Sandmücken in Neuseeland: So campen Sie mit weniger Bissen

Wählen Sie den Stellplatz sorgfältig aus

Luftbewegungen und Abstand zu stillem Wasser können die Aktivität verringern. Halten Sie Türen und Fliegengitter vor dem Entladen geschlossen, denn ein offener Wohnwagen wird für den Rest der Nacht zur Falle.

Tragen Sie im Morgen- und Abendlicht lange Ärmel, Socken und Hosen. Tragen Sie ein wirksames Abwehrmittel entsprechend der Packungsbeilage auf und tragen Sie es nach dem Schwimmen oder starkem Regen erneut auf.

Verwalten Sie den Innenraum

Reparieren Sie Bildschirmlöcher, bevor Sie abgelegene Lager erreichen, und vermeiden Sie helle Innenbeleuchtung bei geöffneten Türen. Kochen Sie draußen nur, wenn die Bedingungen es zulassen, und gehen Sie dann schnell nach drinnen.

Sprühen Sie kein Insektizid in die Nähe von Lebensmitteln, Kindern oder unbelüfteten Schlafräumen. Verwenden Sie Produkte nur dort, wo es die Gebrauchsanweisung erlaubt.

Behandeln Sie Bisse und beobachten Sie die Reaktionen

Waschen Sie Bisse, vermeiden Sie Kratzer und verwenden Sie bei Bedarf normale Juckreizmittel. Bei Anzeichen einer Infektion oder einer schweren allergischen Reaktion ärztlichen Rat einholen.

Der Sandmückendruck ändert sich je nach Wind, Temperatur und Niederschlag. Ein nahegelegener, exponierter Ferienpark kann eine sinnvolle Alternative zu einem schönen, aber dennoch am Flussufer gelegenen Campingplatz sein.

Where and when they are worst

Sandflies concentrate on the West Coast, throughout Fiordland, around the Catlins and in damp bush near water anywhere in the country. They are worst at dawn and dusk, in still conditions and close to rivers and coast, and they largely disappear in wind, cold and full sun.

The transition can be abrupt. The eastern side of the Haast Pass is close to sandfly-free and the western descent is not, so have repellent accessible in the cab rather than packed away before you cross.

What actually works

Repellents containing DEET or picaridin are the effective options, applied to skin before you leave the vehicle rather than after the first bites. Reapply after swimming or sweating, and cover ankles, wrists and the back of the neck, which is where most bites land.

Physical barriers work better than chemistry. Long sleeves, long trousers and socks in the evening remove most of the problem, and a head net is not an overreaction on the Milford road in summer.

Managing the tent and the vehicle

Check the insect mesh for holes before you travel, because a single tear makes the tent useless against them. Enter and exit quickly, and get in the habit of zipping fully rather than most of the way.

Sandflies follow you into a van and stay. Closing up before dusk rather than after it, and killing the few that got in before you settle, saves a long night. A small battery fan disrupts their flight and helps more than it sounds.

Treating the bites

The reaction is delayed and the itch peaks a day or two later, often lasting a week. Antihistamine cream or tablets help, as does not scratching, which is easier said than done and is what turns a bite into an infected sore.

Some people react far more strongly than others, and reactions can build over a trip rather than settle. Carry treatment with you rather than planning to buy it, because the places where you need it are the places with no pharmacy.

Planning a trip around them

On the West Coast and in Fiordland, choose sites with some exposure to breeze rather than tucked into sheltered bush beside a river. The most beautiful sheltered spot is reliably the worst one, and a slightly windier pitch makes for a far better evening.

Time your outdoor tasks. Setting up camp, cooking and eating are all much easier in the middle of the day or in wind than at dusk, so arriving early is worth more here than almost anywhere else in the country.

Maori tradition holds that Hine-nui-te-po released the namu at Milford to stop people lingering and becoming too enchanted by the place. Having spent an evening there without repellent, the story is hard to argue with.

What does not work

Citronella candles, ultrasonic devices and wristbands are all widely sold and none of them meaningfully reduce bites. Neither does eating garlic or taking vitamin B, despite how often both are recommended.

Spend the money on a proper repellent and long sleeves instead. The things that work are unglamorous and reliable, and the things that do not are the ones sold at the campground shop.

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