they will find you and all evening you will be fighting them off your legs.

We now place black items in certain places during the peak mossi time and spray the item with insectiside as soon as it is dark.

Because of this we won't wear dark clothes at night, only light coloured clothes

Kind regards

Sara

[Paul Tallet]

OK, that's the mossies sorted ... what about the Sandflies?

Are they known to fond of any colours?

Cheers

[Steve Fifield]

I've got a feeling that they like Pink.

[Sue-S]

I still say the best spray is Jungle Fever (tropical), it was brilliant when we were there in December.
We were also told the darker the skin the less they like you, dont know how true that is, but towards the end of the holidays when we were sporting magnificent tans, you could certainly spot (not meant to be a pun) the new arrivals, pale skin and big big bites.!!!

[Paul Tallet]

I don't think the sandflies are that picky ... they just like sand which is fine and this becomes utopia when combined with the presence of a nice juicy human rump in their nearby vicinity.

The added aroma of Rum Punch seems irresistible ... like a bee to nectar.

My guess is that whether you are dark or fair ... you get scoffed ... these ain't mossies ... they are mean voracious little beasts that basically comprise of a sense of smell, a row of teeth and an asshole.

Often mistaken for mossie bites, but by the time you have metamorphisised into the Elephant Man ... I think you will know what I mean.

Nasty things ... yuck !