2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
When an elusive tiny mosquito violates the boundaries of my "temple", inflicting an insidious bite, the song of a sparrow from the story of the same name by Maxim Gorky comes to mind: "Although you are very great, midges eat you!" A mosquito bite is not as harmless as it seems at first, superficial glance. How to protect yourself from insects or reduce losses from their victories?
Cause of itchy mosquito bite marks
To prevent rapid blood clotting from shortening the mosquito meal, the mosquito injects carbon dioxide into the wound inflicted on a person. The presence of carbon dioxide in the blood slows down its protective reaction - clotting.
The mosquito stores carbon dioxide by growing mushrooms in its esophagus. Yes Yes. Microscopic mushrooms with the familiar name "yeast". It is the yeast that is responsible for the itching and swelling of the skin, getting into the bloodstream along with carbon dioxide and mosquito saliva.
In young children, wounds from mosquito bites can even fester if you do not provide timely assistance to the child. Indeed, in addition to yeast, mosquitoes can introduce more serious pests, including the causative agent of encephalitis.
Old folk remedy
An interesting property of memory is to remember not only events, but sensations and smells. One of the smells of my childhood, firmly settled in my natural "computer", is a sharp specific smell of tar.
I remember a narrow dirt road among the powerful coniferous beauties hiding the sun's rays in their lush crowns. And myself, a five-year-old, holding tightly to the hand of her older brother. Despite the hot summer day, I am wearing long harem pants, a jacket with long sleeves. The head is tied with a cotton shawl in a rustic manner, covering the neck as well. The face and wrists are smeared with black grease tar. Clouds of mosquitoes hover around us, but they do not dare to approach our skin. Perhaps the allergy in those years was not yet born, or the tar does not provoke it, since the memory did not leave negative moments. Even the harsh scent of tar has a pleasant, mesmerizing note.
Tar is a product of dry distillation (heating without air access) of wood. Most often, birch and pine are used for these purposes.
Campfire smoke
The smoke of the fire not only creates the coziness of gatherings with friends, but also protects from itchy mosquitoes. My body does not tolerate the odors of modern anti-annoying family remedies, so I prefer simple and affordable remedies for anyone.
Going to clear the weeds from the beds, I take out an old, leaky kettle; picking up a bunch of chips and dry branches; for kindling, I tear out several pages from the balances, the statutory shelf life of which has expired; matches; a rag to grip the hot handle of the kettle. Near the garden bed, I make a fire in a kettle. When the fire starts, I throw the plucked weeds on it. The streak of smoke from under the smoldering grass repels mosquitoes and midges, and I calmly do weeding.
I carry the same smoke chamber with me when mowing fast-growing grasses that have settled on my site without permission. You just need to make sure that the fire does not spread to dry grass. I have not had such cases.
Fighting the effects of a bite
If there is a particularly brave and dodgy mosquito (or too hungry) and manages to strike a preemptive blow, I always have at hand the leaves of calendula, the bushes of which are scattered throughout the territory. With their festive colors, they enliven the site, scare off aphids, and help soothe the itching of a mosquito bite.
In addition to calendula, you can use the plantain leaf, coltsfoot, burdock burdock, if you have not yet had time to exterminate them all.
As a last resort, lubricate the wound with brilliant green, purchased in advance at the pharmacy.
Today in pharmacies you will find a wide range of mosquito protectors. The pharmacist at your nearest pharmacy can familiarize you with these. And I shared my own experience of coexistence with these insidious insects, but necessary for the balance of nature.
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