Shanghai Expat :: View topic - Mosquitos | repellants

Shanghai Expat

Health Care Issues - Mosquitos | repellants | treatments

Drizzle - May 18, 2005 - 10:31 AM
Post subject: Mosquitos | repellants | treatments

Hi Cat, so an afternoon sat in a beer garden meant my legs suffered with being bitten to death from the midgies/mozzies whatever was flying around. This was in the daytime! I have only found Johnsons mosquito repellant here so far, it was last year though, and its rubbish. Where can you find the stuff you can spray and really works? I must be allergic to the bites because my legs swell up, and the bites become massive and hard, then start oozing stuff. What can you buy here to put on the bites to soothe them? Does anyone have any home remedies at all? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

bellabella - May 18, 2005 - 12:22 PM
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Quite a good home made repellant is plain old rubbing alcohol with some citronella added to it, mozzies hate both - you have to keep reapplying tho. It's good too as it's kind to your skin with none of that nastyt deet stuff you get in some repellants.

carrol - May 18, 2005 - 07:35 PM
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Where can we buy citronella, bella .. ? (No rhyme intended .. Smile

)

Drizzle - Carrefour sells a small tube of 'itchy cream', in the sundry cosmetics section, which is quite good for bites.

benkloepfer - May 18, 2005 - 09:20 PM
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Deet may be pretty nasty stuff, but it works much better than citronella. If the mosquitos aren't swarming like the plague then maybe citronella is the better choice.

izanami - May 18, 2005 - 11:12 PM
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Drizzle: I'm allergic to moquito bites too. And get the exact same symptoms that you mentioned. I was badly attacked by the mosquitoes at the Shanghai Musuem. I don't understand why there are so many mosquitoes indoors. Anyway, I will be looking out for new repellant as my Johnsons is a year old too (didn't know it would become ineffective after a year!). Hopefully Watsons has a solution, otherwise I will ask the good old chinese people!~

Anniboodk - May 19, 2005 - 08:58 AM
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Try to see if you can find the brand "OFF" in Watsons, I saw it once a while ago, haven't seen it since, but haven't really been looking in the past 8 months. The stuff smells like crap but works wonders, I am a mosquito magnet and get bitten heavily during the summer. That stuff is the only one that has worked for me.

It comes in this tin orange spray can.

Magnolia - May 19, 2005 - 09:34 AM
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There is also a local brand that is pretty good... I can't remember the name, but it comes in a green tinged glass bottle that is shaped kind of like a small wine bottle. Most of the stores have it in a focal place right now... will try to look at the name and get back to you...

Mosquitoes... yuck!

jasminebabie - May 19, 2005 - 09:45 AM
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magnolia is right. and my bf is bought me that green lil bottle. its a clear bottle shaped like a micky for hard liquor and the liquid inside is a light jade see thry green. just put it on and it works great. and its cheap too. aborbs fast and DOES NOT STINK. Check out the local pharmacy's for it. The bottem left corner will have a nasty mosquito on it so u'll know when u find the right bottle.

jasminebabie - May 19, 2005 - 09:48 AM
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Too help with the burning and itching try out this oil. i have no idea what is name is in english so i will translate it straight from chinese - White Flower Oil - "Bai hua you" i think is what it is in mandarin. Im a canto speaker so mah mandarin sucks major ass. Hope this helps!

Anniboodk - May 19, 2005 - 10:03 AM
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Jasminebabie, it's funny you mentioned "Bai Hua you" (Bak fa you). For people in Hong Kong, this is the cure for everything, feeling dizzy? sniff some! got a headache? Rub some on your temples! Got a stomache ache? rub some on your belly! Something itches? Rub some oil on the spot. It's a miracle cure...hehe!

