Mosquitoes and sand fleas can be an irritation on the Gulf Coast, as they can be anywhere on earth. Mosquitoes have changed history by attacking invading ancient armies and by swarming around outside workers like those who dug the Panama Canal. In the tropics, mosquitoes can carry all sorts of nasty diseases such as malaria and Zeki. Indeed, probably nothing in the natural world has adjusted so well to human activity as have the thousands of species of mosquitoes – and no insect has been deadlier.
On the Coast
On the Coast, they attack sunbathers, hikers, and partiers gathered on a deck. You will need to protect yourself from them. It’s unlikely that mosquitoes or sand fleas on the Gulf Coast will be carrying diseases such as Zika, Dengue Fever, Malaria, and West Nile virus because government agencies done a good job of keeping such infected populations down. Granted these diseases and other mosquito-borne illnesses are showing up on the Coast, but they are still extremely rare. For example, there were 56 cases of West Nile virus in Alabama in 2017 – that’s 0.0000114 percent of the state’s 4.875 million population, and that was the most cases of a specific illness from mosquitoes in the state. But you still don’t want to be bitten, of course, because your skin will have an allergic reaction to the bite. Mosquitoes can be even more problematic, though, for your pets because their bites are the only way heartworms are transmitted. So if you bring pets to the Coast, be certain to have your vet protect them from heartworms.
Why are mosquitoes more troublesome on the Gulf than in, say, Alaska or New York or Las Vegas? It’s got to be because on the Gulf, the mosquito’s target, wearing a swimsuit or shorts and a skimpy top has a lot of exposed skin as she basks in the warmth of the Gulf Coast.
Writer Dorothy Shawhan has observed, “I’ve seen them change a genteel garden party into a leg-slapping, foot-stomping, arm-waving blood bath; I’ve heard a single mosquito buzz sleeping households into hysterics in the middle of the night; I’ve watched neighbors virtually disappear from the community because a mosquito swarm took up right outside the kitchen door. Ask any Deltan the disadvantages in living here, and chances are a hundred to one that a mosquito will turn up somewhere in the answer.”
Mosquitoes in little green dresses
Mosquitoes have even worked their way into literature. William Faulkner’s novel Mosquitoes takes place in New Orleans. But Faulkner’s mosquitoes, the flitty, shallow-minded young women looking for mates, wear little green dresses.
For their part, sand fleas, also known as gnats, no-see-ums, sand fly, biting midge, punkie or punky, can be as troublesome as the mosquito, being tiny black dots of creature that bite without you noticing and being almost impossible to swat. Their bite can cause itching.
Mosquitoes and sand fleas will “bite almost anything that moves,” writes Shawhan, a Mississippian Delta resident. In fact, mosquitoes swarm into our Gulf Coast lives even though they are illegal, having been banned by state and local laws, of which the mosquitoes can’t give a damn. Try arresting one before it gets away.
Granted, only the female mosquito bites because she needs a bit of blood to mature her eggs; and she won’t even bite every human she accosts because, well, some people just don’t have the right odor about them. (Science has yet to identify the yummy smelling odor that makes a person a target; it’s hit and miss.)
There are many forms of insect, birds, and fish that are the mosquitoes’ worst enemies. The dragonfly is a voracious eater of mosquitoes; gold fish like the tiny tasty morsels if they can reach them. The Purple Martin eats the little buggers, but there aren’t enough Purple Martins on the Coast to make much of a dent in the mosquito populations.
The buzzing critters are worse if you are renting a place near a marsh or wetland, or if there is standing water on the property or nearby. If you see a flower pot or other receptacle on the property, be sure to turn it over so it won’t catch rainwater. Sand fleas, though, seem to be prevalent everywhere, especially, well, on the sands of the beach. They come out from the marshes and wetlands, too. Many a beach goer have suffered their bites in the most, um, intimate of places on their bodies. While you might not see them (they’re called no-see-ums for a reason), you’ll find their pin-tip-sized red dots on your skin, particularly around your ankles and, if you’ve been sitting in the sand, in your nether regions.
Protect yourself
So, how to protect yourself from these critters? There are some natural remedies, such as an organic spray sold under the brand name No More Bites. You can also try apple cider vinegar or eucalyptus oil or picaridin. Some folks have found success using lemongrass, citronella oil, peppermint, lavender, manuka, catnip, and clove. Little research has been done to confirm any of these, and those who experienced success with them may have been people who wouldn’t have been bit anyway. But they are worth a try; that folks have tried so many remedies speak to how prevalent and bothersome they are.
As for store-bought remedies, I’ve found that DEET seems to do best to keep the nasty tiny flies off my bare skin. Also, wearing long pants and long-sleeve shirts in the evening are the best to keep mosquitoes and sand fleas at bay, but don’t forget to smear some protective chemicals on your face, neck, and hands.
By taking precautions, you can minimize the irritations that come from mosquitoes and sand fleas or no-see-ums. Their swarms are invading armies of itch, so keep a bottle of natural juices or the more armored DEET.
Treat a bite
If you’ve been bitten, your skin will develop an itch; scratching it can cause an infection, so avoid doing that. If a cold compress doesn’t relieve the itching, try rubbing alcohol, an over-the-counter cream such as hydrocortisone, or calamine lotion. If you unfortunately get several mosquito bites that inflame your skin, you might want to take an antihistamine such as Benadryl or Claritin.
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