Surviving the sandfly season

 

With the joy of summer comes the annoyance of those pesky sandflies - but you don’t have to take getting bitten lying down.

Despite the fact that many of New Zealand’s favourite summer holiday spots are infested with sandflies, if you go prepared, you’ll get the better of them.

Becky Cashman, sandfly expert and producer of natural bug repellent Goodbye Sandfly, says the single best defence against sandflies is to cover up with light coloured clothing.

“The best thing you can do for managing sandflies and mosquitoes is to dress well for the occasion. Sandflies are attracted to dark clothes so wear light colours and stand next to a person in a black fleece jersey and you will get instant relief! If you can try to keep covered up and give yourself a liberal dose of bug repellent you have a better chance of surviving a sandfly party.”

Becky’s top tips for surviving the onslaught of sandflies this summer are:

1. Protect your ankles with socks or bug repellant. Sandflies tend to start their attack at the ground level and work upward.

2. Wear light coloured clothes. Sandflies are attracted to dark clothes.

3. Walk. Sandflies are very slow creatures. As long as you are moving they can't swarm.

4. Keep your car, caravan, and boat closed up or screened. Sandflies are notorious for their ability to find openings to enter and fly in wait. If you have no screens, keep downwind windows and doors closed. They prefer quiet air to wind.

5. Boats can anchor offshore a short distance to minimize the sandfly effect. A portable net can be draped over doors and hatches for a much more peaceful night.

6. Sandflies are attracted to heat. Turn off needless lights during dusk.

7. Avoid using ‘sweet’ smelling body care products. Eat less sugar. Sandflies love sweet people.

8. Sandflies will go into a feeding frenzy just before it begins to rain. They can be your little weatherwomen (it's the females that bite), so put on your rain jacket.

OUCH! Sandflies tend to start from the ground and work up say the experts. – PHOTO/landcareresearch.co.nz

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