Now You See-um, Now You Don't!

January 26, 2018 3 min read 10 Comments

Best Repellents for Noseeums and Mosquitoes from The Solid Bar Company

You may not be able to see no see ums, as this image below illustrates their actual size against a finger for scale, but you sure can feel no see ums!  Here at The Solid Bar Company we're going to show you how to identify no see ums and how to deal with no-see-ums.

And you sure want to repel noseeums don't you?  

Read on.

No-see-um against a finger for size

To give no see ums their proper name, Leptoconops torrens, these airborne 'warriors' are so small, less than a sixteenth of an inch in length, that no see ums can pass through many screens and even slip through air gaps in badly fitting windows and doors!

And it's the female noseeums that you have to watch out for (well that's if you have a microscope to tell the difference!) as, much like those larger airborne nuisances the mosquitoes, it is the female noseeum that inflicts the pain during and after her act of getting much needed protein from our blood in order to assist reproduction and grow the future noseeum eggs. This process must surely come top of the list, or near top, for the least appreciated 'wonders' of nature!

No-see-um

The female noseeum's saliva, that lubricates her mouth parts as they pierce our skin for blood, is what causes the itching, redness and swelling.  Immediate reactions develop within a few minutes of the noseeum bite and last for a few hours.  Delayed reactions can take around a day to develop and may last for up to a week.

It is the excruciating after-itch from the small red dot of the noseeum 'bite' area that can be difficult to resist, but you must as not only can it last for up to two weeks scratching can make the itchy noseeum bites last twice as long and lead to infected sores.  Our Insect Bite Relief Balm created just for this noseeum itch will help!

It would seem obvious that avoidance is the best course of action by using effective noseeum deterrent applications if you are visiting areas where they inhabit.

So, what are the best natural ingredients to keep mosquitoes and no-see-ums away?

The primary natural repellents are Catnip infused British Rapeseed Oil*, Coconut oil*, Castor oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Lexfeel N350*, Eco Silk* (plant derived), Oil of Lemon Eucalyptusm (OLE) and essential oils of Lemongrass, Litsea, Naiouli, Geranium, Neem Oil, Lavender, Peppermint, Cedarwood; that's twelve (12) proven awesome bug repellent ingredients to give you the quick and simple bug free relief you need today! (* UK Soil Association Certified Organic)

If these ingredients are used in the right combinations, as in our Tropical Strength noseeum repellent, and within the right carrier (such as a shea butter product) they can be as effective a noseeum deterrent as deet products for several hours, and equally importantly, with no harmful side effects even after re-applications!

Awesome Bug Repellent from The Solid Bar Company

Our Awesome Bug Repellent Bars contain the best quality natural ingredient combination formulated as a repellent to mosquitoes and noseeums.  They are effective, DEET-free, long lasting to protect up to 6 hours.  Not only are they super concentrated and skin safe but they also have a great scent and offer excellent value for money!

USA website link

Best wishes from

The Solid Bar Company Team

 

Note: [Of course C12H17NO can be used as well, or Deet as it is more commonly known; it is used as both an insect repellent and as a pesticide.  Deet was first developed by the US Army back in 1946 for military personnel use and was registered on the open market for commercial use in 1957.  You will find that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had concerns over the toxicology and possible adverse effects of Deet from back before the 80's.  It is also worth noting that the EPA has repeatedly highlighted significant concerns from exposure and dermal absorption through either frequent use of Deet and/or in particular using Deet formulas on children.] 

10 Responses

Rebecca
Rebecca

February 12, 2020

Hi Victoria – thanks for your comment – yes vinegar can help, white vinegar is best, BUT it will not help only irritate if you have scratched the bite and/or made it raw in any other way. There are many other possible remedies out there such as baking soda paste, aloe, lemons even mud – but we recommend our own natural bite relief cream for the fastest relief and it’s easy to carry around in a handy container (you won’t always have a bottle of vinegar with you!) – check it out here – https://thesolidbarcompany.com/collections/bug-repellents/products/bite-sting-relief Best wishes, The Solid Bar Company Team

Victoria
Victoria

February 12, 2020

I found spraying vinegar to the bites helps with the severe itch.

Manny
Manny

August 09, 2018

It’s a wonderful repellent, does the job better than sprays, just come back for more this year.

Rosetta Lourdes
Rosetta Lourdes

September 18, 2017

Hi there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us so I came to take a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Rosetta.

The Solid Bar Company Team
The Solid Bar Company Team

July 16, 2017

Hello Sandy,

Thank you for your query and sorry to read about the bites you are getting.

Without specifics of where you are located and what type of insect/creature is creating these bites it is difficult to offer sound advice. You have put your question on this blog article about noseeums so you ‘possibly’ consider it is these insects.

Our other blog post tells you more about these noseeum biting insects, their habits and life cycle and is worth a read for more advice as here: http://bit.ly/2dMQxLc.

All our products are non-toxic and we have a repellent (https://thesolidbarcompany.com/collections/bug-bars/products/tropical-repellent-1) and an after bite relief (https://thesolidbarcompany.com/collections/bug-bars/products/itch-relief-balm) you may care to consider.

Ultimately, if these bites are causing you prolonged discomfort then we would always recommend that you consult with your doctor or a dermatologist specialist for their professional view as soon as possible.

Best wishes, The Solid Bar Company Team.

sandy allen
sandy allen

July 15, 2017

Every few days I find I have more bites on my arms and legs. I have not been sitting in the grass. I’ve been walking at the park, however, and do enjoy time outside. I never see any insect on me but the bite itches and lasts for at least two weeks. I need a suggestion on something not toxic to humans that I can use prior to going outside. We don’t have our home open. Would it be possible that I could carry them to the car and they would live there? Thank you.

The Solid Bar Company Team
The Solid Bar Company Team

May 27, 2017

Hello Kadee, Thank you for your email and sorry to read about your concerns. From the brief, but vivid, description of what you (and your family) are experiencing we would suggest that it is NOT as a result of noseeums at all; they do not (in our extensive experience of them) leave any such trademarks. We could offer possible alternative for the condition you have related on here, but that would be most incorrect of us to do so as we are not medically qualified nor have we seen it first-hand. Searching for answers on the internet for similarly serious conditions may well provide some solace, and even the odd answer or two, in the short-term but could lead to more stress and/or damage in the long-term. Please do not take a chance with your health; we strongly recommend that you visit your doctor or a dermatologist specialist for their professional view as soon as possible. Best wishes, The Solid Bar Company Team.

Kadee Holmes
Kadee Holmes

May 27, 2017

Hey there,I do believe this is what my four children, my husband and myself have, but the thing that I don’t understand is that it says they don’t embed in the skin? Whatever we have seems to come from our skin with 2 spike looking things coming out first. They leave the shapes of triangles on our skin and food. They also appear to be in our stool, but they could just be landing on it seconds after using the restroom. Another thing is even when not feeling anything coming out of skin if you pore peroxide on one of the bites that’s left in the skin this yellowish puss looking white stuff comes out but won’t wipe off, and will go back into the skin. Im terrified this may be something deadly and our families think we are on drugs. please HELP! Thanks

The Solid Bar Company Tean
The Solid Bar Company Tean

May 23, 2017

Hello Carrie, Glad you found it all informative! We try our best to educate as well as provide natural effective products for everyone to use. Good luck with keeping those noseeums away – they are the ruination of so many vacations! Best wishes, Rebecca

Carrie Trip
Carrie Trip

January 26, 2017

Thanks for this interesting information! Noseeums are such a nuisance everywhere we travel and can ruin an otherwise awesome beach day! Looking forward to trying out your product!

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