+AuntieWeasel Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 It's chilly in New England today, and I somehow got it in my head the skeeter season must be over. I went out on a four-cache trail without my usual protective layer of DEET and had to give myself a quick mid-woods spritz from the emergency vial. This brought to mind a question I've pondered all Summer. Is repellant really repellant? Does it actually repel, drive off, repulse, annoy or otherwise chase bugs away? Or does it merely mask the people smell? We call it repellant, but which brand advertises itself as making you "invisible" to bugs? That's a different thing altogether. It matters. If bug spray actually bothers bugs, then I can be pretty sloppy about applying it and still get full protection. If, however, it only masks an attractant, they may be able to find that one patch of elbow I missed and skeeter the heck out of me. Anyone know? And now I've reached the bottom of this, I realize I no longer fully comprehend what constitutes "off topic". Eh. Que sera sera. Quote Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 There are two things mosquitoes are attracted to, thermal and carbon dioxide of which we give off oodles of both in our body temp and exhalation. From my observations bug repellant is indeed a repellant. I can see the little buggers hovering over and around me and my dog after it is applied with attempts to breach what I call the vapor barrier and being repelled away from it. It appears it's an irritant to them and their itty bitty senses. In order to truly mask one's scent you would have to wear charcoal impregnated clothing from head to toe and then somehow snorkel the CO2 away from you. Seeing that kind of get up in the woods, I'd find that a little more scary than some pesky mosquitoes. Quote Link to comment
moopgroop Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 (edited) From somewhere in the fountain of useless information I call a brain, the thought "DEET is a repellant" popped up. I can't remember where I learned/heard it but it was probably in organic or biochemistry somewhere along the way. (I tried to forget most of that stuff after boards!) Edited September 12, 2004 by moopgroop Quote Link to comment
+Beta Test Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Some bug reppellants are actually poisons and should only be applied to clothing. Its neat to see them land on you and then fall over dead! Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 (edited) As I understand it, DEET causes the insects to become disoriented and unable to land on you. So in a way, I guess it doesn't really repel, but I've watched mosquitos fly around my arm, or leg looking for a place to land and not being able to when I'm wearing repellent. One thing many people don't realize is that a quick spritz on one part of your body doesn't keep them away. You have to cover all exposed skin. If you miss that patch of elbow, they can find it. ome bug reppellants are actually poisons and should only be applied to clothing. Its neat to see them land on you and then fall over dead! Peremethren based repellents are insecticides. They should only be applied to clothing. DEET based repellents should be applied to skin and clothing. Edited September 12, 2004 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
+SixDogTeam Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 DEET repels insects, it makes them gag. Too much of it makes them really sick to their little stomachs, and they die. Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 (edited) DEET repels insects, it makes them gag. Too much of it makes them really sick to their little stomachs, and they die. No, DEET is not a repellant. It's an anti-attractant. It doesn't make the insect disoriented and unable to land (that's a new one). It blocks their ability to locate you. Mosquitoes locate their supper by detecting sources of CO2 and lactic acid. Those new mosquito zappers that are supposed to clear your whole yard, work by using propane to generate CO2, which attracts the mosquitoes away from you and into a bug trap. DEET blocks the mosquitoes ability to detect CO2 and lactic acid, but it only works when in contact with your skin. Putting it on your clothes is mostly ineffective, except for what DEET may soak through and be activated by contact with the skin. Edited September 12, 2004 by Prime Suspect Quote Link to comment
+nfa Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 (edited) Everyone knows that DEET really stands for: Diabolical Exterminators of the Epidermal Territories The liquid you apply to your skin is actually only a transport medium for nano-sized robots that grab the proboscii of stinging insects, and chop them off with tiny, tiny, tiny, machetes. Sometimes this kills the offending insect, sometimes it only serves as an object lesson for the insect and others of its kind...the stories circulated about co2, body heat, repellents, blockers, confusers, and the like are spread to fool the simple folk who might be afraid of nano-technology. Always glad to inform the ignorant... nfa Edited September 12, 2004 by NFA Quote Link to comment
lowracer Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 (edited) Did you ever accidentally get some 100% DEET in your mouth? Man that stuff is nasty. It makes your mouth taste like you been licking the bottom of a rusty toolbox (don't ask) and then the numbness starts. The bad taste spreads from the tip of your tongue, all the way (slowly) back to your throat. Trying to spit the taste out just seems to make it worse, spreads it around. Then your whole tongue is numb and pretty soon your throat too. Next thing you can't breathe, because your throat is swollen shut. Oh and your vocal cords are numb so don't bother screaming for help. Then the hallucinations start. It wouldn't actually be too bad a trip except for the asphyxiation part. Lots of swirling colors, real pretty and all. My theory is that the bugs can't stand the numbing metallic taste. They get some of those fumes on their itty-bitty little tongues, and since they're so small, their whole body goes numb instantly, they trip out real bad and can't remember what day it is, nor what they are supposed to be doing at that moment. Since they can't see colors, they miss the good colorful part of the trip. That's my theory. You may hear other crackpot theories, from other crackpot theorists, none of whom have actually tasted the stuff. Trust the theorist who tasted it. Accidentally of course. Edited September 12, 2004 by lowracer Quote Link to comment
