When it gets bad I soak all my outter clothes, socks, hat, head nettting, etc. in pyrethrin based insect repellent.
I soak it in a bucket for half an hour and then let it hang dry. You can wash your clothes few times and as long as you let it hang dry it remains effective. I usually wash it three times before I soeak it again. It kills mesquitos and other insects including ticks quickly on continuous contact. It's safer for humans than other insect repellents. I believe it's whats in Thermacells mats.
Many years ago when I worked down in the Keys I was told by a doctor that if you take excessive amount of vitamin E it will come out with your sweat and will keep mesquitos away. I tried this by getting two injections of vitamins close together and it seemed to work... for a while.
When I had chickens they would get swarmed by mosquitoes. I had one hen that tried to roost near our front door and we started seeing a bunch of skeeters in the house. We finally figured out it was because she was constantly attacked. We put her in a coop at night and moved her away from door and problem solved. No more skeeters in the house.
Now combine that with all the rain we've had and it makes the problem worse.
Just seen this ad come through the email for Basspro. Thermacell on sale for $19.97 and comes with a $5.00 rebate. $14.97 a unit. Not too bad.
Ad: http://www.basspro.com/ThermaCell-Mosquito-Repellent/product/52165/69440
Rebate: http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/free-offers/ThermaCell_Rebate.pdf
I've been buying walmart out of colemans 100% deet spray. And that stuff only works if you reapply every few hours.
The mosquitos are as bad as I have ever seen them in the Big Cypress this year. Thermacell, BugTamer and the permethrin spray!
