A simple solution

There is nothing that spoils our summer more than suffering itching bites from mosquitoes.

We were never bitten on our holidays to Spain or France. We didn’t get bitten on our visits to the Balearic Islands nor on Formentera. So we weren't expecting to be pestered by these insects here on the Costa Blanca.

When the house was built, we had mosquito blinds fitted to the windows but we thought that was mainly to keep other insects out. During the buying process, nobody even hinted about a problem with mosquitoes.

I suppose the clue for us should have been the abundance of various creams in the chemist shops to treat mosquito bites, the machines that you plug in at night to ward them off and the cans of insecticide in the supermarkets.

The cream we use to reduce the itching and inflammation works but really we want to avoid being bitten in the first place.

We planted lots of lavender in the garden which supposedly repels mosquitoes but still we were getting bitten. We have citronella candles in all sorts of shapes and sizes which do work. The problem comes when we stray away from where the candles are burning.

We bought some cologne from the chemist that you are meant to spray around your legs. That definitely works but was very expensive.

Last Friday Pam found what could be the best solution to the problem in Mercadona and thought it was worth a try. The pack, which cost about 3€, contains 24 small transparent patches which you stick on the inside of your wrist. Once in place you scratch the patch and then wave your arm around to bathe yourself in citronella vapour. You are advised to repeat this every 40 minutes or so. The makers claim that the patch will work for between 8 and 12 hours.

A little sceptical, that something so small could solve the problem, we tried them the other night when friends came round for supper. Carefully, we followed the instructions and kept our fingers crossed. Pam still lit a few citronella candles just to be sure.

The result

Well we didn’t get bitten and the next day you could still smell the citronella on the patches. Further field trials will be required because it may have been a night when none of the little blighters were about but we remain quietly confident that this may be the most cost effective solution to the problem.

I just hope Mercadona don’t run out before the mossie season ends.

The diagram on the packet says it all!