+SixDogTeam Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 nano-sized robots that grab the proboscii of stinging insects, and chop them off with tiny, tiny, tiny, machetes. Uh, not a good idea to really be talking about this. you know the government DOES have nanobots that mimic mosquitoes and use them for surveillance... I'm sure you wern't aware of this and were only making a joke, but...the mods ought to stop this thread now, before the black choppers arrive!! Quote Link to comment
+as77 Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 A recent study says: "Although the mechanism of action of DEET is unknown, the main theory is that the chemical disturbs the function of receptors in the mosquito's antennae that allow it to locate humans." (http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/169/3/209) Quote Link to comment
+southdeltan Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 . It doesn't make the insect disoriented and unable to land (that's a new one). It blocks their ability to locate you. They can't land if they can't find you DEET blocks the mosquitoes ability to detect CO2 and lactic acid, but it only works when in contact with your skin. Putting it on your clothes is mostly ineffective, except for what DEET may soak through and be activated by contact with the skin. Activated? I was not aware that DEET had to be activated. That is a new one for me... sd Quote Link to comment
+crash331 Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 From deet.com: DEET disrupts the ability of biting insects to detect the source of carbon dioxide?the gas naturally given off by our skin and in our breath? which is what attracts mosquitoes and other insects to us. Insects aren?t killed?they just can?t locate their prey for a period of hours. So a good whiff will keep that paticular skeeter away for a couple of hours. Quote Link to comment
+crash331 Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Oh, by the way, Permethrin looks dangerous. I wouldn't mess with it. link Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 (edited) Oh, by the way, Permethrin looks dangerous. I wouldn't mess with it. link Not half as dangerous as lyme, erlichosis, babesoisis, rocky mountain spotted fever, west nile virus, tick typhus, STARI, tularemia, St. Louis encephalitis, tick paralalysis, relapsing fever and anaplasmosis. The dangers of these insect borne diseases are real and can be fatal. I'll take my chances with DEET and Peremthren. putting it on your clothes is mostly ineffective, except for what DEET may soak through and be activated by contact with the skin. The only place I ever heard this was from you. I have on the other hand found dozens of sources on the Internet that say applying DEET to clothing is effective. The sources iincluded places like like the CDC, several state's boards of health and the major manufacturer of DEET. The empirical evidence as I've seen it also supports the fact DEET works on clothing. I've been bitten through shirts when not wearing it and when once I've applied it to clothing the biting stopped. It doesn't make the insect disoriented and unable to land (that's a new one). It blocks their ability to locate you. Mosquitoes locate their supper by detecting sources of CO2 and lactic acid I've seen both theories. I've also seen a lot of statements that say "scientists aren't certain how DEET works." The paragraph below, which supports my statement, came from the Brevard County insect control commission: Mosquitoes and other blood-feeding flies (such as black flies and deer flies) are attracted to hosts by skin odors and carbon dioxide from their breath. When a mosquito gets close to a host, DEET and some other repellents jam the insect's sensors and confuse the insect so it is unable to land and bite the host successfully. DEETOnline however supports your statement: DEET works not by killing biting insects, including mosquitoes and ticks, but by confusing their ability to detect those substances that attracts them to humans and other mammals. I have personally watched mosquitos attempt to land on my DEET coated arm. They know I'm there, but they can't seem to bring themselves to land. They will approach, fly away and approach again. It's possible that DEET does both. It masks CO2 and lactic acid attractants produced by the body and keeps them from landing if they find you anyway. Edited September 13, 2004 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
+Robespierre Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Did you ever accidentally get some 100% DEET in your mouth? Man that stuff is nasty. As opposed to purposefully? Since the only biting skeeters are the female (and I'm just not going into that discussion), these "repellants" actually work by lining-up so many male mosquitoes that the females are kept very very busy and don't have time to bite. That's the truth. Quote Link to comment
WH Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Since the only biting skeeters are the female.... Wow, so there IS more than 1 species on the planet plagued with blood-sucking females. Quote Link to comment
+Charles Street Gang Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Just curious...do you spray your dog? Quote Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted September 14, 2004 Share Posted September 14, 2004 i rub 100% deet into my hands and then give my dog a good rubdown. He knows it helps him from being pestered so gives me no grief over it. Plus he likes the attention. Quote Link to comment
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