All the women in my family have large bottles of that oil in their purses at all times!!

jasminebabie - May 19, 2005 - 10:09 AM
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ahahaha, yea totally eh? but it DOES work!! Im terribly allergic to mosquitos and had to go to tha docs for some med to ease the sufferin~ When u dont got no meds to help, this oil is tha next best thng Smile

Drizzle - May 19, 2005 - 12:12 PM
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Brilliant advice, thank you everyone! Very Happy

fullmoon - May 25, 2005 - 03:09 PM
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As a general knowledge the mosquitoes are very diffult to repeal. Use any repelant that you want but also avoid using strong flower smell perfumes and shampoo with floral escences. Now if your corporal temperature is high and you are in a livingroom with a lot of people, the probabilities to be biten by them are higher. Mosquitoes follow temperaure and fruit and sweet flower escences. In that cases nothing to do.

Drizzle - May 26, 2005 - 10:45 AM
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I wear Issay Miyake perfume and am a very hot person, the above explains everything. Thanks fullmoon, I never made the connection.

I heard drinking Gin and Tonic is supposed to help, is that true?

olesechka - May 26, 2005 - 02:08 PM
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And this oil-curing everything, should it be looked for among other oils in supermarkets or in some other special place?

benkloepfer - May 26, 2005 - 02:13 PM
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Gin and tonic definitely helps, I usually drink it both before and after being bitten by mosquitos and it always makes me feel much better.

Anniboodk - May 26, 2005 - 03:06 PM
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olesechka, this oil isn't like cooking oil or anything, it's more like a medicine type of thing. You'll be able to find it in pharmacies not so much in supermarkets.

Have you ever seen the movie "My big Fat Greek Wedding". This "white flower oil" is to the Hong Kong'ies like Windex was to the father in that movie. Each culture has it's own cure all remedy!! Very Happy

fullmoon - May 26, 2005 - 04:17 PM
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Drizzle, when you drink alcohol you elevate your corporal temperature then the smell of your body change into sweet because your body covert the alcohol into sugar so NO, no alcoholic drink will help. It is one repelant call AUTAN from Bayer that can protect you for 4 hrs. but I have not seeing it in China. BAYER is the manufacturer. You can try to combine the famous green bottle and another plastic bottle that the only thing I can read in english is Aceplic. I think is swiss product. Both you can find it in Watson's.

olesechka - May 29, 2005 - 08:21 PM
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Anniboodk, thanks a lot. Got from a pharmacy, though they did not have the one you mentioned but I bought an analogue Zheng Hong Hua You. In the directions for use it looks like the same stuff.

Benoist_Shanghai - May 30, 2005 - 11:54 AM
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Magnolia wrote:

Just ask for some "Wen Bu Ding" in any drugstore. Some CVS carry it also.
rmb12-15 a bottle or something like that.

b.

Benoist_Shanghai - May 30, 2005 - 11:56 AM
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Oh, wait, did you say shaped like a small wine bottle? You sure? Maybe not the same then.

b.

aquagirl - June 12, 2005 - 12:04 PM
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fullmoon, i'm not positive, but doesn't alcohol drop your body temperature? i seem to remember that this is true, because all those old tales about freezing to death and drinking alcohol are false. the alcohol simply makes you feel warmer. if i am not mistaken, alcohol lowers the body temperature.

either way it ain't gonna do a damn thing against these nasty biters! i am covered in welts! i tried those plug in things, but i don't know if they actually work and if i am going to die from breathing in the chemicals.

jennyzhong - June 12, 2005 - 02:30 PM
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Recommend a deet (very helpful). Maybe someone mentioned here, but I know the brand name. It's "gohnson's baby clear lotion (anti-mosquito). I am easy to be attacked by mosquitoes. In the summer, I will use some on my feet and legs. It works............

pchia - June 17, 2005 - 10:33 PM
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Hi Drizzle, I agree with Bellabella, you can add a few drops of citronella or eucalyptus essential oils + water to a small spray bottle. i spray the concoction on my arms and legs before sleeping or going out.

The Herb Store sells organic eucalyptus essential oils, it's a bit pricey for me though...

wakk0 - June 20, 2005 - 08:43 AM
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Anyone come across the Ultrasonic Mosquito Repellant?? I hv been searching for it in China for a few months.. Appreciate any info/reply..

aquagirl - June 20, 2005 - 10:40 PM
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I just heard tiger balm works well. anyone try this?

