Recently we have come under attack. No it's not from packs of chupacabras or menacing flocks of birds (reference to Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds") It's by vampires, ok not real vampires but blood sucking creatures of the insect variety.

At first we couldn't figure out what it was, little red itchy welts would rise up on our legs and arms and look like a mosquito bite, but nary a mosquito was in sight. At some points we would have ten or more itchy bites on each leg, my foot has ten bites alone as I am writing this. After asking around a bit, we figured out what it was. In Spanish they are called Pequeñas, but in English they are called Noseeums, Punkies, or biting midges.

These tiny blood sucking creatures (tiny enough to fit through the screens on most windows and doors) suck your blood and leave behind a very itchy welt that can last for a week. They are called noseeums because they are so small you usually don't see them. These biting midges are apparently commonly found in tropical regions amd beach habitats all around the world. The most irritating part is that they will come in through the holes on a normal screen, so there isn't much standing between them and your fresh blood. UNTIL NOW!

Relief From Biting Midges

After trial and error we have found some things that actually do work.

• Run a fan- Since Punkies are so small they are very weak fliers, so running fans in the room can be a good way of keeping them down.
• Fumigate your screens- Unless you are in a position to buy the special screens that have a much tighter weave, have your fumigator spray your screens with his fumigate, or do it yourself. This will last for a while and cause the midges to die on contact with your screen. You can sleep easy knowing these guys are paying the ultimate price for their insolence.
• Use insect repellent- It actually works. Since Noseeums feast at dawn and dusk mostly, apply repellent accordingly. We REALLY recommend a brand called AUTAN (see below)

Some people swear by Vanilla as a good repellant, they even go so far as to hang a vanilla air freshener around their neck and swear they never get bitten. Others use baby oil and wash it off after a few minutes claiming it leaves a film that noseeums don't like. While we haven't tested this, it could just be that midges don't like weirdo blood.

An Insect Repellent That Actually Works

On the topic of an insect repellent that actually works, we have found the brand called AUTAN to be extremely effective. It can be found in Commercial Mexicana in the insect sprays section. There is a whole lineup of AUTAN products, but our favorite comes in a cream (crema) form that goes on like lotion and quickly disappears. My wife who is so sweet that it has affected her blood to a point that mosquitos love her has not had a single bite since using the stuff. It works like a charm for biting midges too.

We have also heard very good things about am insect repellant brand called "Swipe." Though the big stores do not carry it, it can be found along the Elias Zamora boulivard close to Barrio 4 and the El Mangito tree. The Swipe products are biodegradable and all natural, so you are not putting on chemicals that do who-knows-what to your body. We haven't had a chance yet to test them out fully, but will make a report once we do.

Now if you don't mind, I have some bites to scratch. Have you had a problem with Noseeums? What methods do you use to keep them and mosquitos away?

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