[Red Devil]

Afternoon all

Having encountered these little $ods whilst traveling down the West Coast recently, just wondered if they're only found in this area of NZ. We didn't see any whilst on the North Island, but once we'd landed on the South Island and traveled from Nelson to Greymouth, it was only whilst checking-out of our accommodation in Greymouth that the receptionist asked did we have any repellant... "no, we'll OK thanks". Famous last words, it wasn't until we got to the Buller Gorge swingbridge that the little $ods honed in on my lovely, fresh, pale skin and started their feast :mad: :eek:

Look forward to finding out where they all live and what time of year they appear (and hopefully disappear)... so I can be far away as possible from them :D

Cheers :nice1

[janrzm]

Hi

We were over there at the same time as you - I was intially quite worried about them as OH always gets bitten and also reacts quite badly. [ he knows immediately thats he's been bit ]
We didn't encounter any in Tauranga & Taupo. There were millions of them at the peak of Te Mata [ Hawkes Bay ] but not Napier. None in Wellington either.
However went to a beautiful beach at Golden Bay which was infested with them. OH eventually went to sit in the car!
What was really strange was that even a week after we came home the kids kept coming out in more bites.Even took one of them to the doctors because they seemed to be multiplying on him.

[Andy-Dee]

Afternoon all

Famous last words, it wasn't until we got to the Buller Gorge swingbridge that the little $ods honed in on my lovely, fresh, pale skin and started their feast :mad: :eek:

Cheers :nice1

Aren't they the pits??? Same thing happened to us and the bites lasted months. Only place we encountered them though.

[victoria]

They are alive & unfortunately well along the Kapiti Coast.Little bu--ers don't seem to have a sleep season either. Only time is when it's cool/cold but a bit of sun & a slight increase in temperature & it's every bug for itself. Sorry but if you are reaction free of repellent it's the only way. ..... unless someone knows otherwise .....

[Familyofmonkeys]

OH got bitten at Shakespeare Regional Park on Whangaparoa last summer. He didn't realise at the time, but noticed small bite marks that evening. I offered him some anti itching cream, but being a bloke he decided he didn't need it.....well by the next morning he had scratched the bite marks had turned into lumps a couple of cm across and were infected....so trip to doctors for antibiotics :( Dr said that some people react very badly, others barely even notice bites. Also he said for most people after a few years of getting bitten every summer, you end to react less severely....but with all the new migrants to NZ they see people almost every day with sandfly or insect bites!

[Carol]

They seem to love my back yard!



eugh!

[shakyle2906]

I encountered these bites when we were up in Mahia a few monthes ago and my feet and legs were plastered in them, they all cut and i was so embarrased i wouldnt go without my legs covered for weeks.........

I have suffered really badly with mozzie bites too, even having to go to ED when my legs swole up so very badly i could hardly walk.

Sharon
x

[britchik]

Alive and Biting in Wanganui too !!!

[calixfornia]

Not looking forward to this! I thought mosquitos here in the US were bad enough. Looks like I'll be stocking up on linen pants and shirts! And Avon Skin-So-Soft, I imagine you don't have that in NZ?

[Carol]

Not looking forward to this! I thought mosquitos here in the US were bad enough. Looks like I'll be stocking up on linen pants and shirts! And Avon Skin-So-Soft, I imagine you don't have that in NZ?



Well Avon IS here - so I don't see why not.

You soon get into the habit of applying repellent every day with your sunscreen - worry not.