Province of Nova Scotia Travel Forum

Hello Oh-Worldly-Ones -

We are planning a trip to NS (probably staying along the south shore) June 13 - 21. I've been told by a cottage owner that the bugs are bad at this time and that it really is not the time to be there.

It's the ONLY time we can go. Are they really that much of a problem? My daughter is quite sensitive to insect bites and they treat her like she's a Sunday buffet. Should we reconsider?

Thanks.

I don't know the answer, but we were planning June for our next trip to the Maritimes, so I am interested in the responses to your question.

We encountered absolutely no bugs vacationing in NS in the first couple of weeks of September, so perhaps the moocho bugs advice depends on where exactly (ie which beach, etc.) you plunk yourself.

As a rule of thumb, wearing insect repellent with Deet in it will keep the bugs at bay. Remember to reapply every couple of hours, wear pants and long sleeved shirts if possible to keep as much of your body covered as possible. Also remember to spray your clothing with the insect repellent as well, if the bugs are really heavy. Spray a little into your palm, rub your palms together, and then rub them over your face, to safely cover your face with repellent.

I am quite sensitive to certain bites, and I always carry hydrocortisone cream with me, it's available in any pharmacy for under $5 a tube. If your daughter gets bit, just smear a little of the cream on the bite right away. A natural alternative is melaleuca oil, or tea tree oil as it is more commonly called. For most people, a little dab on an insect bite will break the venom down in no time.

Camping girl... we lived in the tropics (Singapore) We never leave home without the insect repellent... I'm serious... they absolutely feast on her, even with repellent on! I'll get one bite, she'll get 40... it's incredible. Thanks though. We're going anyway!

lol... my ex used to be the same way, I could get bit once or twice, he'd get bit 15 times. Someone once told him to eat more bananas, as it makes you less palatable to the mosquitos. I don't know if there's any truth to that.

I've heard garlic too...

The South Shore of Nova Scotia is on the Atlantic Ocean, nice little ocean breezes, and not too bad for bugs. If you go inland, you will be hitting mosquito season. You've missed the worst, the black flies and the "No-See-Em's" and the ticks. Reasonable applications of bug spray as needed should do fine. I don't usually bother, because it's not a big problem. I live in Yarmouth, the most southerly tip, if you're coming in by "Cat", you pass through here. There's some nice beaches -- no jellyfish, so you can really enjoy the beaches. (cold, though) . Need any help, feel free to ask.