Way OT: Not Quite Mosquito Coast
I was just complaining after sitting outside trying to enjoy the pleasant weather how heavy the mosquitos seem to be this year. Seems like the weather hasn't cooperated much - and when it does, we are swamped with 'skeeters.
After seeing this story and accompanying photos, I realize once again - everytime you think you have it bad - someone has it worse.
Story about an area in Alaska with immense populations of Mosquitos. Thought it was interesting and helps break up the monotony between 5-star recruit commits!
Holy crap! Can you imagine having to be out in that without protective clothing? My goodness. I will never complain about mosquitos again.
Protective clothing just slows biting insects down. Any place a big net touches skin, they'll just bite around the netting. A big horse fly will bite through a long sleeve shirt, so I would wear a plastic rain jacket (and then just sweat all day).
God help you if got a tear in your rain jacket.
If, through some tragic series of events, I was to find myself there - I would simply ask for one pistol, one round, and one bottle of whiskey. The end.
As an aside, and not quite as apocalyptic...I found myself being served one bourbon, one scotch and one beer.
Europe also has a surprising lack of mosquitoes in most places. It's very common for European homes to not have window screens.
tired of the French surrendering all the time. 'Skeeters love a challenge.
But Germans don't have window screens, either...
if the French can handle no screens, of COURSE the Germans wouldn't either. Anything the French can do, the Germans can do better, amirite?
/Blitzkrieg'd
/s
I think mosquitos just think Americans taste better.
You can always bring your kids up into the Sierras in late June/early July for a bit of education.
"To protect themselves from armies of bloodsuckers, researchers don mesh head nets, use bug dope with 40 percent Deet, and cover up with long sleeves and pants. You have to make sure to tuck in your shirt and seal off all entry to possible skin contact. Mosquitoes will “crawl up your sleeves – that’s another thing they like to do,” Krause said."
He also said that not even the horseflies are safe too. He even relates a story of mosquitoes swarming and eventually draining a hosrefly on the North Slope once, which made me think that this would be my fate if I were to do what this guy is doing:
I don't think there's anyhting I hate more than mosquitos. I must have had a really bad experience with them when I was a kid because whenever I see one I have to kill it before I can do something else. No matter the repercussions would be to the ecosystem, if I could will every mosquito to be dead I would do it.
kind of like the Jedi, amirite?
Not very good without Harrison Ford. But, Harrison Ford makes everything at least badass enough to be worth watching, including "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", which isn't half as bad as many people want to make it out to be. Yeah, I said it. While it's still not as good as the originals, when not comparing it, is a fun flick in its own right.
he ALMOST makes up for Shia LeBouf's ass-hattery.
I spent a few weeks going boreal science field work. Mosquitoes were the nicest insects out there. Biting midges, the little things that just fly through your head net, those were not fun.
I found Denard.
is worse, in my experience. you can find more slow water down there, and the slower the water the higher the bug count. the only saving grace is wind - which you hope will come and sweep the bugs away for a while. still a great place to adventure, but we wear pure DET when we're there.