Lemons, Ticks and bugs

[noodle one]

I had a friend who was a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant who passed on a few years back. Every time he and I would get together ,we would talk about hunting and fishing. He was older than me and I liked talking to him because he had alot to offer. One spring, now I am talking many years  ago (30 or more years). I had been out turkey hunting and stopped by his house to talk for a little bit. The first question he asked was , how did I make out? I told him that I had a good morning ,but I had forgotten my bug spray at home and was chased out of the woods by the little black gants after 15 min. of hunting. I told him that I had started a gobbler first thing and had him with in 75 yards of me and coming, gobbing his head off. I told him the bugs were eating me alive. I had to get up and leave him and the woods because I couldn't take all those little black gants feeding on me. He told that when he was in South Pacific jungles during the second world war, that they could not use any repellent because of the smell. He then told me that every day they were giving a frest lemon and had to eat it to keep the ticks and insects off of them. He told that it worked great and that he was never bitten as long as he ate a lemon. I was wondering if any one has ever heard of this or have tried lemons? I have though about it many times and about giving it a try, but I start thinking about the sour taste and just can't get myself to try it.When he told me about the lemons, he said that it wasn't all that bad ,once you get use to eating them.

[Fantail]

Well I couldn't find any concrete evidence supporting eating lemons as bug repelant, but several sites posting that lemon or lemon juice is affective. Heck if it works a lemon a day would sure beat dousing with deet. I hate bug spray on my face. These days on the ground I usually go out with a head net and cap or boonie hat & net.

At camp I have spots of standing water, this spring I'm going to try treating them with mosquito-dunks tablets.

[Mr VJP]

I have heard lemon juice applied to your skin will work, but it has to be real, undiluted lemon juice.  I think if you squeeze a lemon and apply the juice it will work.  I would try that first if you don't want to eat them.

I also find when I smoke one of my cherry/vanilla white tip cigars, the bugs will stay away from me until it's out.  I won't smoke one deer hunting, but it doesn't seem to bother the turkey at all.

[Single_shot]

Well I couldn't find any concrete evidence supporting eating lemons as bug repelant, but several sites posting that lemon or lemon juice is affective. Heck if it works a lemon a day would sure beat dousing with deet. I hate bug spray on my face. These days on the ground I usually go out with a head net and cap or boonie hat & net.

At camp I have spots of standing water, this spring I'm going to try treating them with mosquito-dunks tablets.

Last year we had 2 plastic 55gal drums for rain collection at the cabin. We went up when it was breeding season for the skeeters I suppose and both drums were infested bad. We poured some clorox in and it really was a waste of time,even tried bug spray lol. A few weeks ago I was in the local do it best and saw at the checkout,that they had the tablets you speak of. Bought a pack of them and gonna see if they work.

[wztirem]

Pour some vegetable oil in the barrel, it will prevent the larvae from emerging by cutting off their oxygen supply.

[Pygmy]

Never tried the lemon, but it is an interesting option..

I HATE bug repellents, but sometimes they are necessary, especially when you are moving some...

I no longer use them turkey hunting, since I bought a Thermacell...Those things flat out WORK if you are sitting in one place, such as turkey hunting.. I've hunted gobblers in Maine in early June when the skeeters would literally carry you away, and when I light my thermacell, they are gone within 5 minutes..Great product...

[Fantail]

Well after getting some work done at camp I 'distributed' the dunk tabs. Broke a few up acording to instructions - which also metioned treatment lasts around 30 days. So I'll do it again mid May and see how it goes. After Spring Turkey I should have results to post.

[Fantail]

A supply of Tred-Not deerfly patches arrived today. Not expecting them for a few weeks yet but I hope to post results about them when they do.

[shu9265]

I have used the lemon trick a few times with good success.

When I did it, I cut the lemons into pieces and added water to cover them in a small sauce pan. Heated it to boiling for about 5 mins.

Strained it with cheese cloth and put in a spray bottle.  Easy to apply that way and worked well.

And it sure smells and tastes better then DEET !

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Garlic tablets from any pharmacy work well also, but you have to start taking them a day or two ahead to get them in your system. Have been using them for yrs. during early trout season trips in the back woods.

FDXX75

[nyslowhand]

There are a lot of home-made recipes on the web, do a search.

Here's one I haven't tried yet, but I've heard  mixed results about the effectiveness of Skin So Soft.

U.S.Forest Service Bug Spray Recipe:

1 cup water

1 cup Avon Skin So Soft Bath Oil

2 cups vinegar

1 tbs. Eucalyptus oil (found in health food stores)

Optional: few tablespoons of citronella oil.

Shake spray bottle well before spraying on horse, human or dog!