Bass Bob
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For those who have been to Alaska. We are planning on going to Alaska the middle of June until the middle of July. What are the months for the mosuitos and what should we take with us to protect our selves from them. Thank You.
Bob Harding
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joe b.
Florida
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Joined: 08/24/2002
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You will find the biting bug problem to vary from year to year, month to month, etc.
On our trip last summer the only place we ran into to swarms of mosquitoes was at the Tangle Lakes CG just outside of Paxson. They were as thick as I have ever seen them anywhere in Alaska. One summer we were clearing some land we bought along side the Kenai River just out of Soldotna and they were bad. Had to build smudge fires to try and smoke them away, also used a propane powered fogger every 30 minutes or so. In the next 10 years I don't remember any real problems with them at that location.
However most of the time you won't see any bugs or enough to cause any real problems. A campground just west of Glennallen had a crop of the state birds last summer but 4 citronella candles setting around us made it possible to be out.
Spring time and fall time tend to produce the most bugs with the accompanying rains.
I usually carry a head net with me when out in the woods, wear long sleeve shirts and sometimes wear cotton gloves. The DEET bug repellent will keep them from biting but I hate to breath them in as I hike or exert myself in other ways. Don't get the deet on anything plastic, especially monofilament fishing line.
I don't think I saw a mosquito in our couple of weeks in Fairbanks or at the Anchorage RV Park, just a few in Soldotna at the park east of town up Redoubt Rd. and none on the Homer Spit.
When the bugs, mosquitoes, gnats, no see ums or white socks are thick they can be miserable to man or beast. Sometime when you step on the tundra what looks to be a cloud of dust will come up and it is actually mosquitoes.
Northern Canada can also in places produce lots of bugs. They tend to like the muskeg type vegetation, wet areas and back in the trees. We used to camp on the sand bars just to stay away from the swarms.
In the over 25 years we lived in northern Alaska I don't ever remember not doing anything because of the bugs but just be prepared with high concentration deet repellent and watch out for young kids and pets. I have a real nasty reaction to the bite of a white sock fly so I am very careful if they are around. Similar to the yellow fly bites here in Florida. Plus the mosquito bites in Alaska don't leave the marks on me like the mangrove mosquitoes do here for a week or so. A good product to burn also is Buhach powder. This product was a staple of rural Alaska but ceased production for several years but is being manufactured again. Here is one source for it
The myth of Alaska bugs is just that, unless you get into them. LOL
* This post was
edited 03/25/05 11:23am by joe b. *
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
Dodge/TCD - Rockwood 8281 SS 5th Whl
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"Without challenge, adventure is impossible".
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Gruffy
monominto mb ca
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Joined: 10/02/2003
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When the snow melts till it falls again is the season.
It varies from place to place week by week. Expect plenty of bugs, have good repellent insecteside.... head net, etc. if you must fish or do something out doors. Perhaps you won't need it but.....
I remember a week in Fort Simpson where they were flying into the hotel rooms through the bathroom vent fan ducts. Slept for 5 nights with a can of Raid on the night stand.
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cross21114
Baltimore, MD, USA
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Joined: 10/14/2003
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My son and I spent 2 weeks in August of 2000 tent camping around Alaska. The only place where they were really bad and required us to wear head nets was McCarthy.
The head nets are a cheap investment you won't regret.
Chris Ross
2001 Chevy Crew Cab Short Bed 2500HD
2001 S&S 9SCS w/ slide out
2001 War Eagle Duck boat w/130 HP Johnson
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Gecko
Kenai, Alaska
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I use a double barrel 12 guage shotgun for the mosquitos!.....(just kidding)....They really weren't to bad last year...They don't seem to bother me anyway...Maybe I eat to much garlic!... I thought our mosquitos were bad till I stopped west of Winnipeg....I think that's where they make them!....There were BILLIONS of them....
36.5' 2001 Damon Intruder 349
2006 Chevrolet Avalanche Z-71
2006 Pontiac GTO
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lonnie4801
Texas
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We're going to be in Alaska from June thru September (maybe a bit longer). We purchased 4 smudge pots and will burn citronella oil in them. Have seen them used with great effectiveness in southern campgrounds. These are the type pots they used on the railroads in olden days.
Lonnie and Sue
2007 HR Ambassador 40'
2008 Chevy Colorado Z71 4x4 Crew Cab
West Texas, Retired
Fulltimers. No more grass to cut, no more leaves to rake, and can move if we don't like our neighbors.
States we spent time in, drive throughs not marked.
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KidKrazee
Anchorage, Alaska
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My best solution so far is to light mosquito coils around the door. This keeps them from going inside. While wandering I use DEET.
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Pusher
Albuquerque, NM
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You will be to late for the early mosquitos. They come out about breakup.(ice breaks up in the rivers) They are big and travel in pairs, one has the drilling rig and the other carries the extra pipe to get through the extra clothes. They fly very slow.
Unfortunately you will be in time for the small ones and the can drive you crazy. They are not all over though and if a small wind is blowing they can be blown away. Good bug spray will keep them from landing on you but if they are very thick you might eat a couple.
They are an irritation at their worst if you are prepared.
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COBIAKING
Vidor, Texas
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We have a can of Gillette Right Guard spray deodorant in the car, RV and at home all the time. It will stop the itching from Mosquitos bite fast. It also works on ant, wasp stings. I didn't think it would work when I was told about it but it does work. If you don't belive just try it and you will be a beliver. We were at a funeral and my wife step in a fire ant bed and was stung bad. I spraid her feet and legs over her host and the stinging stoped fast. Had a hard time getting the hoes off when we got home.
Don & Mary Ann
2 Toy Poodles Mitzi & Francoise 1996 29' GulfStream class C and 2003 Jayco egale pop up
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Bass Bob
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I know we were there last year and they were terrible. We were going to stay and left after two days. The RV Park called them their state bird. Winnipeg!
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