mosquitos.

Here in China I am under the constant attack from mosquitos. South China is a tropical climate. It's hot here (85 is the average Farenheight temperature) and humid (90% humidity is a common occurrence). Hot + Moisture + Jungles just outside of the city = Killer Mosquitoes.

They're nothing like the little rascals of my youth in Michigan summers, who you can hear miles away before they strike. Nor are they like the Californicus Giganticus variety that you can see for miles before they strike. These bastards are evil, tiny things that you can't see, can't hear coming, can't feel when they bite, who leave giant red welts on me that itch for weeks on end.

There is a particular variety in Shenzhen that I am allergic to. I won't be able to tell I've been bitten until later in the evening, when half-dollar sized red welts raise up on my skin about a millimeter thick. The swelling goes down after a few days, but then I'm left with large red half-dollar sized spots on my skin that stay for weeks. The only thing that helps is topical steroids.

So, now I come prepared. I bought bug spray, but not the Old Faithful "Deep Woods OFF" for me. That's only 25% DEET; no match for these horrid creatures. I found a bug spray that is 98% DEET. I am certain it can't be good for my skin. Or my vital organs. Or my quest to avoid cancer. And the oily layer is disgusting. It eats through my nail polish if I accidentally spray it on there. It burns like nothing other if I accidentally spray it in my eyes (fortunately this only happened once). And it is ruining the finish on my Wacom tablet, the chemicals slowly eating through the pretty textured plastic surface.

However. It does do the job. I spotted a mosquito a few minutes ago as I was typing this. It came up to me, hovered near my skin for a moment, and decided it was wiser to change it's course. Move on, my little stinger. Find someone else to bite. I will instead settle for a slow, chemical Death by DEET.


I've become totally paranoid about being bitten. I'll be completely covered in DEET, not a mosquito to be seen, and will panic at the feeling that I am SURE I was just bitten. I look down, and nothing. A spare thread fallen from the hem of my dress will graze my leg and I will jump up, scraping the spot with my shoe, certain that welts will appear any moment. But they don't. Because I am coated in chemical awesomeness.

Totally worth it.