MIexpat - June 20, 2005 - 11:47 PM
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yeah I have heard tiger balm works well - where do you find it and is it obvious what it is or does it go by something else?

thanks!

aquagirl - June 21, 2005 - 08:35 AM
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i have no idea. i'm used to seeing it in a tin with a tiger on it. i will ask the girl who told me about it and report back, hopefully with brand names and stores that sell it.

bellabella - June 21, 2005 - 09:36 AM
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Tiger balm is good to put on bites to stop them itching but no good at repelling mozzies. I think it's a thai or singapore thing anyway, you might have trouble finding it here.

jennyzhong - June 21, 2005 - 10:12 AM
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Tiger balm is easy to find here. Go to any drugstore, I think they sell them. And it's not expensive at all, about 5 rmb or even less.

jennyzhong - June 21, 2005 - 10:17 AM
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Btw, it is called " Wan Jin You" in Chinese. Just try to tell the shop assistant in Chinese. They all know it. I forget the brand name, but the easiest way to find out is the obvious tiger on the red small tin.

wakk0 - June 21, 2005 - 11:13 AM
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bellabella wrote:

I think it's a thai or singapore thing anyway, you might have trouble finding it here.

It is a Singapore thing and easy to find it in any drug store. Try to search for a tiger.. Wink

aquagirl - June 21, 2005 - 01:05 PM
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excellent. thank you all. but it does not repel the buggers?

is citronella essential oil available? also, bee balm i think. i forget what works. i hate DEET. and half that crap doesn't work anyway. i have had good luck with a natural blend of oils, made in US, but of course I didn't bring it with me....

n00b - June 22, 2005 - 10:15 PM
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might not be so useful, but mosquitos have a basic sensory system which tells them if their prey is a human, dog or whatever and whether he/she/it is tasty or not.
they are more attracted to carbon dioxide that your skin emitted and also lactic acid. Or in other words, you can say that female mosquitos are attracted to body heat.
so changing your diet by eating more cooling foods such as grass jelly, gui lin gao, watermelon, etc will eventually help you from becoming their prey.

littlefox - June 27, 2005 - 03:03 PM
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Really? I think I read somewhere mosquitos are also attracted to certain blood type, as I myself is not a person eat a lot of meat and generate high body heat, but still I'm always the very one under attack.

I don't know which brand of repellant works best, none of them I've tried worked (tried both foreign and domestic brands). I'm also allergic to the bites, which can't go off naturally even if I don't touch them. My family dose to treat the bites is use aureomycin ointment, usually the bites go off within half an hour after I put on the ointment.

n00b - June 27, 2005 - 03:52 PM
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err is that a typo? or you misundertood me?

Quote:

and generate high body heat

HeiGou - June 27, 2005 - 04:07 PM
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I agree with Fullmoon, the best repellant is AUTAN by Bayer. Unfortunately I haven't seen it in China. I bought my stash in Hong Kong. Most repellants are sprays and have nasty odors. However, AUTAN comes in a roll-on stick and is "virtually" odorless and doesn't leave any greasy feeling after being applied.

yu888 - July 16, 2005 - 07:59 AM
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DEET is so bad for you but it sure as heck works...for awhile. The need for reapplication kills me. But it does help. i will be stocking up and bringing some back from the US. And for post- bite, Tiger Balm or Mentholatum works ok but I am now using an anti-histamine (benadryl) gel that reduces the reaction. Think I will stock up on that too.

bjandmegsabroad - Mar 17, 2008 - 03:14 PM
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DEET is awesome, although they hardly put any of it in the repellants anymore. I got my dad to bring me a few cans with the highest content available last time he came to visit from Canada. There are these 'pens' available in Canada that we've been unable to find here, called "After-bite" that are filled with liquid that you just dab on after you've been bitten. I think it has an anti-histamine in it, and brings down the swelling, asap. My fiance is allergic to them and it's the only thing that works, although we haven't tried Tiger Balm yet, we usually use that for sore muscles and joints.

