Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa Message Board - Skeeters at the beach

Zihuatanejo Ixtapa Troncones Mexico
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Ok, so my wife and I will be in barra de potosi and troncones next week. This is a first visit for us at this time of year due to changes in our schedules. What should we expect as far as mosquitoes and bugs? Is there spray or wipes generally available in BDP and Troncones, or should we bring our own? Any recommendations?

Oh, and don't give me any bad news about heat and humidity or bugs this time of year. I would rather just find out once I am there, unless there is something I can bring with me to help(!)

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There is no bad news. They have fine stuff here, but if I had a specific brand of mosquito repellent that I liked to use I would bring it with me.

Another beautiful day in Zihuatanejo.

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Julio's Tours
www.juliostours.com

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Since it has barely rained there isn't much of a bug problem. I use and recommend AUTAN repellent, which you should be able to find at local tiendas at both La Barra and Troncones.

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1. You will very likely encouter "bugs" for a short period in the early morning and again in the evening.
2. Rob likes Autan but it never worked for me.
3. If you don't have DEETafphobia then bring two or three of the small bottles of DEET; OFF makes a good product.
4. Some years spray cans of DEET made it thru TSA in the States and some years not.
5. If "bugs" are a problem then try two showers a day and no deodorant (they love that stuff).
6. If you get bities try rubbing a sliced lime over the bite ASAP.
7. There is sort of a stick product called Afterbite, I think, that is also good.
8. Don't worry, Mon, be happy. Anytime you are in the "tropics" you are going to encounter bugs--on all continents!

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1. You will very likely encouter "bugs" for a short period in the early morning and again in the evening.
2. Rob likes Autan but it never worked for me.
3. If you don't have DEETafphobia then bring two or three of the small bottles of DEET; OFF makes a good product.
4. Some years spray cans of DEET made it thru TSA in the States and some years not.
5. If "bugs" are a problem then try two showers a day and no deodorant (they love that stuff).
6. If you get bities try rubbing a sliced lime over the bite ASAP.
7. There is sort of a stick product called Afterbite, I think, that is also good.
8. Don't worry, Mon, be happy. Anytime you are in the "tropics" you are going to encounter bugs--on all continents!

Living in Tampa, there are mosquitos, but they barely/rarely bother me. Without a doubt, the VERY WORST MOSQUITOS I have ever encountered were in Connecticut! Being out after dark there was like being in a Off commercial!

I've never even noticed mosquitos during all the different trips I've taken to Mexico.

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And the very worswt I have ever seen were in Alaska. I have not seen mosquitos in the urban areas like Z or I but they are cerainly out and busy in some areas. And some of us are mosquito magnets (like me) and others are not bothered at all (like my wife).

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We have used Off towelettes with good success. It seems that we are most bothered when we are sitting at happy hour or dinner. With the towelettes, you can just apply to your ankles. You don't have to bathe in the stuff. One towelette usually works for both of us. If you want to minimize the DEET factor, use the family version of Off which was adequate for us.

Off towelettes come in individual foil packets and are easy to pack. TSA doesn't care about them.

And I agree that if prevention is a failure, Afterbite is a godsend. Afterbite has to be packed in checked luggage or in your 3/3 bag. It's ammonia based and TSA is fussy about that.

All in all, skeeters are much less problem in Zihuatanejo than they are in northern Wisconsin. But if you are sensitive, why suffer.

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Yes, they are there. Skeeters after the sun sets, sand fleas in the morning. And we ran into both of them in Jan. So do apply the potions the other poster's have suggested> if you don't want to itch?

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Limon is a bit of a repellant too -- take that slice from your table
at the restaurant and rub on your ankles, squeezing slightly.
--
After you've been bit, rub bite with damp bar of soap (or limon) to stop
itching

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Actually, as long as you are moving the biting bugs shouldn't bother you. I'm a mosquito and no-see-um magnet, but I hardly ever use any repellent because when I'm outdoors in the morning or late afternoon I tend to keep in motion.

