No-See-Um Repellent & Spray

If you live in the south and enjoy time spent near the water, chances are good, you have been attacked by a tiny little bug that packs quite a punch, more than once. These tiny little critters are found in various areas all over the world, they carry many different names, and no one enjoys their bite which is rivaled only by the dreaded mosquito. Do you deal with No See Ums in your yard or are you simply sick of dealing with their painful, itchy bites? Either way, you do have options when it comes to No See Um repellent.

What Are No-See-Ums?

These critters are a part of the Ceratopogonidae insect family. They are very tiny little insects that have a dagger-like mouth. When they land on you, they basically gash a small hole into your skin and then drink the blood. They are like mosquitos in the fact that they have an anticoagulant agent in their saliva which keeps your blood flowing for them to drink and that only the females will bite you. This agent can cause a reaction in some people’s body that causes it to itch, swell up into red welts, and some people may develop tiny blisters where the bite occurred. Symptoms of one bite can lead to itching and redness for up to 2 weeks, especially if you continue to scratch it.

The problem is, these tiny little biting insects are small enough to venture into areas that other bugs are not able to go. They are tiny enough to get through screens in your home or your tent. They have been known to infest air conditioning vents and breed in moist or damped soil. That is why they are most common near water areas. They like mild temperatures, which means they come out of hiding to bite during the early spring or late fall months when temperatures are within the 70-degree range.

The good news is, they do not venture far away from their breeding grounds. This means that if you are standing in an area that is loaded down with No-See-Ums, you can most likely walk away 10ft and be out of the swarm. However, if you have them in your yard, the swarm can move around to where water may be found.

What Repellent Works Best for No-See-Ums?

No one wants to be kept indoors or away from their favorite fishing spot because of these tiny little blood-sucking insects. There are several different types of repellent available for you to try and see if it will eliminate the Noseeum bites your family may be dealing with. Two of the most popular repellents include:

Repel 100 with 98.11% DEET

This repellent keeps away mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and other biting insects for up to 10 hours. To get the most out of this No See Um spray, you should spray all exposed skin when you plan to be outdoors or in areas where you know biting insects will be, for an extended period of time. Re-apply when you start to feel bites again or every 10 hours.

_____________________________________________________________________________

SkinSoSoft Bug Guard Plus Picaridin

This No See Ums repellent is from the makers of Skin So Soft, a product which many have trusted for years. It is 100% DEET free and offers long-lasting protection from mosquitos and other insects. It has very little odor and will not leave your skin feeling gross like some other products. It is recommended that you use this anytime that you plan to be in the great outdoors as long as you do not need to use sunscreen.

The Best Defense Against No-See-Um Bites?

The products above work well for keeping these critters off of you and your family. However, the very best way to handle No See Ums is to attract them to something else and keep them away from you. That is why propane mosquito traps are such a popular choice. They emit a plume of CO2, which No See Ums like as much as mosquitos. Once you have a trap in your yard, they will be drawn to the trap and eliminated, which is really the only true way to prevent or repel them.