I thought it was funny to see the comment on gin and tonic. Tonic water used to have higher content of quinine in it, and because of this it helped to prevent malaria, but I think they have a lower content now, and a lot of malaria is resistant to quinine. So it actually does nothing to prevent mosquito BITES, but it DID help prevent malaria.....

yu888 - Mar 17, 2008 - 04:25 PM
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^ Afterbite is just ammonia-based stuff that overstimulates your nerves so that the itch no longer registers. I use that sometimes but Benadryl pens work well.

travelinjack3 - Mar 17, 2008 - 04:36 PM
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I brought some 30% DEET back from Canada and the US on trips last fall. No skeeters for me!

Medea - May 21, 2008 - 05:01 PM
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I've got a home remedy to soothe mosquito bites (may be it works with Chineses mosquitos too Smile

) :
slices of onion - you have to fix them on the mosquito bite for a while.

austingirl - May 21, 2008 - 06:52 PM
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SKEETER DEFENSE PATCH. I bought that stuff at Watson, HK. I heard some expats selling it here in shanghai. Not sure where it is. BUT this patch ... from my experience, it works!!! My 4 years old son got bites pretty bad at school, there's so many mosquito there with all the big trees. But since I put that patch on his tshirt. NO MORE bites. it last for about 6 hours. free DEET too. I love this stuff!!! Hope it will help.

ccie6961 - July 04, 2008 - 08:10 PM
Post subject: mosquitoes

I live close to Zhongshan Park, which is considered urban area. I have never seen such stubborn and rampant mosquitoes in my area. We now keep all windows shut, turn on AC all day long, but we still see one or two of them everyday in the apartment.

I never thought a modern city like Shanghai would have such widespread mosquitoes.

What do you do to keep them out?

Nathalie25 - July 04, 2008 - 08:14 PM
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to ban your mosquitoes, to squeeze your mosquitoes, to slaughter your mosquitoes (use TNT)

SatelliteTV - July 04, 2008 - 08:46 PM
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Nathalie25 wrote:

to ban your mosquitoes, to squeeze your mosquitoes, to slaughter your mosquitoes (use TNT)

Yeah right Natalie.... but my mosquitoes only grew bigger after that... Very Happy

PaulR - July 04, 2008 - 08:59 PM
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Plug in repelant works for me.........RAID........sold at EVERY supermarket/corner shop/etc etc...........and a Blue Light high voltage Zapper for night time in the bedroom for the persistant little buggers, there is definitely a satisfying feeling had from hearing that "Fizzzzz Crack" noise.

Hey Satellite, I definitely have not seen "Daddy Longlegs" in Shanghai! (the Brits will know all about "Daddy Longlegs" Very Happy

limme - July 04, 2008 - 09:07 PM
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We live in JingQiao and we just finished filming "sleepless in JiangQiao" due to those restless msquitoes. Every night we catch at least 5 to 6 mosquitoes in each bedroom not to mention those "parking" outside waiting for an "invitation" to come in as soon as you open the doors and winodws. We tried everything from cleaning our garden, fumigation, pest controls, electronic repellants............... and nothing seems to be able to get rid of them totally.

Basically what we end up doing is putting mosquito coils in each room a few hours before we go to bed (make sure you take it out of your rrom before sleeping) and this will minimise it (will not get rid all of them) and put the mosquito nets on for the kids. When buying mosquito coils please be weary of the brand as I heard that some local brands contain toxic chemicals. So you don't really want to kill the mosquitoes as well as yourself.

Good luck and have fun with those "kung fu mosquitoes".

nick2208 - July 04, 2008 - 09:13 PM
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is there dengue / malaria in shanghai? that mozzie in the piclooks like a papa mosquitoe harmless.

mat - July 04, 2008 - 09:38 PM
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Quote:

I never thought a modern city like Shanghai would have such widespread mosquitoes.

Are you having a laugh? Pulling out leg or what?

PaulR - July 04, 2008 - 09:38 PM
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Totally harmless .... Its a Crane Fly, not even in this part of the world, unless satellite is beaming them in on his new super-duper hacker resistant all singing and dancing best thing since sliced bread Nagravision system, then I recon they would die of heat stroke as they are from cooler climates.

