We were in Bonaire Feb 08 and Feb 07. Both times, my husband got stung: red itchy spots all over his legs. I got maybe one or two spots at most the whole time we were there. Anyone have any theories why some people get stung and not others? Just curious....

You both get stung. Only one of you is alergic. My husband gets no red spots and I look like I have chicken pox. We use DEET.

Myself, husband and children only use natural repellents (I'm not comfortable using DEET on the kids) and we all got a few bites with no allergic reaction. There are many theories, hormones, pheronomes and body chemistry may or may not trigger an attraction of the mosquitoes. I also know people who swear by eating tons of garlic or taking garlic pills wards of the buggers.

Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites (they don't have a stinger but use a needle like proboscis or piercing mouthpart ) may be associated with an underlying medical conditions.

(Message edited by muddysoapfish on March 30, 2008)

RosAnne
I'm no expert on who gets bit etc, but I believe all serious studies say DEET is the right stuff. Dengue is present in Bonaire at this time. My daughter had it when she lived in Ecuador and it was terrible. They don't call it "Breakbone Fever " for nothing.
I hate using any kind of repellant or even sunblock for that matter but I think the supposed effect of even 2 weeks of DEET is nothing compared to Dengue.
Mick
PS read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever

Those red itchy spots on the legs can be the results of sand fleas and not mosquitoes. I used to use Skin So Soft exclusively on Bonaire but last July during a 2 week visit I started getting my ankles eaten at dusk so I switched to DEET for the legs.

Mick,
Thank you for the info and you are correct that the effects of DEET are mild compared to contacting Dengue fever. I still get a queasy feeling putting DEET on my kids. We have been fortunate when visiting Bonaire and have received very few bites amongst us. I will not rule out the use of DEET if dengue becomes more prevalent. I'm sorry to hear about your daughter and hope that she has fully recovered, what a horrible experience it must have been!

We use Autan and spray our room well with flyspray every evening. I got bitten this year but oddly each time on my left hand.

We won't ask what you were doing with your left hand Brian. I got bit on the face, hands, arms, legs...you name it I got bit there - well almost. I used DEET but really should have used it at night every night before going to bed.

What spray do you use in your room, can you buy it on the island and where can you buy Autan?
I will be there in July and lets just say bugs really like me and my body doesn't like them!

Mara

Robin

We just buy normal fly spray, they sell it everywhere. We also have a liquid mossy killer scentor type thing as well.

Sorry I think Autan is more readily available in Europe, we have taken some for friends before.