AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Bugs, bugs everywhere are bugs??

My wife and I are booked for 11 days on AC in mid February. Now she keeps reading in the guidebook about misquitoes, sand flys, noseums, sea thimbles, etc. Are these things all as ferocious as the books make them out to be? Sounds like body armour is required? Please someone tell her it's not all that bad.... I hope. Thanks.

Don't panic! I was very worried about bugs before my first trip to AC last month, and let's just say I overreacted. Because I am a mosquito magnet I was concerned about malaria and other bug diseases. I bought 3 cans of DEET, 2 very expensive tubes of Ultrathon, a larger tube of Sawyer controlled release DEET, Permethrin spray for clothing, Skin-so-soft and 2 pocket sized cans of DEET for traveling. Yes, I went a little overboard.In 10 days on AC the only thin we used was about 1/2 a can of 29%DEET(Repel brand from Wal-mart)

By day there were no bugs. By night the nice breeze always helped keep the bugs away. There were mossies and noseeums but not bad. No worse then summer in your backyard. We used a light spray of DEET before heading out in the evening and were fine. The special military stregth stuff I'm sure works fine but is only necessary for long term exposure to bugs. For the few hours we were out each eve regular stuff was OK. I got one mosquito bite on my hand and my wife got a bunch of noseeum bites on her legs the fist night when she didn't use spray.
I just finished returning all the stuff I didn't use on the trip. The 2 0z pocket size DEET spray(also from wal-mart) are handy.
Don't worry!
Have fun!

Most of the bugs are vacationing in Honduras during February. It's relatively free of the critters, until they start returning in mid-summer. Try taking two vitamin B complex tablets a day the week before you go. It might sound really strange but it is quite effective in most cases. We heard this several places in December, and ultimately from one of the island doctors.

Those who smell the best, to humans, are the most delectable to bugs. Women who slather on aromas are a flashing neon sign saying "Bite Me!"
Soap up only at night before bed. Water only shower in A.M.
All other precautions apply, but this works.

Last time I went it was in February, and I had a huge problem with bugs. Once I took a walk and sparyed myself everywhere with deet except for my face, and i ended up with 27 mosquito bites on it

One thing that makes a surprising difference with mosquitos is to wear white or light-colored clothing. For some reason, mozzies are attracted to dark clothes.

Bees are, too. As a former beekeeper, I've seen people stung numerous times when wearing dark shirts when someone in a light shirt was bothered at all. (And these days all honeybees in Belize are Africanized, so you don't want to mess with them.)

--Lan Sluder

I think it depends on the person. I am not usually bothered by mosquitos here in New England, which can be FIERCE to some people, nor am I bothered in Belize. I can get away with Deep Woods Off (25-30% deet) and not get bitten at all. I usually go with something even lighter when in San Pedro if there is a nice breeze. My husband on the other hand has to use a stronger insect repellant, to keep the bugs away both in Belize and here at home. He says it's because I have bitter blood...LOL!

Vitamine B6 does not work. At least not for us. Off deep woods works good for Mosquitos.
Nothing worked for Sandflies but that was in Honduras. Maybe the Belize type is not as nasty. We will test oil against them this June. Do you guys think Suntan oil that smells like Coconut will work? Baby oil in the sun is a sure sun burn. Do Sandflies come only out at dusk on AC?

just returned from A/C, I too took 3 bottles of bug spray-didn't open even 1 of them-there were 10 of us & ont 1 bug did we encounter. Do brinh tons of sunscreen & have a wonderful trip.