Now if you want persistant mossies............move to Suzhou Shocked

limme - July 04, 2008 - 09:57 PM
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Haven't heard of dangue and malaria outbreak in Shanghai. But recently the government just carried out a dangue outbreak drill in Yangpu district. I guess there is a possibility or else the government will not do the drill.

chingiskhan - July 04, 2008 - 10:45 PM
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I don't think being a modern city means mosquitoes can't exist. I'm prety sure Shanghai's heat and humidity is like heaven for them. It's not like we're talking about dong bei tigers! They are of course annoying but AC helps, and get one of those electric "tennis racquet" mosquito killers they are so effective, even fun to use. Living on higher floors also reduced (but not eliminates) the numbers, which is why I never rent on lower floors.

Abramis - July 05, 2008 - 12:48 AM
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Where I am coming from we have clouds of these lovely blood sucking creatures. I used to be "immune". In Shanghai situation is good, ok, this year seems bit worse.

What helps? Smoke does. But that ain't too practical solution in urban environment. You just have to co-exist with these bastards. At least here they are not that noisy.

Andreas - July 05, 2008 - 03:44 AM
Post subject: Re: mosquitoes

ccie6961 wrote:

OMG

shanghaiceltic - July 05, 2008 - 05:43 AM
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I think maybe ccie6961 comes from Singapore where just about everything is banned....

YorkshireKing - July 05, 2008 - 06:14 AM
Post subject: Re: mosquitoes

ccie6961 wrote:

I live close to Zhongshan Park, which is considered urban area. I have never seen such stubborn and rampant mosquitoes in my area.

What do you do to keep them out?

Watch out for these big buggers

And be be very scared when you encounter this in the shower Shocked

hun xue er - July 05, 2008 - 06:49 AM
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The plug-it-in repellent seems to work for me. The one I'm using now says 'fei mao tui' on the box.

taffyinchina - July 05, 2008 - 07:43 AM
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My partner is allergic to Mosquito bites and tends to look like the elephant man after a bite and we are living on a compound surrounded by stagnant water...Mossie Hell. Keeping doors and windows shut, electronic plugs-ins in every room (2 in some rooms) and an electronic Mossie killing tennis bat (ooh the joy of smelling them burn!) seems to work well. We also bought Mossie repellant patches from Watsons in Hong Kong which last for 72 hours which you stick on your clothes etc, we have two stuck on the headboard of our bed and they are superb!!

Georgie - July 05, 2008 - 07:51 AM
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Has anyone got one of those Mosquito Magnets which you place outside. Supposed to be very effective but are also very expensive so want to make sure they work before shelling out on one!

Mon_Mon - July 05, 2008 - 08:42 AM
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1. Buy a electric mosqito racket - the one costs 30+ (green colour) in supermarket works much beter than the ordinary one ( I tried both).
2. Buy the tent-shaped mosquito net (foundin most supermarkets) - yes it is very ugly but it works perfect - esp. with babies and kids as I think it is not that good to let kids to intake too much mosquito repellents all through the night and all through summer. Indeed my kid likes it so much as they all like to play inside tents anyway. Just make sure to kill all possible mosquitos remained inside the tent prior to sleep.
I lived in villas before and have tried all sorts of methods and find the tent works best - as I felt so safe all night and can have good sleep and not to worry about the kid.

DesertSpider - July 10, 2008 - 02:27 PM
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Sticky at top of this section ^^^

lyntc10 - July 20, 2008 - 08:59 PM
Post subject: Mosquitos?

I live in a villa in China Gardens/ Dynasty Villas in the Hongqiao area. We have absolutely TERRIBLE mosquitos indoors. There are SO MANY. This has been a problem ever since we moved in (2 years) Does anyone else have this problem or possible solutions? There is a small pond in our backyard, but none of the windows are open or anything.

