Mosquitoes and other bugs in Jamaica

[ECO]

I've been reading that the bugs in parts of Jamaica can be really bad. Shy of a few times up in the hills I have never used anything to fend them off since either they were not around or my smell did not appeal to them.

What do you use to fend them off? Some people say they are immune to Skin So Soft and even DEET!

[Wahoo]

Maybe I have thicker skin than some peeps, but I've never been bothered by mosquitos or flies or no-see-ums or other bugs in Jamaica.

In fact, there're only 3 places in the world that I've ever been bothered by mosquitoes and other bugs:

(1) Chincoteague Island (Virginia)--swarms of mosquitoes that eat you alive.

(2) Alaska--mosquitoes the size of fruit bats, I'm not shytin you!

(3) Sand fleas at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, summer of 1970. Standing at attention in line for chow at 4:00 a.m. Sand fleas biting my neck till I thought I'd scream. Thinking I could do so unnoticed, I quickly swatted at them. From out of nowhere a DI suddenly appeared an inch from my face, veins in his neck throbbing, and screamed in my ear, "LET MY BUGS EAT, TURD!!!"

[ECO]

Wahoo, do you know if they sprayed the beach where you stayed for the fleas? I was reading somewhere else where people wear dog flea collars on their ankles! I have never once been bothered by fleas on a beach.

[damswell]

ive never been bothered either on the beach....as for mosquitos i use off, and mosquito coils

[Babyuv3]

I recently returned from Negril and I must say that the mosquiotos were terrible. I have been back for 2 weeks and I still have bug bites on my legs from the Zipline excursion I took. I sprayed some type of bug spray that they had at the Zipline tour which smelled like pure alcohol. It worked for a little while but I still had to spray myself again before the excursion was over. I'm not sure if anything will work completely, but good luck with finding a better bug spray

[damswell]

i usually never been bitten...but this time i was eaten alive in falmouth...thank god for aloe vera plant works like a charm.....

[Wahoo]

Wahoo, do you know if they sprayed the beach where you stayed for the fleas? I was reading somewhere else where people wear dog flea collars on their ankles! I have never once been bothered by fleas on a beach.

Wearing dog flea collars on your ankles--that's pretty imaginative! I don't know about spraying for fleas or sand fleas. I do recall them spraying for mosquitos early in the morning at Sunset Beach in Montego Bay (with these big noisy machines that sent up a huge dense cloud of noxious insecticide, which dissipated in 15-20 minutes)--it conveniently masked the cloud of fumes coming from my deck on the top floor of the towers. I later read trip reports on TripAdvisor from people complaining about flea-infested cats roaming the grounds at Sunset Beach, but I never saw a cat either time I stayed there. Probably because I was more fixated on what was going on at the nude beach.

[Rose21]

I read an article on line about mosquitoes and why they are attracted to some people and not others--what they found out is that people who got bitten by masquitoes are depress.
I guess I'm depress, because when I was in Jamaica I was almost eaten alive.

[Wahoo]

The bugs I'm most paranoid about are bedbugs. I've never seen one in my travels, but I constantly fret about being bitten by them--or worse, bringing them home --every time I stay in a hotel/motel...which reminds me, I'll be staying at that hooker-haven motel in Christiansburg again this Thursday night. Also, I hate roaches! I know they'll probably still rule the world after humans are long extinct, which really sucks.

[Wahoo]

I read an article on line about mosquitoes and why they are attracted to some people and not others--what they found out is that people who got bitten by masquitoes are depress.
I guess I'm depress, because when I was in Jamaica I was almost eaten alive.

Rose, you got to lively up yourself, then you won't be depressed and eaten alive in Jamaica.

[jellybean]

The bugs I'm most paranoid about are bedbugs. I've never seen one in my travels, but I constantly fret about being bitten by them--or worse, bringing them home --every time I stay in a hotel/motel...which reminds me, I'll be staying at that hooker-haven motel in Christiansburg again this Thursday night. Also, I hate roaches! I know they'll probably still rule the world after humans are long extinct, which really sucks.

I was reading an article the other day there is an epidemic of bedbugs all over the world at the moment and they blame it on the fact that people travel more now,

[MZKUMA]

Will be taking my own towels, bedding and buy something to spray the mattress before putting them on the bed. Oh, and straight bleach for the toilet and shower as well as insect spray for the room. (If I see a roach or spider I will freak out).

*slapping the back of my neck, but it was my braids....shiver*

[ECO]

Bug Report September 2009:

In 9 days I used bug spray __0__ times and got __9-10__ bites, all of the bites are below my knees so I am assuming they are from fleas in Negril.

[trvellover]

Regrettably mosquitoes are a common problem in many of the islands. We usually cover ourselves, especially at evening, but when we don't, a day or two of applying Cortaid cream to the area and taking Benadryl frequently does the trick.

Best Regards,