Why you’re getting bitten
Most bites here are tiger mosquitoes. They’re small, fast, and happy to bite at breakfast. Numbers spike a few days after heat plus rain. The usual culprits people overlook:
- a kiddie pool left half full “for tomorrow”
- irrigation systems that refill from a dripper
- a “temporarily off” fountain that becomes a pond
- a pool pump left off while the owner is away
Fix those and you remove most of the problem.
Easy wins at home
- Screens on bedrooms and main doors. Patch up tears, seal gaps if there are any.
- Airflow where you sit. A floor fan under the terrace table beats any candle. But not 100%.
- Weekly “water walk.” Tip and scrub saucers, toys, buckets, folded covers. Lift drain grates and clear the crap. If a drain holds water, dry it or treat it.
- Pool on a timer, chlorine right. Empty paddling pools every evening.
When you can’t drain it, use a Bti larvicide tablet (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) exactly as directed. It kills larvae without spraying the garden.
After a storm
Locals swear by this rhythm because it works.
- Day 1: tip everything, clear terrace and roof drains, run the pool.
- Day 3: repeat the sweep. That’s when the hatch starts. Miss Day 3 and you’ll feel it Day 5.
What to put on skin
Use actives that are proven. Brands don’t matter as much as the ingredient.
- DEET 20–30% for adults.
- Picaridin (icaridin) 20% if you prefer low odour.
- IR3535 20%+ is common in family formulas.
- PMD (lemon eucalyptus) at higher strength if you want plant-derived.
Thin layer, reapply by the label, especially after swimming. Evenings: long sleeves and trousers help more than you think. - For hikes or gardening, permethrin-treated clothing is worth it. The most effective and cheap spray we have used is d=from Mercadona – it’s an orange bottle simply entitles ‘Repelente’ – it’s about 2.45 and is just as good as Autan which is about 9 yoyos a bottle.
Things that don’t solve it
Ultrasonic plug-ins. Vitamin B or garlic. Soda-bottle traps. Citronella on its own. Fogging the whole garden “just because” (you’ll kill the good insects and the problem returns if water’s still sitting).
Quick terrace routine for bite-free dinners
Mop any puddles near the table. Fan on first. Spray ankles and wrists. Keep an after-bite pen in the cutlery drawer. If you’re still getting nipped, move the fan so the air passes across your legs, not just your face.
If you rent or run holiday lets
Write “bedroom screens stay and are maintained” into the contract. Photograph them at check-in. Add a one-page note in the welcome pack: empty the kiddie pool nightly, don’t leave saucers full, and run the fan under the terrace table at dinner.
Spanish pharmacy kit (over the counter)
Ask the pharmacist if you’re unsure; they’ll recognise these by name.
- Itch and swelling: Hidrocortisona 1% crema (hydrocortisone), short courses on intact skin.
- Oral antihistamines: Cetirizina, Loratadina, Ebastina (Ebastel), Bilastina (Bilaxten), Desloratadina (Aerius). Once daily, non-drowsy for daytime. Polaramine can help at night but may make you sleepy.
- Quick sting relief: After Bite (ammonia), calamina lotion, plain aloe vera gel.
- Infection care: clean scratched bites with clorhexidina solution; see a doctor if redness spreads, you get fever, or pain ramps up.
Community buildings and urbanisations
Give someone the job. After watering days and storms: roof drains, sumps, bin-store grates, planter beds by entrances. Keep a few Bti tablets for stubborn wet corners. A polite note about standing water fixes more than any repellent company.
The 10-minute weekly checklist
- Tip and scrub anything that held water.
- Check drippers; no puddles under pots.
- Clear terrace and roof drains.
- Run pool and balance chlorine.
- Fan ready under the dinner table.
- Repellent restocked; after-bite pen in the drawer.
That’s what actually changes your bite rate here: remove tiny water sources, move air across your legs, use a proven repellent, and treat bites with simple Spanish pharmacy basics.
They are little xxxxxxxxs
