How to tackle the woodland flying, biting insects

Darter

I suffer horrendously with insect bites, always have done, so before any trip to the jungle, I typically spend some time reading up on the latest mosquito research to see if anything new has come to light which might help me. Given that more than a million people are killed from mosquito bites every year, there's usually quite a lot of new stuff to read.
Last year I watched an experiment on the internet that involved a number of volunteers and some sweaty socks - the experiment proved that certain people are massively more attractive to mosquitoes than others and that it was something to do with the pheromones they give off when they sweat. A chemical spray is in trial at the moment to disguise or neutralise these pheromones making people "invisible" to biting insects. But it's a long way from hitting our high streets.  This year I've learnt that it's not just pheromones, but that they feed on the bacteria that is present on your skin and in your sweat. Over time, bacteria multiplies of course which is why mossies are particularly fond of stale sweat; the stuff that bacteria has had a chance to work on. Guess I'm going to need to change the socks more often at the wood!

my first Dragonfly in flight! very frustrating shoot

I've also learnt that it's best to avoid bananas, because something about how they are metabolised seems to attract mosquitoes too.

My itchy, frustrated side wants to squash every mosquito on sight, but my Druidic side is keen to encourage natural predators at the wood to get the problem under control. This means installing plenty of bat boxes and ensuring dragonflies (who consume almost as many mossies, midges and gnats as bats do) have a perfect place to live. This is of course under way with the construction of the dam to create a sunny pond, but if I was a dragonfly, what would I be looking for as the perfect environment to breed? Apparently the list looks a bit like this;

1. Pond in full sun no less than 2 feet deep
2. Rotting logs at the edge of the water to lay their eggs in
3. Marginal plants for the larvae to crawl up when they emerge from the water
4. Some large rocks in full sun for them to bask on and dry out their new wings

I don't think that's too much to ask and I think the pond we have in mind will easily meet these requirements.  It seems crazy to put in water when we know that's what attracts mossies, but I would rather they were over by the pond instead of piercing my skin at the Yardarm.

In terms of plant life there don't appear to be too many that are native to this country that would help around the Yardarm. But given that a child dies from malaria every 30 seconds, there will thankfully always be more research going on.

Click here if you'd like to give a mosquito net to the people of Zambia.