Biting flies, gnats and other pesty insects

[10-Ring]

I work outdoors in the mountains. Lately among other insect pests such as mosquitoes and ticks I've been bombarded with gnats and biting flies. The gnats are so bad at the house they form clouds and constantly fly into your nose, ears, eyes, mouth, and anywhere else that they can get. Oddly enough at work just a few miles away they are not much of a problem. It is not due to anything rotting or whatnot in the yard, this has always been a problem at this house. They started in February this year. I read to mix vanilla extract and water, I tried this, put it in a spray bottle, with only minimal results. Smoking a cigar seems to help but I'm not much of a smoker and really don't enjoy having to light up every time I need to do something outside.

The flies I don't have an issue with at home but they eat me up at work. They look just like house flies but they bite. Hurts when they bite but as soon as they are done there is no pain or welp, itching or anything. Bug spray works temporarily to keep them at bay but it seems to quit working after 30 minutes or so and must be reapplied. I really don't want to be soaking myself in DEET based repellant several times a day every day.

Anyone got any good remedies for either of these problems?

[gjohnsoniv]

Have you tried one of those mosquito trap things with the propane tank? Might be expensive to do but just a thought, or citronella candles/sticks?

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

I use Swat on my horses for gnats and biting flies in their ears, other than that I use products designed for horses.. but I can tell you Swat works on humans also..

Both and other products can be bought at the TSC or the Co- Op if they carry horse products

[krunchnik]

I am from the UP of Michigan originally and we had those nasty little biting flies,nothing seemed to work,also the gnats,buzz around your head continuosly,enough to drive a person nuts.The only thing that seemed to work was going back in the house.It seems from memory they were always bad in the spring.

[10-Ring]

Yes Kruchnik that's how it seems with the gnats. You can not enjoy being outside. If you are moving they aren't bad, forget sitting on the front porch in the morning and drinking some coffee though.

[peejman]

Get a big fan. They can't fly very fast so the breeze will keep them away.

[Currently]

Skin So Soft from Avon ...

Used to work were there was lots of skeeters, black flies, deer flies ... they "drown" in the oil before they bite you. You look like crap with all their dead corpses on your skin but they die before they bite you.

Deep Woods Off for your boots and pant cuffs for ticks and chiggers.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Currently