Hello everyone, I know this subject has probably been talked about before but I think I need to pass on somethink that has worked for me. I researched this forum and found that Eurax Cream was the bees knees for bites. The story goes like this - It was thursday night and we had been at the Western Port Harbour Caravan Park in Somerville for 6 days and I had not had a problem with any bugs. Until a nice couple from Qld parked next to us and we did the normal greeting and we started getting bothered by bugs so I said why don't we go over to our place that has a bug zapper. The festivities finished at about 11.30pm and all was well until the next morning. I woke with scratching on both legs and arms, on one legs I had 23 bites. I tried all the creams we had at hand, straight dettol but nothing was working. I tried hot showers and that worked for a little while but the itching came back. So today after researching we went and bought some Eurax cream $9.95, I couldn't wait to put it on. It didn't give me immediate relief but after 15-20 minutes it helped. Trip back to the van was 40 minutes I applied more cream because it was annoying but I was still suffering so I had another shower, HOT, no cold water, must have been close to third degree burns, it was hot. Anyway after the shower I had no itching and that was 6 1/2 hours a go and I have had complete relief - maybe it was the cream I had applied and the hot shower opened the paws of the skin and well, it worked for me.
Take care everyone, enjoy your travels, hope to see you out there.
Hi Frog53, had the same problem some years ago in FNQ, spent some time in a cane field watching the huge harvester working its way up and down the field. Covered in bites and nearly went mental with the itch. A permanent resident in the CP we were in gave me some of her aloe vera plant, slit it open and cover affected area with the gel and in no time not only was the itch under control, the bites were reduced as well....wonderful relief! cheers Capricorn
I haven't actually tried it yet but have been told a mixture of moisturiser and dettol is a good repellent. I agree with the aloe vera leaf freshly split and rub over bites, I have done that many times for bites and rash, works well. It's a bit hard to carry around a plant so have some aloe vera gell. Pure emu oil is another one that helps with bites too.
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
I suffer badly too. I knew that aloe vera was great for sunburn but hadn't heard of it for itches. I prefer to use a more natural remedy, so I'll try that before the Eurax.
I'd like to find a sure fire way of preventing the blo.ody things biting in the first place! My son was in a heavily infested midge/sandfly area at New Year and found Bushmans was useless but Rid was okay.
I really don't like the idea of putting those chemicals on my skin.
After my initiation into Broome sandflies long ago, I found just washing the bites liberally with cold water was enough to remove all evidence of attack. I was not so lucky when I was initiated. I came up in blisters which ultimately became infected and required cortisone cream. Since then the cold water wash has been enough. Perhaps I built up an immunity. I know some people are more sensitive to these things and suffer more severe allergic reactions. Good luck folks.
__________________
20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
So how are the bites now Frog? Has the relief been lasting or have you needed to repeat the procedure? Sandflies give me blisters which last for 2 weeks, I'd try anything. I've found the Aerogard "odourless" does actually work! It has a different chemical to the old Aerogard, maybe the midgies and mozzies havent got used to it yet! But if I miss using it the results can be dire.
The only thing I have to say is that sandfly bites are THE worst. How annoying are those little buggers? My grandparents may not need to know this, but one hot summer, sitting in the sand talking to a handsome young lad while the rest of the crowd dispersed... we suddenly realised we had been ravaged by sandflies. It's hard to be composed when you are scratching yourself every 5 seconds.
Bugger! The rumour is they don't actually bite. They pee on you and it burns the skin. So wash it quick as soon as the itch starts. Of course there is the allegic exception. I really do sympathise. I'll have to practice my composed scratching routine for future reference, just in case the need arises.
__________________
20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
I to suffer with midge bites, was on Gt Keppel Island last April, spent 3 days there. Great place for snorkeling. But the midges drove us crazy. I took Ibuprofen it's a pain killer and itching is a mild form of pain and it worked for several hours. Tried all sorts of stuff, olive and Dettol etc nothing seems to work for me.
Now what I would like to know, is there any where in Australia that's midge free, Queensland certainly isn't.
An old lecturer of biology at LaTrobe Uni indoctrinated me into the liberal use of juniper juice and quinine. Drink enough of it and nothing will bite you. He said whilst on safari in Africa during his informative years that a couple of nights on gin(juniper juice) and tonic(quinine) the mossies etc would leave you alone and you could sleep in the heat. They used it mainly for the quinine against malaria, but like me, with a twist of lemon and plenty of ice it is refreshing in the heat. I use it frequently at the height of the mossie season and don't get bitten.
Told the mate in Cooktown, and he is using it as well and reckons it works against the sandflies up there. Although he has gotten the reputation of a womaniser and crcodile wrestler! He still does not get bitten.
Olive oil and vineager works too as the oil forms a barrier, sods can't bite or piss through it or don't want to.
For many years, I have used Ti(Tea) Tree oil on any bites. Seems to soothe it and take the itch out. If that does not work, Stingose always does!
__________________
Never growing old, just getting dusty around the edges.
Well that sounds like a great excuse to have a G&T! I'll have to try that one!
I've tried tea tree oil, lavender oil, even eucalyptus oil..as a preventative and to help the itch. Last week I tried Isocol which seemed to help.
I once had contact with a hairy caterpillar which had me itching severely. I had not long started a new relationship, and we'd gone away for a 'romantic' weekend...very romantic, not! I couldn't stop scratching the whole weekend! Very embarrassing!
The bites are ok now thanks, the cream and hot showers worked a treat, it took two days but in future it will be long trousers and long sleeve shirts - definately don't wont to go through that again, I do like the idea of aloe vera cream - take care.
Thanks for the tips. My wife suffers badly from bites so it limits the places we go fishing for example no creeks to many sandflies. After reading this thread she has tried Banana Boat Ultra Cool after sun spray with Aloe Vera and it works a treat for her. Anything that works is good hey
Someone on one of the threads here said Haemerroid Cream works wonders on bites. Might have been in Health and Wellbeing. Must try it next time. Just getting over mozzie bites since arriving home. Been out in the garden, they love me. I put stop itch on them for the 1st 3 or so days, then once the itch starts to go I change over to Paw Paw Cream. Seems to work. I wish I had remembered to put the Rosemary and Cedarwood Cream on before I went out in the garden and I wouldn't have gotten bitten.
Ummm.....having been bitten a few times on my last trip while driving (they midgies or something must have been in the foot well) I ended up spraying under the dash with fly/insect spray.
I decided to spray my bare feet with the spray as well as my bite area was very painful. And surprisingly it worked, took the itch and pain right away? Now I'm not too sure how good this is for the body, but isn't the spray supposed to be made out of plant material (can't remember the name of it at the moment) that is not harmful to humans?
Thanks Gerty, that's the one I was trying to think of.
I was driving at the time and they were getting stuck into my legs, must have picked them up at the beach when stopped there, the bites were so painful that when spraying ordinary home type flyspray into the wheel well I decided to spray my bites as well to see what happens while I had the can out, instant pain relief, not a planned use though.
I had the Aerogard on board but buried in the clutter in the vehicle somewhere, so any port in a storm....
Alas I'm one of those people who suffers for months after being bitten. I've got scars to prove it. 
I'll have to try that one!
I couldn't stop scratching the whole weekend! Very embarrassing! 
