Yellowstone mosquitoes specifics?

[Naio]

Hi folks --

I generally just avoid places with mosquitoes, but sometimes it's worth making an exception :).

The result, though, is that I don't have a lot of experience with the buggers.

Are the Yellowstone ones like others I have known, only coming out for a couple hours in the evening? Or are they a bigger deal than that?

If I go, I am wondering if I need to make some changes to the van. Screens, for example. And I normally have the door open at dinner time, for convenience and to cool the van off before bedtime. Am I going to end up sharing a bunk with the skeeters if I do that?

Thanks a bunch for any advice / stories.

[LenSatic]

Truth in Posting: I did not read all of the above posts. That said (if it hasn't been said before), apply high heat to a mosquito bite to eliminate the itching. The heat has to be so hot that you can only endure it a short time. But keep applying it, off and on, for at least a minute. A hot cup of coffee or tea works. We use the reusable hot/cold packs that can be nuked or boiled. It's a one time cure. As far as I know it only works for skeeters, though.

LS

[Roy_Lynne]

If there is one mosquito within 10 miles it will find me, but I read this great article on bug repellent on this months Consumers Report and they had lots of suggestions, one being a fan aimed at the door to keep them out or sitting near a fan to keep them away. The listed a couple of good bug repellents. One was Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Natural and the other was Sawyers Fishermans formula. I haven't tried either, but will next time out.

[pnichols]

No skeeters to speak of here in the S.C. Mountains. It's been that way for around the last 37 years, anyway.

Just -

Earthquakes

Fires

Horse flies

No water

Clean air

Seasonal temperatures between 35 and 85 degrees

[tuna_fisher]

bukhrn wrote:

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
I think it's all relative to where you are from and your tolerance. I grew up in Louisiana and stayed out until dark every day shooting photos last July and don't remember any mosquitos. I just asked my wife and she said, "Oh, yeah, they were bad."

Does that help? :B

X-2, where do you go WITHOUT skeeters, I've heard there are some places like that, but have never actually been to one. :h

None here in Joshua Tree but then they cook in flight in the summer.

[horizon36]

Well, I'm here in Yellowstone and the skeeters are just coming out. It will get really bad in the next 2-3 weeks as they keep coming out. The up side is that they only last 2-3 weeks and then mostly gone. So far I have fed almost a dozen of them and will be setting up my screen room today.

[Free_Range_Huma]

WyoTraveler wrote:
The biggest problem I have had in Wyoming with mosquitos is the little mosquitos can come right through the screens. Then they grow up quickly. They unhook the screens and let the big mosquitos in. Terrible problem. Only solution is to install locks on your window screens.

OMG! I was not expecting to be LOL at this thread! Thanks for that.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

That happens in SOCAL with mudslides and local flooding. The West side of the Sierras just doesn't get much rain period. I heard thunder once or twice in five years.

I don't think the Central Valley could ever rain enough to flood. We got 8-10" per year before the drought. Now we were in a flood plain but it was because a major resevoir is on top of a fault line and if the dam broke it would flood the valley.

[bukhrn]

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:

Naio wrote:

bukhrn wrote:
X-2, where do you go WITHOUT skeeters, I've heard there are some places like that, but have never actually been to one. :h

Most places west of the rockies :B. Houses don't even have window screens or AC in much of the west.

Long as you stay away from lakes and marshes, and camp instead near running water (creeks and rivers) or in the desert, or on the beach, you can be pretty skeeter-free in the west.

Yellowstone has that big lake, and I guess a bunch of other watery stuff...

I saw about 10 mosquitoes per year when I lived in Central CA, but some people still complained. CA couldn't make a puddle if it tried right now. Bet the ground would soak up the water in seconds its so dry. Sad.

Texas thought so too, after a 5 year drought, but it didn't soak in as fast as they wanted, it just ran off into floods.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

Naio wrote:

bukhrn wrote:
X-2, where do you go WITHOUT skeeters, I've heard there are some places like that, but have never actually been to one. :h

Most places west of the rockies :B. Houses don't even have window screens or AC in much of the west.

Long as you stay away from lakes and marshes, and camp instead near running water (creeks and rivers) or in the desert, or on the beach, you can be pretty skeeter-free in the west.

Yellowstone has that big lake, and I guess a bunch of other watery stuff...

I saw about 10 mosquitoes per year when I lived in Central CA, but some people still complained. CA couldn't make a puddle if it tried right now. Bet the ground would soak up the water in seconds its so dry. Sad.

[Naio]

bukhrn wrote:
X-2, where do you go WITHOUT skeeters, I've heard there are some places like that, but have never actually been to one. :h

Most places west of the rockies :B. Houses don't even have window screens or AC in much of the west.

Long as you stay away from lakes and marshes, and camp instead near running water (creeks and rivers) or in the desert, or on the beach, you can be pretty skeeter-free in the west.

Yellowstone has that big lake, and I guess a bunch of other watery stuff...

[John_Betty]

Dakota98 wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:
The biggest problem I have had in Wyoming with mosquitos is the little mosquitos can come right through the screens. Then they grow up quickly. They unhook the screens and let the big mosquitos in. Terrible problem. Only solution is to install locks on your window screens.

OK, so did you end up using combination locks or keyed locks ? I would think the keyed lock may not be adequate since they more than likely would find the key. JMO

I would imagine that they would get inside the keyhole and adjust the tumblers so that the lock pops open and then they're in.... They are crafty...... :B

[bukhrn]

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
I think it's all relative to where you are from and your tolerance. I grew up in Louisiana and stayed out until dark every day shooting photos last July and don't remember any mosquitos. I just asked my wife and she said, "Oh, yeah, they were bad."

Does that help? :B

X-2, where do you go WITHOUT skeeters, I've heard there are some places like that, but have never actually been to one. :h

[C7XR7]

The answer is they breed and lay eggs in water. I mean they can use a drop of water to do this the little buggers. Now this year, especially here in CO it has been really, really wet. There are puddles everywhere. These mosquitoes will leave there children in the smallest puddle and they will cause havoc to us humans not to mention those other beasts who do not even have hands to swat them. Pray that it dries out a little so they'll go away. If it does continue to rain then invest in deet stock, it will be a good investment this year.

[C7XR7]

WyoTraveler wrote:
The biggest problem I have had in Wyoming with mosquitoes is the little mosquitoes can come right through the screens. Then they grow up quickly. They unhook the screens and let the big mosquitoes in. Terrible problem. Only solution is to install locks on your window screens.

Ain't that the truth!