06-20-2012, 02:49 AM
I am one of those people that attracts biting bugs. Not just mosquitos, but no-see-ums and other regionally available bloodsuckers. I can be outside with a dozen people, and 11 will have no bites and I will have several. It seems to be the best way not to get bit is to have me around. I have tried everything. Yes deet works. I don't like to smell that way but I believe the risk from the chemical is less than the risk from mosquito-spread pathogens. The only other thing that helps is eating raw garlic. It has to be raw, the cooked stuff has no effect. The more I eat, the less attractive I am to bugs. One clove definitely helps. One time when I was juicing I added several cloves to my vegetable juice and drank it. It tasted horrible but I was bug proof. Unfortunately I smelled very strongly of garlic so bad that even the clothes I wore smell liked garlic. At least the DEET smell can be washed off. The downside with garlic is that you have to plan ahead. You can't just choke down a raw clove and go outside, it needs to be eaten a few hours ahead of time. I have just got into the habit of eating a raw clove in the morning after breakfast. If I know I am going to be spending more time outdoors I will eat a bigger clove or two cloves. It really does work. I remember reading somewhere that the literary thing about garlic warding off vampires stems from the old practice of eating garlic to deter bloodsucking insects. So this is not a new discovery.
Edit to add, how to eat a raw clove of garlic? I usually crush the clove, remove the skin, then dice it up into about 6 chunks and toss them into the back of my mouth and follow with water (beats chewing it). It takes awhile but eventually you almost get used to it.
Edit to add, how to eat a raw clove of garlic? I usually crush the clove, remove the skin, then dice it up into about 6 chunks and toss them into the back of my mouth and follow with water (beats chewing it). It takes awhile but eventually you almost get used to it.