Re: [APML] Mosquitos and Red Light Flashlights

[Stuart Heggie <stuart.j.heggie@sympatico.ca>]

Bert, I live in Southern Ontario 100 km West of Muskoka. I live on top 
of the highest geography nearby, there is very little standing water 
near my house - say a 1 km radius - and the landform I'm on is called a 
Morraine which is a pile of busted up rock pushed here by a glacier. 
This makes the drainage good further improving the mosquito situation. 
My in-laws live about 10km from me and were being devoured by bugs this 
Spring as they live in a valley near a lot of water.

So, my strategy is: wearlong sleeves and pants if I'm going to be out 
where the mosquitos will be, avoid twilight when they are most active 
and if I am setting up my scope, I wear a lot of layers to make it 
impossible for them to bite through my clothes. Last summer they were 
bad here and I was guiding my photos manually still so I was sitting in 
the driveway in LL Bean flannel lined jeans, a heavy Spring jacket and 
wearing wool gloves and a wool hat that has chin straps and comes down 
over the back of my neck - there was literally a roaring of mosquitos 
all around me and: not one bite.

I have not so far noticed any negative reaction by my three cats but 
keeping them away from the tripod on my portable setup would be a 
positive. They know when I'm guiding an exposure and need to rub against 
the tripod a lot when I'm doing that and have both hands full and am 
staring into a reticle eyepiece.

Stuart

Bert Katzung wrote:

>Hi Stuart:
>I don't like bug spray either, but I'd rather put up with that than catch
>West Nile virus encephalitis. Are you in a zero West Nile area?
>Bert
>
>Bert Katzung
>katzung1@attbi.com
>www.astronomy-images.com
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Stuart Heggie" <stuart.j.heggie@sympatico.ca>
>To: "Discussion of Film Astrophotography" <astro-photo@seds.org>
>Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 8:05 PM
>Subject: Re: [APML] Mosquitos and Red Light Flashlights
>
>  
>
>>My normal approach to insects is my winter clothes and waiting till it
>>is very dark and cooled off when they are usually quieter.
>>
>>Thanks Chuck and George!
>>
>>Stuart
>>
>>George Anderson wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>But I bet it keeps the dogs, cats, possible skunks, and racoons at some
>>>distance. Probably buggers up bat navigation as well with the harmonics.
>>>And it may let the cougars know where you are...
>>>
>>>George Anderson
>>>Montreal Canada
>>>
>>>Clear skies and good health
>>>      
>>>


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