Hi Everyone,

Merry christmas, I hope you have a fun frstive season ahead.

Just got back into the garden after a busy few weeks and after alot of rain on Mt Tamborine where I live got bitten by leaches and now have mosquitos breeding and bites from them to.

Has anyone got a natural remedy to treat the bites and take away the itch?

Also going to Asia in January and I here there is Dengy fever transmiited by mosquitos so any tips of how to minimise this other than long sleeps and mosquito coils would be appreciated.

King Regards
David

I bought a mosquito clicker from the chemist and they really work!!!!!! The itch goes and the bite goes down within a few minutes.

weaver wrote:
Whatever is a mozzie clicker? Some kind of laser thingy?

For those lactating, breastmilk is fabulous. But for those who aren't, I've been using golden seal. My son gets attacked often and was covered an hour or so ago with bites. Dab of golden seal (health food stores) and he said the itch went quickly. It also does other skin conditions.

Basil (I think) is great for mossie bites. Just crush a few leaves & rub it on the bite. Free if you grow it yourself or flog it from your sheilas Tomato & Basil sandwich.

Bicarb made into a thick past, also good for heat rash.

We depend on lavender oil for all bites and stings.

A dot of neat lavender oil on the bite is all that is needed. It anaesthetises the itch and is also antiseptic.

Works on mozzie bites a treat , but is also good for midgies, wasps, ants, bee stings (yes...really, quite common when we are harvesting the lavender. Takes the pain out straight away)

Don't know about leech bites, but it should stop the itch after the initial injury.

Savory, winter or summer, is the plant I have most often seen recommended. Summer savory is an annual, so I grow winter savory, also the prostrate form, pink flowered, lemon savory and Savory of Crete. Great cooking herb too, esp with beans as it relieves flatulence! (Eat the antidote at the same time)

I second Nex's lavender oil.

I use vick vapour rub. It's a strange thing to use but it takes the itch away.

But I am definitely trying the basil as it is growing wild in my garden.

Ice always helps with itching, bag of frozen peas or something!
Hrm... Other than that I use pawpaw cream or teatree oil.

At the moment I'm covered in them too, I think they are sandfly bites though...

Hi Blue Wren
The mosquito clicker sends a tiny electric shock through quartz into the bite and causes some sort of reaction that negates the itch. It just looks like a mini pen thing. I have no idea why it works but it has been fantastic for us. No chemicals and it really doesnt hurt, as well as being portable and mess free.

I'd love to try the clicker... but I have a phobia about electric shocks, no matter how little they are! (although cope when I get zapped by the fence).

I only get mozzie bites... best remedy for me is to leave them alone and they go down soon... if they're super itchy, a shower will normally help me.

The time when mozzie bites affect me the most is when they have gotten into the bedroom at night and have bitten me. I scratch them in my sleep and wake up with these massive bites... ouch!

Eucalyptus spray or oil works great, I use it all the time for the kids.