I don't know why I am asking, because I am pretty sure it does still work. I'm probably just looking for reassurance after a bone headed stunt I pulled that got me some bites.
I have probably been 10+ years without a bug bite while hiking or camping or hanging. And all without the- for me - unpleasantness of DEET. Ever since I started spraying some of my clothing and gear with Permethrin, and putting 20% Picaridin on exposed skin, it's as though even in swampy areas of MS, the bugs have moved out. Not only do I never get bit, I rarely even see or hear a bug. Even when I did see mossies swarming at a high mountain lake in the Sawtooths of ID, even sleeping without a net(which I have also done sleeping beside a creek in the Sipsey wilderness of AL), never a bite. Very paranoid when sleeping without the net, but still never a bite.
But here is where my laziness, cheapness and stupidity ganged up on me. ( don't be me! ) I have for the last year or two often put off buying some more Perm and treating my clothes and or single layer hammocks. I decide to just get by with plenty of Picaridin on my skin, and sometimes clothes. It works on clothing, and won't hurt it, just doesn't last long like Permethrin does. But it works in a pinch for a few hours at least.
A couple of weeks ago, I go day hiking deep into the MS woods, and end up hanging a couple of different single layer hammocks. I had covered my arms and legs with Picaridin. I had both spray and lotion. Then covered my eyes, nose and mouth with my hand and sprayed it over my head and down my back as best I could. In the past when trying to get by with this approach, I have taken my shirt off and sprayed it front, back and especially at the arm holes and waist, but I stupidly did not go to all that trouble this time. I thought I made a good effort to get the Picaridin on my skin well up under my shorts and shirt sleeves. I did not do a good enough job.
Now this is the part that really "bugs" me: I still never saw or heard any bugs, except for a few buzzing bees. It was quiet and peaceful. I felt no bites. I am used to both seeing and hearing mosquitoes. They are usually quite easy to detect if being attacked by them. I never saw a thing while hiking or hanging.
When I got home, I had one bite in each arm pit. Really more like the far upper chest right about where it becomes the arm pit ( I was laying with hands under my head for a while), one bite on each shoulder, well up under my shirt sleeves. I had one under my shorts and underwear, front side about midway between hip and center belly. And 1 at belt level under shorts on my back. All ended up with about a dime sized red whelt, there may have been a small white area in the center. Itched like crazy for a few days, then disappeared. ALL bites were UNDER clothing. (But, the armpit bites could have been when I had my arms up with hands under head in the hammock) On my exposed legs, arms, balding head, neck, face anywhere NOT covered by clothing, places I had well covered with Picaridin, not a single bite. I wonder what got hold of me? Surely not Mossies I could not see or hear only biting me through the clothing, especially some cargo shorts AND underwear ? If not mosquitoes, then I wonder what they were?
Anyway, I immediately got some Permethrin and did my usual clothing and gear treatments. I have been wearing them when working in the back yard and garden with no bites. And I have been more aggressive to apply that Picaridin further up under my shirt sleeves. But admittedly I feel a bit paranoid about putting it to the test back at the locale of the assault, especially since I could not see or hear the threat. I think I have PTSS.Which is why I am asking before I go: is Pernethrin still working good?
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