Date:         Sun, 15 Jul 2001 21:49:58 EDT
Reply-To:     CMathis227@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck Mathis <CMathis227@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mosquito Net/No See 'Ems
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I may have experienced these little bast... uh, bugs earlier in life but I
remember them most distinctly from Southeast Alaska.  I heeded local advice
and slathered myself thouroughly (I thought) with strong bug repellent.  I
was surprised to feel the burn and notice a single line of these creatures on
the back of my hand where I had missed a strip a little more than a bug's
width.

They used to drive me nuts when I was fishing in the rain.  I'd manage to get
enough repellent on my face to keep them off but they would congregate under
the brim of my hat so thick I couldn't focus.

The misquitoes you could always hear coming and take cover.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'

In a message dated 7/15/01 8:32:56 PM, LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

<< Date:    Sun, 15 Jul 2001 16:32:28 -0500
From:    John Rodgers <jhrodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Mosquito Net/No See 'Ems

When I moved to Alaska years ago, I learned that besides mosquitoes,
which were bad enough, that there were two other winged critters that
could drive you mad.

You could be out for a fishing trip or whatever, and you would begin to
feel an itch, then you would reach to scratch, and low....your fingers
would have blood on them...your blood!!! At that point you knew you were
bitten by Alaska's notorious "White Sox". It's a tiny little biting fly,
visible, but so small you don't notice it. It has an anesthetic in its
saliva which kills any sensation of being bitten. So it alights on you,
anesthetises it dinner location, then bites  off what it no doubt
considers to be a very large, choice, juicy steak, and then disappears,
leaving you in no pain but quietly bleeding to death. A few minutes
later you begin to itch as the anesthesia wears off, and reach for the
spot only to discover the blood and a hole in your skin where you were
bitten and excised.

Why is this beast called a "White Socks"? Well, when ever you do get a
chance to see one....and you sometimes will....the last pair of legs is
marked with a white band around each leg just above the foot.......Thus
"White Socks"!!

The other critter is the "No-See'um". Being the color they are....almost
skin tone in color (europaen), they are practically invisible, and thus
the name recognized by most Americans...."No See'um".  Don't know about
Canada and Mexico, but pro'lly not much difference.

In Western Alaska where I spent a number of years, the Yupik (Eskimo)
people there used a word to generally describe  the mosquito and the
no-see'um....and any other difficult critters collectively. They were
"ge-suks". The spelling may be off a litle, but the meaning was right
on.....ge-suks were "Monsters"

And for the "no-see-um's" they reserved the diminutive. The
"no-see-um's" were "ge-suk-buks" or "Little Monsters".

They taught me tobacco juice relieved the itch.

My 2 cents.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver




 >>