Hi Izzy and Folks,
First, thank you for still being open to giving "Linda Kay's Bodyguard" a try. There are many people who have told me it works better for them than any thing they have tried and they love the smell. Then there has also been a few, who have had the experience reported previously in this line of communications. I want to talk about that in a separate communication. For now, I want to address some of the statements from Mr Zörner.
The report stated: "Usually you only get bitten by them where skin is rather thin and certainly blood can be found. Not only ankles also wrists are attaked by sandflies."
Yes, they do seem to be more voracious around ankles, tops of feet, tops of hands and these are the areas that require frequent spraying because of their appeal and that the are more susceptible to moisture and rubbing. None the less, all you have to do is look at the folks on the beach to see that those who seem to be attractive bait, as I was, are covered. They have bites on their backs, chests, and all over their legs. I've seen, had people tell me, and experienced them biting thru tee shirts! I think that it is more of a problem when the tee shirt is wet and spread tightly across the skin, like while sitting in a beach chair.
The good news is that the government does have an active Sand Fly Project. Funds were donated by other governments to address the biting insect problem in the Bay Islands. The test site is West Bay and the project is underway.
I live on West Bay where much of the beach is raked daily and in those areas where it is not, the difference is quite noticeable. What is more noticeable to me is that the sand flies are worse as the weather gets hotter and dryer. Thank goodness we have a lot of wind during those times. I have found them to be there, even in Eldon's parking lot. Additionally, oil is what was suggested for use by the IGV (Henry Morgan) tour operator to their guests. Many of those guests were relieved to find my product (an oil with botanical repellents in it) as an alternative without DEET.
And I disagree with DEET not being effective on them. Products with very high percentages of DEET are effective, but have to be reapplied often. And certainly have to be reapplied after swimming, applying sunscreen, perspiration, drying off, etc. as is true with any repellent. The problem is that the body absorbs 56% of the DEET (this statistic was taken off an EPA repellent approval site). I think that it only continues to get EPA approval because it has been pretty much the only choice for use to repel mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus, and ticks carrying Bubonic Plague, that is until the very recent studies and developments using essential oils, and only a few of them have been able to pursue EPA approval.
Delight in the Earth,
Linda Kay
"Charles R. Meador, Jr." wrote:
Izzy -
My first trip to Honduras in 1998 included a stay at Bay Islands
Beach Resort. The folks were very nice as was the resort. I can't
think you won't be happy with your selection.
As for the sand flies - - - - The following is a reprint of a post
from the Yahoo Roatán discussion board which is the best I've read.
DEET is great against mosquitos, murder on plastic watch bands and
credit cards but has little effect on sand flies - - - -
>From Sven Zörner, Director of the Iguana Research Center, Utila,
Honduras, 12/31/03 post:
"Sandflies are in fact a species of so called "biting
midges" scientific name for the family is ceratopogonidae.
In fact there are hundreds of species and only a few of them, mainly
females suck blood.
The once which are notorious for the Bay Islands (I like this
word:Notorious :-) I learned it from the Computer Game "Pirates!",
when is was a boy.)certainly bite.
Usually you only get bitten by them where skin is rather thin and
certainly blood can be found. Not only ankles also wrists are attaked
by sandflies.
The best receipie against geting bitten by sandflies is: Wear
logsleaved clothes while dawn or in areas where you know there are
much sandflies. Also take a moskitonetting of at least 800 mesh/inch
with you, if you stay in a house with lower comfort overnight.
We don´t have an air conditioning system at the Iguana Research and
Breeding Station in the sleeping rooms and the building is close to
the forest, therefore we have many sandflies and our volonteers need
the moskito netting.
Within the most hotels and in town sandflies are not a big problem.
kind regards
PS: another hint the biting tools of the sandflies can´t get through a
film of oil, so if you always have some coconut oil or something like
this on the wrist and ankles you won´t get bitten there :-)
Sven Zörner
www.utila-iguana.de
www.utila-iguana.org"
Enjoy your trip.
Charlie Meador
Coco Pando Resort
La Ceiba, Honduras
www.cocopando.com
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