Mosquitoes Are Here!
Just about now you are probably well aware of a change that has taken place while on the trails geocaching, especially if you live in the Upper Midwest. You see, until about now, we have been pretty much mosquito free. It’s only in June when we sign our blood over to the Minnesota state bird. Welcome to National Mosquito Control Awareness Week!
More than anything, mosquitoes can ruin a geocaching trip. I can deal with the heat—or the cold. The rain is no big deal if you’re prepared. I can dodge the snakes, but the mosquitoes give new meaning to the word, persistent.
I don’t particularly like using regular insect repellent. There’s something wrong about using chemicals like DEET on your body, however, it is something of a tradeoff. I have had some success using a product called Buggspray for mosquitoes.
Buggspray has a pleasant vanilla scent which is easier to bear than the medicinal smell of repellents. My geo-husband and I were geocaching in a dense woods. The mosquitoes were thick. I decided to use Buggspray to see how it would do against the mosquitoes. While my husband swatted at the bugs, I remained untouched. My preliminary assessment is that I may have a winner.
The next test is Ridges Sanctuary in Door County, Wisconsin. I have never been to a place where the bugs were as ferocious as Ridges. I mean, we found a discarded tube of stick repellent and we were trying to see what we could salvage from it, the mosquitoes were so bad.
How about you? How do you keep those blood-thirsty beasts at bay?