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That makes me tired, just thinking, of doing such a thing? ;-) :vacation: :smoking:

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Thanks for all the helpful answers. Sounds like nothing unusal or unexpected bug-wise. In my wisconsin backyard during the summer, when conditions are "wrong", we get mosquitoes as big as bats. So, if the situation arises down there we will just deal with it. 2 more days

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The Mexican bugs are smaller but persistent--you also have to be aware of dengue.

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Jejenes sí pican sus pies y los tobillos.

Jejenes are called to restaurantes to food spilled under tables. Use foot or hand to move fresh new sand to cover old. This will help. COFEPRIS Sector Salud does not permit the sale of repellentes with a high amount of DEET. Jejenes hate chili. Put one sliced serrano to boil in one liter water for fifteen minutes. Cool. Test one tiny spot on your ankle to make sure the oil is not too strong. If no problem, use chili water and the jejenes will hate you.

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While I personally have rarely ever had an issue with mosquitos, my wife surely DOES as the proverbial Walking Buffet, primarily at night, AND, in bed while sleeping (with that ever-incessantly irritating ‘buzz’ around your ears!)!

But, we have near-eliminated The Issue with a simple morning-n-evening ‘splash’ of pure 100% boiled coconut oil, at least on your legs (AND Ears!). It’s RARELY a problem..... for years now..... and we live on the Pacific coast of MX year-round. Pure coconut oil also serves as a nice post-bite balm that tends to remove any subsequent ‘itching’ from the bites, thus no (eventual) open-sores of BIG Red “Pockadots” on arms-n-legs!!

A fairly ‘clean’ quality used to be sold here in Z by the local "Indian" girls who once cruised the beach, and sold in the classic oooold Salsa Búfalo bottles. I don’t know who sells it locally anymore, as we BYO (by the liter!) from a wonderful ol abuelita in Chila, OAX, north of Puerto Escondido. We’re never without it!

I think that it’s at least worth a try..... as from us, it comes very highly recommended.

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And OH, it also gets your skin nice-n-brown on the beach, TOO, and definitely leaves your skin REALLY soft-n-supple after but a short time of regular daily use.

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Interesting. I've never heard of using coconut oil as a bug repellent. What do they do to it - if anything - so it won't spoil?

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[image]
http://www.casa-amarilla-zihua.com

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If properly "boiled" then it RARELY, if ever "turns"..... and stays clean for many, many, many months, usually FAR much longer than the time it takes to use-up an entire liter, even when used on a daily basis (which we do).

And "properly boiled" is easily determined by both 'color' (near-clear, slight yellow tinge) and nice, fresh coconut 'smell'. Improperly (or untalented) boiling is decidedly of a more 'brownish' color (often with 'bits'), and, has a sort of 'old' smell to it (due to the impurities left from improper boiling / skimming).

And "properly boiled" is QUITE distinctly aeromatic by itself..... though especially so with our own particular home “custom brew” that we cut with (equally mosquito-repelent) fragrant Tiare-scented MONIO OIL from Tahiti = http://www.tahiti-iti.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TI&Product_Code=MB&Category_Code=Monoi+Oils

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It certainly works for us...... and far out-performs the "myth" of terribly over done (in public or otherwise!!) patchouli oil !!! :-D

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Hey, I like my patchouli oil! :peace:

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Hey, I like my patchouli oil!

So do the "skeeters", mate......!

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D A M N = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfNq0kboAII

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Thanks for the info. I wonder if coconut oil is available in the States?
I think the last time I smelled Patchouli oil was in the Haight-Ashbury back in the sixties.

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[image]
http://www.casa-amarilla-zihua.com

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Just get down wind of any Occupy demo!

There are plenty of wannbies out there wearing it again.

That is if you can pick it out from the rest of what they leave around.

Keith

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I think the last time I smelled Patchouli oil was in the Haight-Ashbury back in the sixties.

What? Has your nose been stopped up every time we've seen each other or what? Maybe your ol' schnozz ain't workin' so well, because I ward off evil with my hippie juice. :stones:

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First time I hear of that use of coconut and I wish I could give it a try here as I live in moskitoes paradise,and not the small ones like in Zihua and they sure do like my blood down here.Last February/March,it was the first time for me in Zihua that I had that many bites at my hotel and around and they were really bad for a few days but then they fogged and it was over.

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