Magnolia - July 20, 2008 - 09:43 PM
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you can start here for some ideas...

http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/index.php?name=MDForum&file=viewtopic&t=25052&highlight=

Magnolia - July 20, 2008 - 09:44 PM
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and here...

http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/MDForum-viewtopic-t-13232.phtml

Magnolia - July 20, 2008 - 09:45 PM
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there is always this option...

http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/index.php?name=MDForum&file=viewtopic&p=900302

bougie - July 20, 2008 - 09:56 PM
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the mosquitos here are on coke, heroin and steroids ..

Mr Totomolo - Sep 01, 2008 - 09:32 AM
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I wrote one post this morning, but in open chat. Think it may be more useful in this section.

http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/MDForum-viewtopic-p-932163.phtml#932163

Took the thread quite late.
We live on a 4th floor now, facing a big fish pond and an artificial waterfall .
Before , we used to live on a 31st floor, so basically no mosquitoes.
Now, we have invested in following stuff: 2 medium size electronic high voltage mosquitoe killers with blue UV lamps (I bought from factory, but can be found in B&Q) ;this is mostly in case one little monster comes through the entrance door, when we open the home.
and most importantly, based on 25 ++ years experience living in Taiwan (this august, we got 4 cases of dengue fever even in Taipei city ...!), I went into a small shop doing PVC windows.
I ordered frames made of PVC with a nylon mesh net (mosquitoe net). 2 hinges with self-spring on each frame to allow them to be open to access the windows (so with self-spring, the frame returns automatically in closed position).
Cost is reasonable (for 3 windows, not even a big dinner for 2 in a posh restaurant)
Not a single mosquito in the whole summer.

In my life, I have been living in Bangladesh, South Yunnan, north and south Taiwan...Mosquitoes are not a joke (there was even a case of an almost unknown african disease in a small village in Italy last year)

If you cannot or dont want invest in mesh frames, then head to a supermarket like Century, and buy a mosquitoe net to cover the whole bed... But of course, this is good only for sleeping.

miniya - Sep 02, 2008 - 03:18 PM
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where exactly can one get some deet around here? I'll be going on a jungle trekking trip soon so will need some more intense repellant than just the usual day-to-day stuff.

Parkwaycommunity - May 20, 2009 - 02:45 PM
Post subject:

Here are some misquito repellent products you may consider:
1. Wen Bu Ding - local product which contains 4% DEET
2.OFF! Insect Repellant Spray - contains 7% DEET, last about 4 hours
3. OFF! Insect Repellant Cream - contains 7.5% DEET, lasts about 5 hours.
4. Jia Qi Baby Insect Repellant Spray- contains Eucalyptus and Citronella essential oil, safe for pregnant women and infants, lasts over 24 hours.
5. Jia Qi Baby Insect Repellant Patch- contains Eucalyptus and Citronella essential plant oil, safe for pregnant women and infants, patch can be reusable, effect last up to 200 hours. It can be stick to clothings, and furnitures.
6. Jia Qi Baby Itching Relieving Cream - Contains all natural plant oils (menthol, camphor, aloe vera, lavender oil...etc)
7. Saforelle Creme - a Franch skin product for smoothing and calming skin irriation and itching. Originally designed for sensitive skin and femine private area, this product contains a natural plant extract Arctium Lappa, and Dynaphytol burdock; perfect for any skin irriation and itch. I have personally tested this product after biten by mosquitos, it works FAST and COMPLETE in relieving itch.

All these product range from 20-40RMB each.
For more information,please call us (021)3382 1382
Parkway Community Pharmacy
333 BiYun Road 9-B101A
JinQiao, Pudong, Shanghai, 201206
www.parkwaycommunitypharmacy.com

januza - June 15, 2009 - 03:41 PM
Post subject:

who can recommend a good & cheap mosquito net installer?

canuckian - June 15, 2009 - 10:45 PM
Post subject:

^ How cheap do you want it to be? Have you checked from B&Q? What do you think of their price? Some mosquito net installers from the local street shops are dirt cheap, but the net will start breaking up in a year time.

DrShanghai - June 19, 2009 - 11:10 AM
Post subject:

White Flower is like battery acid, It burns your nerve ending off that's why it stops pain.
You will be begging for the itchy felling if you use it.
Take my word for it, personal experience.

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