The Ugly Truth about NoSeeUms on Sanibel

There is still a lot of talk about the BP oil spill up and down the coast of Florida. And there should be. This tragedy should spark concern, action and endless discussion about how we should and can avoid such catastrophes in the future.


Though the scientific projections based on the loop current are saying Sanibel Island only has a 15 to 20 per cent chance of oil reaching its shores, we are all still worried and very concerned about the long range impact of the spill on the upper Gulf.


But at this point we can only pray that the spill is contained and cleaned up and stays away from the ecologically special and fragile islands of Sanibel and Captiva.


So this post will address a much smaller concern.


An infinitely smaller concern.


Those who travel have alluded to tiny biting flies that often live near water. They are so tiny, they are not generally visible and hence their appropriate name, Noseeums. They are also called Midges and since it is only the female that bites, I guess the female nomenclature is also appropriate. The Noseeums are common not only on Sanibel, but in the Caribbean and any warm, tropical body of land where there is water nearby.


Sometimes our vacation rental guests ask if traveling in winter is a way to avoid these pests, and we have to be honest and say the bigger factor in avoiding Noseeums is not time of year, but time of day and strength of breeze.


Noseeums are worse at dawn and dusk and worse when the air is still.


But getting bitten is not totally unavoidable.


Your best defense is Deet, applied liberally when you are setting out. It is the only for sure protection against getting bites. Because Noseeums are so very tiny, they can even get into screened lanais so keep fans going and that should help as well. We have heard from some sources that Skin So Soft, which we know does work for mosquitoes, is effective for these little buggers, but have not tried that route as yet. We have also been told by several of our rental guests that vitamin B12, started even before arrival on the Island, is a good preventative measure for bites.


Generally, your bites will be on the bare areas of your body, so wearing long pants/slacks and long sleeve shirts may be of some assistance as well.


Some folks are just lucky and their chemistry is not attractive to these biters at all. One person in a couple can get several bites and the other none what so ever.


If you don't know how appealing you may be, just take all the precautions and you should be just fine.


Now, if only the oil spill were this easy to address....