We all have tales of the menacing hordes of these
heinous, villainous little creatures. No one has ever or will ever see the
likes of the terrors we have faced. The unbridled loathing of these critters espoused
whilst trading such tales with sole motivation of one-upmanship are astounding.
Legends are born of this stuff, “you haven’t seen anything until you have been”
…… (insert any region of Canada here); the muskegs of NWT/Yukon/Labrador, I could go on for days. Its fun stuff and a
topic that is near and dear to my heart. If you aren't being bitten by
mosquitoes in Canada, you aren't outside and that just sucks. So bring it on you
little ratbags.
It’s when you add the threat of serious debilitating disease
to the mix, you really have my attention. Luckily Canada has remained
relatively free of such maladies, although a few variants of Equine Encephalitis
still maintain a foothold and West Nile Disease is very slowly moving west
across the country.
In the tropics though, there are areas that are rampant with
Yellow Fever, Malaria, Chikungunya and Dengue Fever. Before travelling it is
important to understand the characteristics of the mosquito borne diseases that
can be contracted in that area. There are often specific species that carry the
disease as well as periods of activity.
The very first thing I check when I enter a lodge or guest
house is the quality of Mosquito netting. Secondly, how well the netting can be
sealed. The nets with flaps that overlap to provide a way in are a pain, at
some point in the night the flap will open slightly. It’s like a freeway
directly in to your sleeping space for those little buggers. This is another good
reason to pack small cloth-pins or small clamps to seal the net flaps. One
bungalow I stayed in recently had a cheap net that included flaps for access on
three sides. I always carry a high quality net in my pack for occasions such as
this. If you do not have that luxury soak yourself in mosquito repellent and keep
coils lit all night.
Use high percentage DEET lotion, and yes it is nasty but so
is the alternative if you are bitten by the wrong mosquito. Citronella based
and other natural products are a good deterrent but are not effective for long periods
like overnight or especially when sweating as one tends to do in the jungle.
I am not a fan of mosquito coils although effective I don’t believe
they are any good for our lungs or the residue in our blood stream. Especially
the cheaper Asian coils, they are downright terrible. That being said if it’s
the only answer it is better than nothing.
There are several effective prophylactics available for Malaria, my preference is Malarone. Check for side effects for whatever one you choose.
So yes it is entirely possible that a moose was carried
across the Yukon river by a mosquitoes alone and yes there are some incredible areas
of mosquito density in our beautiful country but all joking aside, if you are
travelling to a tropical country please take these little buggers seriously.
