So how does everyone cope with the irritating and sometimes sore lumps which come up daily? I have always been a magnet for biting bugs, it seems I taste nice to them, and every year I get a few that are really troublesome.

But I usually see them, or hear them. But here, they are invisible and the first thing I know about it is the irritating lumps (always plural) So how do you fight something you can't see or hear? I have tried eating copious amounts of garlic, spraying with various concoctions, putting screens on windows, plug-in insect killers.

The result? I stink of garlic and repellent, and of germolene and witch hazel, come up with more lumps, keep everyone awake with scratching, get more lumps.....you get the picture.

Do I have to accept I am irresistible to invisible bitey things?

Answers on a postcard please!

Mrs Eq

I tried citronella , worked a bit

Last year , I didnt get bitten at all , this year a few bad days of attacks by mosquitos but also I was bitten all over by what appeared to be invisible fleas , never saw what it was , I didnt have the problem last year , the Citronella oil stopped it mostly

Im going to plant loads of lemongrass in the garden to try and get rid of some if the insects

Sandflies maybe? They are almost invisible, but pack a mighty punch.I know the best relief for the itch, but might be better off telling you via PM.
Try the citronella as a repellent.

bgbazz wrote:

Sandflies maybe? They are almost invisible, but pack a mighty punch.I know the best relief for the itch, but might be better off telling you via PM.
Try the citronella as a repellent.

I think I can guess!

Preferably your own...but it does work almost instantly.

Equinus wrote:

So how does everyone cope with the irritating and sometimes sore lumps which come up daily? I have always been a magnet for biting bugs, it seems I taste nice to them, and every year I get a few that are really troublesome.

But I usually see them, or hear them. But here, they are invisible and the first thing I know about it is the irritating lumps (always plural) So how do you fight something you can't see or hear? I have tried eating copious amounts of garlic, spraying with various concoctions, putting screens on windows, plug-in insect killers.

The result? I stink of garlic and repellent, and of germolene and witch hazel, come up with more lumps, keep everyone awake with scratching, get more lumps.....you get the picture.

Do I have to accept I am irresistible to invisible bitey things?

Answers on a postcard please!

Mrs Eq

You poor thing Mrs Eq - maybe Mrs Bumpy could be your new handle!! Joking apart, we had the same problem in Turkey, you are not alone, dusk is the time they appear to be the most active. I watered our veggies late on Monday and got bitten to pieces and still have the remnants of the bites scattered around my body. We try not be out when dusk falls, this is the worst time for getting bitten, if I go out in the evening it is always with jeans on so they can't get to my legs regardless of how hot it may be, a top with sleeves if possible is always a good idea.

We always had a spray called "
Off"
in Turkey and this was good and kept them away, but we can't buy it here in BG and they don't seem to have a similar spray.

The spray to use is 'Raid' gold can, expensive but good. I'm bitten to bits this year and have just started to use Diprosone cream to stop the itching. You can also try some 'Rakia' with crushed paracetamol in it and rub that on. If it does not cure the bites it will act as a good contraceptive :Very funny 2:stinks

tonyb60 wrote:

You can also try some 'Rakia' with crushed paracetamol in it and rub that on. If it does not cure the bites it will act as a good contraceptive :Very funny 2:stinks

No good Tony as Mrs Eq keeps saying I have no sense of smell!!! :LOL2:

Mr Eq

Raid is the most commonly available 'expensive' brand of spray over here..and it is pretty good, but there are some others which are right up there with the best. My weapon of choice is 'Baygon'..the results are dramatic and instant!! I have seasonal problems with wasps building their paper nests under the eaves and generally making a painful nuisance of themselves..their sting attack is awesome, but a quick zap with Baygon will deliver dozens of dead wasps within seconds. The residual effects of the spray keeps them from trying a re-build in the same area for many weeks. The best time to spray wasps is after dark, because.

a. They are dormant after sundown

b. Everyone is at home

Here endeth the lesson.

bgbazz wrote:

Raid is the most commonly available 'expensive' brand of spray over here..and it is pretty good, but there are some others which are right up there with the best. My weapon of choice is 'Baygon'..the results are dramatic and instant!! I have seasonal problems with wasps building their paper nests under the eaves and generally making a painful nuisance of themselves..their sting attack is awesome, but a quick zap with Baygon will deliver dozens of dead wasps within seconds. The residual effects of the spray keeps them from trying a re-build in the same area for many weeks. The best time to spray wasps is after dark, because.

a. They are dormant after sundown

b. Everyone is at home

Here endeth the lesson.

Where do you buy it please bazz, always open to new ideas.

I get mine from Metro, mainly because that's where we do our 'big' shopping spree, every couple of months..but I have seen it in smaller shops.
I grew up using this product in Oz and it has a proven track record. Another very good product (which I've never found here), is 'Aerogard'..probably the best personal anti-insect spray I've ever used. The closest stuff I've found here would be 'Autan' and like all similar products, can only be purchased at the local pharmacy.

Just to add to the above, but in a different direction, I find it quite strange that I can't buy things like paracetemel, aspirin, eyedrops, cough medicine, iodine creams and common antiseptics, off the shelf, like I can in most other countries. I would die for some 'Murine, Visine or similiar eye drops'.
I keep a good supply of 'Betadine' in my 'fridge' door, but the rest of the list escapes me.

bgbazz wrote:

I get mine from Metro, mainly because that's where we do our 'big' shopping spree, every couple of months..but I have seen it in smaller shops.
I grew up using this product in Oz and it has a proven track record. Another very good product (which I've never found here), is 'Aerogard'..probably the best personal anti-insect spray I've ever used. The closest stuff I've found here would be 'Autan' and like all similar products, can only be purchased at the local pharmacy.

Just to add to the above, but in a different direction, I find it quite strange that I can't buy things like paracetemel, aspirin, eyedrops, cough medicine, iodine creams and common antiseptics, off the shelf, like I can in most other countries. I would die for some 'Murine, Visine or similiar eye drops'.
I keep a good supply of 'Betadine' in my 'fridge' door, but the rest of the list escapes me.

Know how you feel bazz. When we come back from the UK we are like drug runners. Cough mixture, paracetamol, Gaviscon etc

Didn't know about paracetamol, I thought you could get it here.

We have some Autan Plus, and also some Pyramid spray, which was recommended when Mr Eq went to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro. Maybe things would be a lot worse if I didn't use them!

Staying out of the garden in the evening is not an option, the veg need watering however much I would like to hide indoors.

Onward and upward......

Mrs Eq

Equinus wrote:

Didn't know about paracetamol, I thought you could get it here.

We have some Autan Plus, and also some Pyramid spray, which was recommended when Mr Eq went to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro. Maybe things would be a lot worse if I didn't use them!

Staying out of the garden in the evening is not an option, the veg need watering however much I would like to hide indoors.

Onward and upward......

Mrs Eq

Yes your right you can get paracetamol here, but the Bulgarians say the English one is better. We give away a pkt a month on average. If one of our BG friends have a sore throat, cold etc they are soon ringing on the bell as they know we always have a stock

As Tony has said, you can buy paracetemol here, but it is a very weak mix, as is Nurofen or Panadol, but it irks me that I have to go to a pharmacy to get some. The eyedrops remain my biggest concern though..can't seem to find them anywhere.On the very rare occasion that I receive visitors from the UK, I always ask them to visit Boots and buy up heaps of stock..have to admit that I've only had two visitors in the last six and a bit years, so stocks are well and truly depleted. Australia seems a very long way away at times..never had a visitor from home, I'm sad to say.