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Repelling Gnats Outside


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 523 Posts
July 14, 2016

Dealing With GnatsSadly, I've had to admit that gnats are attracted to me. I assure you, it is a one sided affair.

I remember when we had what was a rather heavy snowfall for this area. I had cabin fever, even at work. I left the office and trekked through the snow to my car to eat my lunch.

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Heck, I thought gnats 'died out' or went dormant in the winter. I learned differently. Peeping through a small space in the windshield not yet covered with snow, I saw a multitude of gnats. All were swarming erratically as if trying to break through the glass to get to me. I felt as though I was a cast member in Alfred Hitchcock's film 'The Birds'.

I went back inside and to the cafeteria, for coffee. There, the gnats began gnawing at my temples and ears. Three people who saw me swatting feverishly, inquired of my strange behavior. I said "These gnats are driving me crazy". "What gnats? I don't see any gnats. Probably your imagination. Maybe your hair is tickling your ears. I don't see any gnats".

After finishing my coffee, I went to the waste bin to toss in my paper cup. Upon lifting the lid, out swarmed a hoard of gnats. To those standing by, I said, "Look, gnats. Do you see all these gnats"? One replied, "Yeah. So?"

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Every time I shop at Walmart, I feel like a pariah. It seems I'm the only one among 2-3 hundred shoppers with this vile affliction. While mid-store, I see a throng before me. All have rather complacent smiles on their faces. But not me. If there is just one gnat in Walmart, it will seek out and find me. It happens every time. No complacent smile for me. Just a grimace and a swat, swat, swat. Though in pain, I try my best to subdue the swatting, lest other shoppers think me quite spastic.

I have indoor plants. Gnats dwell in the soil of these plants. While I do what I can to keep the population down, it takes just one gnat to cause pain and extreme irritability. I have been 'bitten' so many times, my ears have become sore. I will not give up my house plants because of these insects. If my home was void of plants, gnats would still enter every time I open a door. I have resorted to wearing a fusible hair net to cover my ears. Not to be outdone, the gnats then head for my face, relishing my eyebrows. A thick layer of solid deodorant on the brows repels them to a degree.

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I realize the ear area, particularly the temple, is a 'pulse point'. Even so, I doubt the heat emitted from this area is the sole attractant to the gnat. I think there's more. But what?

Our bodies contain remnant information of a time when we were quite different from what we are today. These remnants have the necessary information to cause our skin to grow scale like formations, not unlike a fish. Fortunately, for the vast majority of us, this information never turns into a 'playable' program. When it does, it's called ichthyosis vulgaris.

The same with tails. Actually, it is not an extremely rare incident when a baby is born with extra spinal segments. In most cases, the baby is quite healthy and the extra vertebrae are surgically removed. Again, we are fortunate. The program could play to it's fullest extent, and we all could be walking around with, or swinging from a limb by, a tail.

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What keeps the program for us to grow tails, suppressed, is a mystery. I can deal with that. But, with some of the gruesome forms of body modification to be seen on the web; I'm sure there are those who would love to parade around with a six foot appendage permanently posited midpoint of their posterior.

Here's the connection:
The bull elephant has glands in the temporal region. They emit a substance called 'must/musth'. This substance is emitted during the rutting season. I've often wondered if there is a remnant of something like the 'must gland program' in our bodies. There could be, and it could be more pronounced in some.

My temporal region is emitting something which attracts gnats. It is not heat. The area is the gnats first choice. They will go to other, warmer parts of my body only if they can't get to the temples. Maybe I emit a pheromone like substance detectable only by gnats.

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What would it take to find what is being emitted from my temples that attracts gnats to a ridiculous degree? Swab/culture? Gas spectrometer? Other? Maybe the procedure or analytic equipment is so sophisticated, it hasn't been invented, yet.

Oh, but when it is! If whatever that substance is, could be synthesized and bottled, I would gain patent rights and do quite well for myself. But then, with my luck, it's probably not a 'substance' at all. Our bodies also emit 'frequencies' of different levels. Perhaps, radiating from my temples is a frequency that says to the gnat, 'Here is what you want. Here is what you need. Come. Feast. Show no mercy. Eat the man alive'. I doubt I could patent a frequency, though. Maybe I could invent a device to 'scramble' the frequency. (I jest).

