Hi all
I did do a search on this before I posted but I could only find out that people planned (like me) to take Avon Skin So Soft body lotion to NZ (Fiordland and west coast of South Island) in the hope that it would work against NZ sandflies in the same way that it does against Scottish midges. Does anyone know if it actually works?
Many thanks
crofty1974
1
ginner
I'd also like to know, please - it's no good me having beautifully soft skin if I end up resembling a warthog... I'll be doing Northland, various islands around, er, the Bay of Islands and Hauraki Gulf, Rotorua and Tongariro if they're location-specific.
I'll be packing a bottle of DEET as well, just in case, but it'd be nice not to have to use that.
2
ohwell
stick with the deet products. Here its available in OFF and various other forms.
Skin so softs Okay for mini versions of mossies, but the ones in Fiordland are a bit more determined.
4
antipodean451
I'd say no, even without knowing the exact product.
However having been bitten by all, NZ sandflies (and more especially, mosquitos) are much worse than anything the Camusdarach midges threw at me.
My girlfriend (scottish) also reacts alot more badly to bites here than she did in Europe. That may just be her though.
5
travelinjo
I have not tried it in New Zealand yet, but it worked in Central America against their sand flies so it's worth the risk to try it. DEET is horrible for the environment as well.
6
otari
The only thing that really works agains sandflies is DIMP.
I wouldn't want to be wearing it that often, because like DEET, it's a pretty serious chemical.
But otherwise, the best thing to do is just to cover up. Lightweight pants, long sleeves, gloves, and even a head net that hangs over a brimmed hat if you're so inclined.
The only place I've really used them is camping in Fiordland - otherwise, you can brush the sandflies off pretty easily before they bite, or just keep moving and they won't have time to settle on you.
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
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