Gnats

[Scott K]

I dont know if anyone else has noticed lately, but those dang gnats are terrible. I use the ThermaCell for mosquitos, and it works great, but the gnats arent effected. What is a good way to keep the gnats away?

[Steve Foss]

Good ole DEET is the only thing I've found that works. I'll be interested if anyone else knows of some non-DEET gnat repellants.

[Scott K]

I have heard of peppermint extract working, but I have never tried it.

[reinhard1]

i haven't tried this but i will give it some test runs.this is from a book i got a few years ago for pest-free property's.

when you are out-of-dorrs and the bugs are sure to bother you there is an herb that works to repel insects and even some animals. this herb solution has been around for hundreds of years and is easy to use.

the herb is anise, which you have probably heard about when making licorice. however, anise has chemical properties that make it one of the best natural bug deterrents that anyone has found.

anise oil is available in all health food stores and you may also be able to purchase it through your local pharmacy, agricultural or garden supply house. fisherman and hunters swear by anise oil and those in the know will not go on a hunting or camping trip without it.

[one of the best ways to use the anise oil is to add a small amount to the clothes you will be wearing on the camping trip. place the oil into the wash cycle so that it mixes with the soapsuds. this will place the oil into the clothing.]

anise will repel almost all bugs, especially houseflies, gnats, mosquitoes, green bottle flies and black blowflies.

to make a commercial bug repellant more effective and make it last longer; just add a few drops to the bottle and shake it up. many people prefer this since many of the bug repellants have a more pleasant scent.

if anise seed is given to dogs it will make them more affectionate and may be used by breeding kennels. anise is a love potion for dogs. if you encounter a dog and the dog licks your clothing that has been washed in anise oil, they will not be aggressive and be very affectionat [ i thought i would throw that in here along with the bug stuff].

well i will try this next time i wash a small load of my "fishing cloths" and see what happens and add a few drops in my bug spray. good luck.

[ted4887]

Great post. I was wondering this myself this weekend. Even the deet didn't help me this weekend, as I still got just annihilated. Let me know on that anise trick, as I don't see this gnat problem getting better anytime soon.

[Steve Foss]

reinhard, that's a great tip. I'm most definitely going to try that one!

[Scott K]

Yes, please let us know how it goes, I may have to go find some of that stuff.

[Ed Carlson]

Gnats do not like vinager either.

Hate Gnats..hate them bad!

Gnats drve me Gnuts!

[reinhard1]

i'm going to start off soaking my fishin hat in some warm water with a few drops of that stuff since they buzz the head most of the time. then put some drops on the hat after it dry's. now to find some. good luck.

[muc33]

I was told Vinegar worked too, I might try that as it's easier to find than anise in my house anyways!

[reinhard1]

one thing about vinegar, if you have those tiny ants in your house try this. mix a 50/50 water vinegar mix and with a wash cloths wash the area the ants use and they will be gone. good luck.

[reinhard1]

i thought of something my mother uses that i forgot about. she swears by it but being a stubborn germen son i never tried it cause it looked a little dumb. she put a sheet of bounce on her hat with a clip. i may try that today while i cut the grass before i go hunt down the anise. good luck.

[Ed Carlson]

I got chewed up by Gnats yesterday, and the day before. I look like I got chicken pox. They go from just being a bothersome pest to looking for blood and then they start to bite......well...there in the mood to bite now, and then they really tick me off.

Going to be a tough year for Gnats I fear. I may even break out the head nets and give them a shot of something...anything... to keep them at bay.

GNATS-SUCK!

[Scott K]

I was out fishing, casting the other day, I had to just stop, I was getting a headache from the gnats stressing me out. I just couldnt handle them anymore.

[reinhard1]

man it's hot out there! well i just got done in the shower after cutting the grass. i put a sheet of bounce with a paper clip on my hat and i about an hour of cutting did not have anything buzzing around my head. i normaly spray my hat with bug spray. so i dont know, was it not the day for the gnats and black fly's. there were insects flying around. i was in and out of the sun and shade and mosquitos were around as well in the shade.

i am still going to try the anise herb in liquid form as in my earlier post. one more thing about the bounce. my mom when she was younger went camping a lot, now very few times. she always sat in the camping area with a sheet of bounce by the collar and one around the waist line. i just humored her, but she never complained about bugs. so who knows. next time i go fishing i'll put a sheet of bounce on the back of my hat, if anything it will protect the neck from some of the sun . good luck.

[Ed Carlson]

Maybe I'll make a Gillie Suit out of Bounce Sheets....and see if they leave me alone.

[Slabasaurus]

the herb is anise, which you have probably heard about when making licorice. however, anise has chemical properties that make it one of the best natural bug deterrents that anyone has found.

Ha. I had heard of anise before, but the line about "Probably heard about when making licorice" made me laugh out loud.

Honestly curious how this works... let us know how it goes.

I hate these things... not to the point of not fishing because of my disdain for them, but still. I'd be much more comfortable with a little less of them around.

[muc33]

Ed, i hear ya, I may get my bear hunting gear out to mow the lawn!

[5crows]

Girlfriend hates licorice. No girlfriend, no bugs, gonna be a great trip!

[reinhard1]

haven't seen any anise herb oil yet but i do have a bounce update. i was in the garden [weeding] and being a nice cool day the mosquitos are around but are staying away around the upper part of my body. had one blood sucker near my head and it went away right away. i'm thinking the bounce works for these critters so far. i put on no bug spray.

here is something i read about bounce in florida: florida's national insect is the mosquito or at least should be. when you are in florida and see people with a bounce fabric softener sheet sticking out of their clothing, they are wearing them to repel mosquitoes. this seems to be a very effective method of keeping them away from you. so maby my mother was right. still testing them our and the anise oil will be also part of the bug free trials.

here is something else. next time you barbecue and want to keep the mosquitoes away, just throw some sage or rosemary on the hot coals. both of these herbs work great on the barbecue and will keep all flying insects away. maby an idea around the campfire. good luck.

[delmuts]

Try checking at your pharmacy for the different extracts. Years ago i tired Citronella mixed with water in a small spray bottle. It did keep the nats and noseems away, but i couldn't stand the smell. We not only have the nats and noseems , but the deer flies are terrible too! My arms and legs are full of welts!!!

[Dave S]

I got this bottle (4 oz) at the local pharmacy. It cost me $8 but the gnats head for the next county as soon as you open the bottle. Incredible stuff. Dab a little on any exposed skin and rub it in.

Not sure how well it works on skeeters or deer flies but gnats aren't a problem.

[reinhard1]

should work on black flies as well as they are classified as gnats also according to my pest book. thanks for posting this. good luck.

[Scott K]

Dave, where did you pick that up?

[Dave S]

Corner Drug. I checked all over in Mankato last weekend and nobody had it. Low and behold the local drug store has it.

The bottle in the pic has a sponge type applicator. I guess you can get it in a spray bottle as well. As you can see it's intended use is for sore muscles which would be a double bonus for guys like you and Dtro. I can imagine the sore muscles you guys have with the big girls you've had dates with lately.