Pine cones

[FishyFolk]

I see some comments about midges in here. Personally I am not much bothered by them. One of the reasosn is that I stick a couple of pine cones in the embers of my fire. And that keeps midges/mosquitos away. Learned that from my grandfather. Also it a fair tinder as they may be full of sap. smokes a little though...

[Thumbcrusher]

ooh ill definately try that! the little blighters eat me alive:mad:

[Fletching]

Wilma's (http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/buy-online-wilmas-nordic-summer-insect-repellent-113.html)works too - though it makes you smell like burning pine cones!

:)

[CanadianMike]

Pine cones are so easy to find and easy to get burning, a perfect tinder around here (for the few that know the trick). Wasn't aware of being a good bug repellant though, then again, maybe because there were no bugs around to notice.

[Hushwing]

Bog Myrtle or Sweet Gale (as Bog Myrtle's PR man renamed it for use in the cosmetic industry!) Myrica gale (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrica_gale) is a good repellant for midges and some natural therapy-type repellants include it amongst the ingredients. If you rub the leaves around your face and hands you get rid of the midges for 10- 15 mins until you reapply it. You also get a nice green tinge to your face! Haven't tried burning the leaves to see if that works better but might work.

If it makes you feel slightly better?:
1. The average pipistrelle bat eats 3'000 midges a night
2. In the 1950s 'they' started an intense study to finally try to eradicate the midge in Scotland (due to its potential impact on tourism) around Loch Lomond (a sort of tartan version of the mosquito and malaria work). They discovered that the midge has two active periods (each midge starts them at different times) in the summer where either the females reproduce new ones asexually (ie they bud out new females) or they have sex (ooh matronnn) and lay eggs (which is when they need the blood protein of us). This double wave reproduction cycle basically makes it is impossible to eradicate them using large scale insecticides spraying regimes- ie they are evolved to beat us and have left an estimated £286M a year loss in revenue for the tourism industry! You all probably know this but a number of rangers and foresters now wear Avon Skin so Soft and pretty much all swear by this. Oh and your skin looks luvverly!

[LSKnives]

Great tip. I knew they worked for tinder. The mosquitos around here bite through clothes and drink bug spray for breakfast.

[FishyFolk]

Great tip. I knew they worked for tinder. The mosquitos around here bite through clothes and drink bug spray for breakfast.

Around here they operate in pairs. One will hold you down, while the other bleed you dry!

[FishyFolk]

The sami used to put a smoldering birch tinder fungus in a tin and let that smoke to keep the mosquitos out of the bedroom, or "goahti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goahti)" . SO taht saves on the Mosquito coils.

Birch bark oil also works. Mix it with vaseline to make it easier to aply to your skin.

Bog myrtle is also said to to have a limgted effect. Rub a handfull of the leaves against your skin

Else where light colors and avoid wearing blue :-)

[chris g]

GReat tip! midges always get me and I'm more than happy to try anyhting. For tinder they do smoke lots but it light quite easily from a spark. Great idea got anymore about tinder? I'm always trying stuff out and it'd be great to hear some.

[FishyFolk]

My dad just informed me that this works better or the cones last longer if you put them in a tin before putting that on the embers....that way they jsut smolder, but not burn...