Mosquito tips

[Coastal Aggie]

Im getting ready for my 3rd trip up to Alaska in about a month. this will be my second trip up with an oliver and first time in the summer and not during the shoulder seasons. As such mosquitos are on my mind. I thought i was used to them from going to college in Galveston and living in texas my whole life but even last spring when i was in alaska leaving just when they were starting to hatch it was a whole different ballgame. I would like to get one of those magnetic screen doors for the Ollie and was wondering if any of yall have recommendations on them. Also while my original thermacell has worked amazingly for most outings ive done the refills can be a bit of a pain when you need to use it for extended periods of time so if someone has experience with either one of the other thermacell products or some sort of alternative thats just as effective or better id appreciate the insight.

[Ronbrink]

We’re in Clear Lake near Galveston, I ‘m a mosquito magnet! We carry Thermacells, one handheld and three latern style. The handheld is kept near me and the laterns are positioned around the immediate camp. I have a dropper bottle containing Pyrethrin to recharge the scent pads, very cost efficient and very effective! I really don’t like to spray down with harsh insect repellant, but find the Repel Lemon Eucalyptus (Deet-Free) product pleasent for skin and clothing applications and effective. Inside the Oliver I hang a couple of bug zappers for the occasional pesty invaders. If anywhere for a length of time, the screened Clam is deployed. Although I don’t like using, sometimes there’s a need to sweep camp with Cutter Backyard Bug Control. 

[William SJT]

The 115 mile stretch of the Alaska Highway from Destruction Bay to the Alaska border is pretty rough. Slow way down when you come to the gravel patches.

 

[topgun2]

Each year prior to heading out to the Rockies to fish for a couple of months, I treat several changes of cloths with THIS STUFF.

It lasts through washings and helps keep the bugs off for about 6 weeks.

Have a great trip!

Bill

[marsharini]

Another mosquito magnet here.  The campground at Watson Lake, Yukon Territory was the worse for mosquitoes.  This was my setup.  The older, dark green Thermacell I set on the right side of the steps going into the Oliver and never had a mosquito get inside.  The Repel spray works great if you have to leave the Thermacell shield of protection to go for a walk or otherwise leave the campsite.  The severity of the mosquitoes depends on the weather.  When we went to Alaska in 2016 they weren’t that bad except in wet, rainy heavily wooded campgrounds, but it pays to be prepared.

[topgun2]

Is it just me or is there something extremely satisfying about that sound of yet another mosquito being fried when hit with the "tennis racquet"?

 

[Coastal Aggie]

6 hours ago, William SJT said:

Slow way down when you come to the gravel patches.

Don't I know it. Roads were still pretty icy this last time I drove up. And there were a couple of times i started sliding but always regained control. That was not a drive for the faint of heart. Most of the campgrounds were still closed for the winter too. I think aside from Liard in BC I spent the nights in the roadside pullouts because there was nowhere else to camp. Even once I was up in alaska we took a trip down to the kenai and while the campground we went to was technically fully open they hadn't gotten around to plowing the actual campsites yet. Another lesson learned when I decided to brave it and found the snow in the cul-de-sac at the end of the row of campsites to be too deep to turn around. Thankfully I've got a 12k lb winch which made easy but time consuming work to pull my truck and Ollie in a circle to get back out of the campground. 

[Coastal Aggie]

10 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

Is it just me or is there something extremely satisfying about that sound of yet another mosquito being fried when hit with the "tennis racquet"?

Probably one of my favorite toys I picked up during my time In galveston. It was the year that there was a huge population explosion of the giant quarter sized mosquitos that have a pretty painful bite. I think 2017 or 18. Many of the hallways at the school were spotted with blood spots from students smacking mosquitos against the walls. They had to put up signs asking folks to avoid doing that.

Edited June 30 by Coastal Aggie

[Ray Kimsey]

When the mosquito meter is in the 5-6 range, you can resort to a: Mosquito head net

[Coastal Aggie]

So none of yall actually use a mosquito net on the door of your trailers to keep them outside? My friends that live in Fairbanks use one on the door to their house and it works great.