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I'm not ignorant enough to believe I'm the only one with this problem. Others just haven't spoken up. Or, maybe some have. In any case, the best I can offer as a tip is protecting the temporal area with a fusible hair net. They are extremely light weight, and breathe. I got a hundred from Amazon (maybe eBay, I forgot), for about $6.00.

When they then attack the eyebrows, I apply a thick layer of solid deodorant. This should work unless your brow area is sensitive to the deodorant.

Not to be outdone, if the gnat can't access your temples or brows, it then will go for the eyes. Sadly, in this case, my only recourse has been to take the net from my head and place it on my face, making sure the ears are covered, as well. Granted, this drastic measure is rather immobilizing. You can see through the net, but everything is a blur. I've tried cutting out some eye holes, but haven't yet figured out how to keep the holes positioned over my eyes. I'm working on it. I will succeed.

Years ago, I did get a little tube of repellent from Avon. It helped some, but you shouldn't put it near your eyes. When the 'Avon lady' told me the small tube would be $8.00, I screamed, EIGHT DOLLARS! She replied with a smile "Yes, just eight dollars. The regular price is twelve. We're giving you a discount because you're a first time customer". Twenty years later, I hate to think what that little tube would cost, now.

There are several species of a most handsome, tiny bird, the Gnatcatcher. Cuter than a canary, more charming than a chickadee. Perhaps I could learn their lifestyles and make my home and surrounding area attractive to them. Yes, that's it! I could raise huge flocks of them. I can just see them now. Hundreds darting everywhere, gulping down every gnat in sight. Peace at last. Thank you, my sweet feathered friends.

Doug, you're dreaming. Finish this post and submit it while you still have a scruple of sanity. A tiny scruple the gnats will steal away, given half a chance.

Ouch! They've started.

PS
Electrifying my body with a tens unit had no effect on the gnats. I think they got a 'buzz' off the juice.

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5 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

May 30, 2012

I run a junior golf camp during the summer in South Florida and the gnats are horrible for about (1) month. The gnats make it miserable for the coaches and kids, especially, after applying mandatory sunscreen, they stick to every exposed body part. They stick to your lips, eye lashes, ears, face, arms, legs, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions to keep these awful pests away? We've tried several conventional and non-conventional remedies and nothing seems to work.

We've tried Skin So Soft (Avon), Deet, fabric softener, various types of bug repellent, etc. Note: We are not confined to one area. We are on the range, putting green, chipping green, bunkers, and the golf course so it would need to be a product applied to the skin. Please help! Any new suggestions? All ideas are welcome. Thank you.

By Ange

Answers

May 31, 20121 found this helpful

Try dryer sheets! Before blocking up have the kids rub any sheet maybe bounce on skin and then hang them from pockets or tie around ponytails. I hope it works for gnats as well as it does for mosquitoes up in NJ.

 
June 1, 20120 found this helpful

I'm in central Florida where we have biting sand gnats. The safest and most effective spray we have found is Coleman® SkinSmart® Insect Repellent which is manufactured by Wisconsin Pharmacal Company. Until a few weeks ago we could always find this product in the Sporting Goods Department at Walmart. Unfortunately, it has left the shelves of the three nearest to us and we are now ordering it off the web. Some websites have very high prices for this product so beware. A reasonable price is around $5 to $6 dollars per can.

 
June 1, 20120 found this helpful

Sorry, I forgot to mention that we purchase Deet Free Skin Smart.

 
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April 9, 2014

I would like to know how or what do you do about gnats, flies, and anything else that bothers you while working in the yard! Thank you.

By Cathie F.

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Silver Post Medal for All Time! 255 Posts
December 7, 20170 found this helpful

I like to apply skin so soft to myself, then light a citronella candle and keep it close to me in the garden. However, I also plant lots of marigolds. Mosquitoes don't like marigolds.

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
December 8, 20170 found this helpful

I use Off and it works well.

 
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June 15, 2012

What smells repel gnats to keep them from flying around my face?

By Dandi

Answers

June 19, 20120 found this helpful

We gets Gnats here in Texas just about every year. I use Vanilla (liquid form) from the baking section of our local grocery store. I just dab it on around my hair line and around my neck and ears. This seems to work pretty good for me. Good luck.

 
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September 7, 2012

Do you know where I can buy punk for repelling bugs? I was told the smoke would keep them off of me. The gnats are so bad in the park I have had to stop dog walking.

Bonnie

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