# Snow and Mosquitoes!



## Muddy (Jan 14, 2010)

I'm searching around on the internet for places to go visit in South East Spain and hopefully find a place I like enough that will part me with my cash!
Murcia and just into Andalucia region etc...

What I would like to know is;
How high do I need to go to avoid the Mosquitoes? (they love me so much lol!)
How low to avoid the snow?

I'm sure this seems a bit silly but it's a serious question!
I know 800m inland Alicante was fine as I've been there several times, but at what Altitude does the snow and cold start to become a problem?

The personal experiences of the mountain people would be interesting to know!


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

If you like to live at altitude,that is fine,however it would be definitely colder and damper in the writer months, not sure about the snow though.
As for mosquitoes they can be a big problem for some people in any areas, I have nasty reactions to their bites. However since I was advised whilst visiting Australia,where I got a lot of bites, to take one bit. B1 And one odourless garlic tablet per day, the reaction has not been as severe.
Apparently it is the Thaimine in the B1 which leaves a none-detectable to humans odour on the skin which mosses hate,as does th odourless garlic. You need to be taking them for a couple of weeks for them to start having effect. I still get bites, but instead of having up to six inches of red raised reaction round each bite, it is only a small one and a half nip, I just put antihistamine cream on that.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

where we are is about 500mts above sea level, mozzies ...no ,but little black flies (who must be related to Count Dracula)... itchy, swollen bites,sometimes leaving you leaking blood) can be a problem. When working on the terrace or garden I always wear sunglasses (the moisture from eyes seems to attract them) A good repelant seems to be Avon's "Skin so soft" or any citrus based repelant.

Here we don't get a lot of snow, but 2 years ago we did get enough that we couldn't get the car out for 2 days. That came as a shock after living in Hong kong for 13 years:ranger:


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Just north of Velez-Malaga is a small village called Sedella. Look for it on Google Earth or an old-fashioned map. They have snow every winter but in the summer they get mossies. I suspect that down in these parts there may not exist the location you are searching for. As for really good snow, we are about an hour or so from the Sierra Nevada ski resorts.


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## Muddy (Jan 14, 2010)

Many thanx for the replies.

fergie;
I must have been lucky on my previous trips as didn't get a single bite from anything, but back in the UK 100% I will get some bloodsucking little sod catch up with me on the weekend if out in the forest from May to Oct etc.

I think I can put up with a little damp as long as it doesn't last too long if it means I don't get anything chasing me for a ((bloody)) drink! 
But don't want to get a place too high and get snowed in. Would be fine with a few days at the most if it means avoiding the little critters.

dunmovin;
Good to know above 500mts seems to be a no-go height for Mosies at least, but the small black flies sound annoying tho, so perhaps I need to be a little further up the mountain to avoid them!

thrax;
Malaga is a lot further down South than I've been looking, but thanx for the info I'll check out that village on google Earth. Will be interesting to see what altitude it is there!

Of course like anywhere in the world you're going to have bugs, even back in the UK and more so if there has been a wet summer.

So maybe I'll limit my search between 500mts and 1000mts as a benchmark to avoid the bloodsucking little sods and hope I don't get snowed in when I eventually move in.


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

We live in Granada province, about 800 mtrs above sea level (although it varies a lot, depending on which end of the village you are standing ).

Like dunmovin, we do not get many mosquitos (or at least they haven't bitten me!), but we do get those horrible little black flies.
I have to wear socks all summer, which is very annoying, because those nasty critters have taken a real liking for my ankles and their bites cause tremendous lumps, bumps and painful itching.
In fact, it is high season for them now, late Spring to Summer, so I am writing this, wearing a sundress, but sweltering in my long socks! 

And don't forget, that even though winters in the mountains are harder than in coastal regions, summers are hotter. In fact temperatures can be quite extreme.


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## Muddy (Jan 14, 2010)

Solwriter said:


> We live in Granada province, about 800 mtrs above sea level (although it varies a lot, depending on which end of the village you are standing ).
> 
> Like dunmovin, we do not get many mosquitos (or at least they haven't bitten me!), but we do get those horrible little black flies.
> I have to wear socks all summer, which is very annoying, because those nasty critters have taken a real liking for my ankles and their bites cause tremendous lumps, bumps and painful itching.
> ...


Just goes to show how one area can differ in many ways, all that I can remember was the usual flies buzzing around at 800m where I was staying. Never got a single bite in 6 or 7 visits. Of course I could have just been very lucky with my timing!
I guess it's going to be impossible to know what any one area is going to be like until I've spent a complete year there.
I feel for you having to where socks just to avoid the little critters! 
I don't mind the heat, even 40c in the shade is fine by me as long as I don't get snowed in during winter 
Must try and find out what these small black bloodsucking flies are?
Found this site if anyone is interested, lists all the little nasties to watch out for in Spain 
Dangerous Creepy Crawlies in Spain - caution for children and pets


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Those nasty little black things are probably sand flies, the name is if a bit of a fallacy, as they like to hang about trees and grass, not necessarily near the beaches. They are tiny and nip before you know it, some carry leichmoniosis, which can effect humans as well as pets.
They call these sandfly's. NO SEE UMs, here in HK, cos you hardly see them, untill the intense itch after they have attacked you, but prevalent in Spain from around May to September


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## Muddy (Jan 14, 2010)

fergie said:


> Those nasty little black things are probably sand flies, the name is if a bit of a fallacy, as they like to hang about trees and grass, not necessarily near the beaches. They are tiny and nip before you know it, some carry leichmoniosis, which can effect humans as well as pets.
> They call these sandfly's. NO SEE UMs, here in HK, cos you hardly see them, untill the intense itch after they have attacked you, but prevalent in Spain from around May to September


Yeah that parasite is listed on the link I posted above! So these are most probably Sand Flies then. 

I assume these critters like to be near still water like mossies at least for laying eggs!, I must find a house in a very dry spot :confused2:


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## happy_man (Nov 20, 2011)

Just north of Barcelona and we get Tiger Mosquito in late summer, they are very annoying! I use a electric plug-in thingy during the night to keep them away and try not to think about what chemicals its releasing into the air and going into my lungs too!

I heard B vitamins are good, and garlic - so keep eating fresh green veg, brown rice and... garlic!


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## Soy guiri (Dec 4, 2010)

We are now just inside Almeria province just before the border of Granada and right on the coast, don't ever get bit, but there are fruit flies around at times, and it doesn't snow here, but its only about 90 mins to the ski slopes if you want to ski


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