Mosquitoes in Shanghai?
Apr 27, 2019, 6:21 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Montréal, Canada
Posts: 1,610
Insects of any variety have never been an issue for me in any of my previous visits to China. I've been to Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Dalian, Macau, Beijing and Shanghai in the last two years with nary a sighting.
Apr 27, 2019, 7:10 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
I was in Shang Hai a couple days ago, not a mosquito in sight! Bangkok yesterday on the other hand and the local ladies (of the mosquito variety) are out in force... didn’t actually see them, but covered in bites this morning 
Apr 27, 2019, 5:21 pm
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
I also haven't seen any at all yet this year. Surely, they will pop up during the summer, but that Y15 stuff you can find at every convenience store fends them off. This is basically a non-issue.
Apr 28, 2019, 1:03 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,890
I was in Nanjing a few days ago. I woke up one morning and I got a bite in my neck. lol! Don't know how that happened, but oh well. First bite that I can recalled getting while in China.
May 6, 2019, 5:31 pm
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
I haven't been to Xi'an during the summer for quite some time, but my recollection is that mosquitoes are even less of an issue there, but insect repellent is also extremely easy to procure, if needed.
May 21, 2019, 6:45 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club (Silver), Le Club Accor (Silver)
Posts: 680
I found this Chinese brand of mosquito-repelling floral water last spring and brought back a couple of bottles. It's made by a brand called Liushen, supposedly with Chinese medicine ingredients (the label on the bottle neck claims "Sourced Naturally" and expressly no DEET). It's available at both Walmart and Carrefour, but be aware that there is also ordinary floral water with no mosquito-repelling capability. IIRC a bottle costs 20-25 RMB(?). I'm told that some Chinese supermarkets here in L.A. and the SGV now also carry it.
I'm a mosquito magnet, and this thing works wondrously for me. Last summer, when L.A. got the full brunt of a tiger mosquito invasion from China, my family and I went through my two bottles by July. The L.A. Times ran an article on those tiger mosquitoes, suggesting that they can multiply even in water left over from garden sprinklers. My home armory has been restocked with this floral water for the upcoming summer.
added: This floral water is not an insect repellent per se. It is only effective against mosquitoes, and anecdotally, it works great for me.
I got bitten a LOT there, as I'm a mosquito magnet.
Data point: I passed through Shanghai 3-5 May and again 18-20 May and got bitten there both times.
May 21, 2019, 8:59 am
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
Nearly all of our chained convenience stores have that one. Since this thread started, I was also reminded of those gadgets with liquid cartridges that you plug into a power outlet. They work great at keeping mosquitoes at bay while you're trying to sleep...not a problem in hotels I guess.
May 21, 2019, 12:19 pm
#25
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: 42.1% in PDX , 49.9% in PVG & 8% in the air somewhere
Programs: Marriott Ambassador Elite, UA 1K, AS MVP GLD 75K, DL Pt
Posts: 1,086
FWIW after two spring/summers/falls and lots of time outside can't recall getting bitten, BTW in my family I'm known as the mosquitoe magnet. Usually I am first, always the most bitten, must be my sweet blood, LOL.
May 21, 2019, 12:28 pm
#26
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
I'm not a mosquito magnet, but a single mosquito buzzing around while I was attempting to sleep compelled me to go FamilyMart in the middle of the night to buy the electric gadget that I mentioned upthread.
May 21, 2019, 9:28 pm
#27
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,311
For me stings usually disappear after an hour or so.
May 21, 2019, 11:14 pm
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
Mosquitoes probably don't discriminate. Some people however are more allergic to mosquito stings making the discomfort last longer. The effect tends to be worse when you're in a new area and have not encountered the local mosquito species before.
For me stings usually disappear after an hour or so.
For me stings usually disappear after an hour or so.
My personal experience is that when I'm by myself in an area that has mosquitos, I get lots of bites, but when I'm with pretty much anyone else, they get lots of bites, and I'm largely ignored.
For a while, I was convinced that this had to do with blood type, but google pretty much debunks this variable. My running theory is that my smell is somehow less attractive to them.
Last edited by moondog; May 23, 2019 at 3:18 am
May 22, 2019, 11:04 am
#29
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,415
Many theories (I work with lots of malaria scientists and other infectious disease docs ;-) My favorite is body temp (women are usually warmer) and some combo of pheromones & carbon dioxide exhalation. But no, I don't think there is an answer. I do think most scientist think there ARE differences in who gets bitten, though....
May 23, 2019, 5:02 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,394
I found this Chinese brand of mosquito-repelling floral water last spring and brought back a couple of bottles. It's made by a brand called Liushen, supposedly with Chinese medicine ingredients (the label on the bottle neck claims "Sourced Naturally" and expressly no DEET). It's available at both Walmart and Carrefour, but be aware that there is also ordinary floral water with no mosquito-repelling capability. IIRC a bottle costs 20-25 RMB(?). I'm told that some Chinese supermarkets here in L.A. and the SGV now also carry it.
I'm a mosquito magnet, and this thing works wondrously for me. Last summer, when L.A. got the full brunt of a tiger mosquito invasion from China, my family and I went through my two bottles by July. The L.A. Times ran an article on those tiger mosquitoes, suggesting that they can multiply even in water left over from garden sprinklers. My home armory has been restocked with this floral water for the upcoming summer.
added: This floral water is not an insect repellent per se. It is only effective against mosquitoes, and anecdotally, it works great for me.
How does this “floral water” work as a repellent? Does one put it on clothing or directly on the skin? (He’s heading there in three days)
