Mosquito Woman

When some of us are taking the game trail through the woods, other groups take different hikes.  The views are always electrifying.

My friend Linda took both of the Purcell Range photos below from her hike while I was out on the mosquito trail... er... game trail.

And while she was taking those, I was dealing with a common  Dawny problem.
One mosquito, two mosquito, three mosquito, four... is Dawny nearby?

I have witnesses (you know who you are) who can testify that mosquitoes love me.   Some even say I do a Mosquito Dance.  I hop around.  I smack myself.  I speak in a high-pitched squeaky voice.  (I will dispute all but the part where I smack myself;  I’m really smacking mosquitoes but it looks the same to you.)

Before leaving for the morning hike, I liberally apply insect repellent to all my exposed skin and even most of my outer clothing.

As we take the game trail through the dense woods, our guide explains that our exhaled carbon dioxide is what attracts mosquitoes. "...but they stay --and bite-- because of heat."

The heat?  I finally understand why mosquitoes bite me more than other people. I've mentioned this before--I tend to be a little warmer than the people around me.  But I never knew it was why mosquitoes love me.  With my repellent, however, they hover, but they don't bite.  Hah!

I am feeling pretty smug about foiling the little blood-sucking vermin even though they head right for my CO2-laden aura.

What I do not know is that mosquitoes have found the main source of heat in our group and are just biding their time --on my hat.

We make it out of the woods and above the tree line, and once again I am overwhelmed with the view.  So overwhelmed, I don't notice when my friend Carol walks over to me until she whacks me on the head. Twice. 

 Carol the Mosquito Swatter

I become aware of a dark swarm rising and spreading over my head.  

“Your hat is covered with mosquitoes!” Carol exclaims.  

They came for the carbon dioxide.  They found the heat.  

After that, I sprayed *everything*...and put an extra dose on my hat.

(and Carol The Mosquito Swatter became a lifelong friend.)

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