Mosquitoes and how to avoid them in Bali

Mosquitoes are pain in the neck and a fact of life here in Bali. If you come here you will get bitten, probably not get malaria, but still something most westerners are uncomfortable with.

I met a guy from the Navy once who had a hard time adjusting to the fact that there were these little flying objects that could bite him at will. Living here for 3 years I think my mind kind of accepts them as part of the scenery. I my bathroom I have giant cockroaches, frogs, mosquitoes and large spiders. As long as they leave me alone, I leave them alone.

An article on the BBC website talks about frogs possibly being able to secrete a substance that repels mozzies. Maybe I should stop using a deodorant stick, and start using a frog. Here’s my observations about mozzies. They like dark places and dark colors. My floor is white and I have a black plastic sack laid out to put my tools on under the stairs. This area is mozzies heaven, so is my bbq. When it rains, mozzies often try to move inside and the times of day when you will notice them the most is dusk, between 5.30- 7.30pm. My bathroom is pretty much open air, it has a roof but leaves from tress can blow under the roof and in. So can mozzies. Taking a shower at 6pm means braving the hungry little creatures.

In my experience the dry season is worse than the wet season for mozzies. Since cutting back the bushes in our garden we have had way less, since they hide out under the leaves in dark patches. Some people give off an odor that repels them, others attract them. I’ve had friends who were mozzies magnets, and others who could sit around in shorts all evening without a bite. I’m in the middle.

Placing a mozzie coil in your room for 15 minutes will help clear it of mozzies and then by placing it outside for the rest of the night with the windows open you will help your chances. Using a fan is also a good way to deal with them.