We'll be visiting Ambergris from the states on the 1st week of July. What is the best repellant to use for sand flies? Should it be a concern, having 2 small kids?

I don't know about the Cayes, but here in the mainland bush I use Avon's Skin so Soft mixed halve with water. Because I like to run & hunt through the jungle and fish along the coast, my macho friends like to make fun of me using "Skin so Soft." But the bottom line is it works to keep the no-see-ums and sand flies off. And I get more women than my friends do because I smell better ;-)

I havent seen any sandflies in quite a while, but its been dry and just now starting to rain a little so that could change befor July.
Its been a good year for bugs ....or a bad year from the bugs aspect.

Baby oil or coconut oil works great. Smear it on thick, the sand flies will drown in it. Great for the skin and non-toxic.

Haven't seen a sand fly out here since 2010.

I have to agree, its like we're developed and they just don't survive like they did when we had more bush than lawn.

Up on the real north end of the island, we still get them. LOTS of them, but during the dry season there have been none. A nice reprieve. We consider them like bad weather. Still forest all around up here and other great bugs. I see more butterflies, moths and dragon flies then I do when I am down south.

We sometimes get a few of them at at dusk & dawn for maybe half an hour, usually it's only a problem when the breeze dies. It's certainly not as bad as it was years ago! Baby oil or just about any lotion keeps them from biting.

Just to clarify; do mean noseeums in general or sand flies specifically?

We use Skintastic in pump bottle. Works very well and fairly hypoallergenic...

Thanks for all the good info.