yep same up here for me too, I swear by OFF, works a treat for all of these
nasties include ticks & leeches!! I do get out there amongst it a lot up here
too...
cheers, martin cachard, cairns
> From:
> To: ;
> Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 16:25:42 +1100
> CC:
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Paralysis Ticks and Mammalian Meat Allergies
> on Catalyst.
>
> Ditto for me: have used OFF for years: just as effective as DEET products,
> without the repugnant smell, stickiness etc.
> Aerogard (the market leader in DEET for years) now have a picaridin-based
> repellent on the market: they sell it as 'odourless/low-irritant' but I did
> notice that the concentration of picaridin is a lot lower (70% or so, I
> think) than in OFF.
>
> Paul
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Birding-Aus On Behalf Of
> Denise Goodfellow
> Sent: Wednesday, 18 February 2015 3:19 PM
> To: Carl Clifford
> Cc: birding-aus
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Paralysis Ticks and Mammalian Meat Allergies on
> Catalyst.
>
> Carl, I use OFF as well, and have always advised friends and clients to do
> the same.
>
> Regards
>
> Denise
> Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
> PO Box 71
> Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
>
> PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
>
> Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
> Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nast’s International Ecotourism Award,
> 2004.
> 043 8650 835
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 18 Feb 2015, at 10:30 am, Carl Clifford <> wrote:
>
> > David,
> >
> > I have been using OFF!, a picaridin based repellent for a few years now,
> and find it excellent. Not only works well on insects, but is good for
> leeches as well. I have even used to repel bed bugs in SE Asia. I would not
> go back to using a DEET based repellent.
> >
> > Carl Clifford
> >
> >
> >> On 18 Feb 2015, at 8:10 am, David Adams <> wrote:
> >>
> >> Carl,
> >>
> >> Thanks for the notice and thanks to Paul for the link. What a
> >> disturbing but well done piece!
> >>
> >> I've got a few suggestions on insect repellants that I thought I'd
> >> pass along to anyone that hasn't been as paranoid about bugs as me.
> >> As it turns out, there's a lot of research on what works and what
> >> doesn't for ticks and mossies. The US Army and ADF have done projects
> >> together since both deploy troops into areas with horrific insect-born
> disease. Off the top of my head:
> >>
> >> * Yes, the US Army and ADF managed to invent a 100% effective insect
> >> repellant system, when applied. When applied. So horrible that people
> >> weren't compliant. It doesn't work if you don't use it...which is why
> >> I like Picaradin rather than DEET.
> >>
> >> * DEET is effective against mossies, not so much for ticks. It's also
> >> greasy, nasty, and tends to melt plastics. Not ideal for birders.
> >>
> >> * Picaradin (available here in Aus - look for no mention of DEET on
> >> the front and 'goes on like water' as a claim. The ingredients list
> >> will list
> >> Picaradin.) I love this stuff for mossies! I think I've converted
> >> most of the local bird club to my way of thinking on this. Picaradin
> >> doesn't smell bad, isn't greasy and doesn't seem to melt plastic
> >> instantly like DEET. It works great for mossies. Ticks? I'm not sure.
> >>
> >> * Mossies can bite you without you knowing it and ticks can certainly
> >> bite you long before you notice. If you're anything like me, I think
> >> of putting on insect repellant *after* I'm needing it. That's okay
> >> when they're an irritant, not good when they may be carrying
> >> something horrible like Malaria or Dengue. This leads to Permethrin.
> >> This chemical is based on a natural compound but is entirely
> >> synthetic, as I understand it. If you apply it to your skin, it
> >> breaks down and does you no good. Instead, you use it to treat your
> >> clothes. An application lasts for many weeks and is highly effective
> >> against mosquitoes and *even more effective against ticks." Mossies
> >> it repels, ticks it kills. The stuff is amazing, you can be standing
> >> in a damp, dark mossie-infested pit/birder's paradise and nothing lands
> on you. Magic.
> >>
> >> * Permethrin-like chemicals (pyrethroids) in other formulations are
> >> built into clothes and netting as long-lasting insect repellants
> >> (That's what's going on with those five-year mossie nets they
> >> distribute and sell in various locations in Africa.) I've used
> >> long-sleeved shirts and pants like this. Fancy travel brands like
> >> ExOfficio (etc.) sell this sort of stuff. I get the SPF 30+, quick
> >> drying ones. Be forewarned: Just add binoculars and camera to make sure
> that you blend in with the locals anywhere.
> >> (Cough-cough.) Also, it seems like this stuff makes your sweat smell
> >> horrible in about 15 seconds. I have not found this to be so much the
> >> case when you treat normal clothes with Permethrin. So, the pre-built
> >> ones are more convenient and the repellant properties last long...but
> >> treating your own gives you more flexibility and you still get weeks of
> coverage.
> >>
> >> * Lots of people like botanical repellants of one sort or another. If
> >> they work for you, fantastic. Studies have shown them to be
> >> (depending on
> >> compound) ineffective to minimally effective. I like Picaradin (or
> >> DEET if I must) because I don't have to remember to reapply the
> >> material very often. With botanicals that do work a bit, you have to
> >> reapply very, very frequently to keep the bugs away. I'm. Too. Lazy.
> >> To be honest, I only get worked up about all of this when I'm going
> >> somewhere with something horrific like Malaria...then I'm all about
> >> getting zero mossie bites...that's the only way to be sure. (Oh, and
> >> for anyone doing Malarial prophylactics, I encourage you to consider
> >> Malarone. Much easier to tolerate than Doxycycline and you don't have
> >> to keep taking it for so long.)
> >>
> >> Again, all of that is off the top of my head and I'm sure I've
> >> blurred or messed up some details....but there are a few general
> >> impressions and anecdotal reports from someone that's tried a lot of
> >> bug repellants. If anyone has found other effective tools, please share
> with the list!
> >> <HR>
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