BajaNomad

On the Wasp subject

CP - 1-3-2007 at 07:48 AM

Sorry I do not have a photo but I'd like to know what this wasp is called if you know - it is the size of a honey bee, scurries around on the ground, and is covered in white fluff. The first time I saw them I thought they were little white feathers blown along by the wind. Someone told me it was a wasp and had a mean sting. But nobody knew what they actually were. Any ideas?

Osprey - 1-3-2007 at 07:56 AM

CP, that's a Velvet Ant. They come in white or red. The Mexicans call them "The Devil's Mule", Mulle del diablo, they will give you a nasty sting.

FARASHA - 1-3-2007 at 08:29 AM

HOW you treat that sting? do you know, Osprey?
I'm one of the unfortunate people, who always get stung by those critters.

Osprey - 1-3-2007 at 09:02 AM

In my post about the matavenado I say I use Guaco, the natives around here pick the roadside weed, dry it, crush it up, put it in some Tequila. It is used from everything from sancudos to culebras (mosquitos to snakebites). I guess any antihistomine would work -- Adolphs is a must for any medicine cabinet in the southland if you can't find Guaco.

DAT SOME KINDA PLANT!!

JG - 1-3-2007 at 09:33 AM

http://www.rain-tree.com/guaco.htm

FARASHA - 1-3-2007 at 09:41 AM

THANKS A LOT - GREAT Link JG, some good infos there! Now I got to find those plants around here!

FARAWAYLADY

Baja Bernie - 1-3-2007 at 10:23 AM

You can't buy tequila where you are?

David K - 1-3-2007 at 10:51 AM

Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia, from Australia) neutralizes venom and insect poison. Keep a bottle with you (1 oz. is about $8 at Henry's or other natural food/ vitamin stores). Works for sunburns, cuts, canker sores, any skin problem.

FARASHA - 1-3-2007 at 11:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja Bernie
You can't buy tequila where you are?


Tequila I get - enough booze available here, plant only I have to find -:biggrin:

YES - David, Tee Tree Oil is a good stuff, what's a canker sore? have to look that up. But don't think that it works for the wasp sting.

Summanus - 1-3-2007 at 12:38 PM

You must get a vampire bat for a pet ...make great wound nurses....they will suck out the poison and also inject an anti-coagulent into the wound so it flows and cleanses itself.

'Canker sores?' Sounds like herpes to me...oh, you mean COLD sores! right?

:tumble:

Capt. George - 1-3-2007 at 06:38 PM

summanus, you are priceless, even if a little back woodsy????

David K - 1-4-2007 at 09:17 AM

Canker (am I spelling it right?) is a sore on your gums in your mouth. Tea Tree Oil on a cotton swab cures them faster than any other medicine. Kids get them more than adults from sweets, I think.

The list>

zforbes - 1-4-2007 at 09:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia, from Australia) neutralizes venom and insect poison. Keep a bottle with you (1 oz. is about $8 at Henry's or other natural food/ vitamin stores). Works for sunburns, cuts, canker sores, any skin problem.


This sounds like something that should go on "The List."

David K - 1-4-2007 at 09:54 AM

Since tea tree oil (oil of Melaleuca alternifolia) is not a 'drug' (or a food) the FDA would probably never approve it.

Because it works so well on keeping gums healthy and killing bad bacteria, tea tree oil is added to toothpaste by many companies.

One American direct marketing company makes a whole bunch of products containg tea tree/ Melaleuca oil: http://www.melaleuca.com

Here's what they say:

Melaleuca Oil, an essential oil, harnesses the healing power of Mother Nature. Penetrating quickly for welcome relief, this natural antiseptic therapy fights topical infection and soothes irritated skin. Plus, the oil easily dissolves dirt. With an agreeable scent that won’t make you wrinkle your nose, Melaleuca Oil is a welcome addition to your medicine cabinet.

Six Properties, Many Applications

Each property in Melaleuca Oil meets a different need:

Naturally antiseptic
Melaleuca Oil’s antibacterial properties help prevent topical infection at the first sign of trouble.

Gently soothes
Thanks to terpinene-4-ol, the "ahh" sensation of Melaleuca Oil stops the scratching, which helps skin heal faster.

Safely penetrates
Melaleuca Oil moves quickly to the source of the problem, even through unbroken skin. Cineole, another key ingredient, helps the oil penetrate your skin.

Beneficially non-caustic
Melaleuca offers two grades of oil, T36-C5 Melaleuca Oil, non-irritating for most all skin types, and T40-C3 Melaleuca Oil, for more sensitive skin. Skin doesn’t feel raw after using Melaleuca Oil.

Effectively solvent
Melaleuca Oil’s natural solvency helps dissolve dirt and stains.

Pleasantly aromatic
The fragrance of Melaleuca Oil will comfort you with its pleasing aroma (sometimes described as a combination of eucalyptus and nutmeg).
Natural Healing in a Bottle

Melaleuca Oil is a natural remedy for minor skin irritations. And you won’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the benefits of Melaleuca Oil. Order today to add T36-C5 or T40-C3 Melaleuca Oil to your medicine cabinet or first aid kit.

This product is kosher.




Melaleuca Oil [PDF] - An introduction to the product.




Customer Comment(s)
This is a wonderful product! especially for misquito/chiggar season! Kylee, Oklahoma, USA

I use this product for everything: cold sores, cuts, bruises, sinus headaches, laryngitis, sore muscles, insect bites, insect repellent, excema, psoriasis.... the list goes on and on and on. --Ellen, Illinois

One application of Melaleuca Oil can take the pain out of just about any minor cut, scrape, or burn. It allows wounds to heal surprisingly fast. I love it!









[Edited on 1-4-2007 by David K]

FARASHA - 1-4-2007 at 03:29 PM

:lol: David K, YES that oil is really very usefull for everything -
I used to mix some drops with bodylotion or bodyoil - a great mosquito repellant.
AND I had to laugh at the end of the list, that the product is KOSHER - now this reminds me of an quote I grew up with -when something was NOT alright ( a meal or a upset tummy, or a situation, really ANYTHING), then it was considered as NOT KOSHER.
So this SHOULD be then alright!!:lol:
Funny how memory is triggered sometimes.

RonnieRockCod - 1-4-2007 at 07:37 PM

I have found Orabase-B, by Colgate, to give instant and absolute relief from a canker sore. Available off the shelf and applied with a Q-tip. A little bit goes a long way. Good luck, RRC

Marie-Rose - 1-4-2007 at 08:20 PM

On the wasp subject

When we were in Baja in 2004 (spring) we had several experiences with "clouds" of wasps. The first was at Los Cerritos. I could hear them coming, it was that loud. They stayed pretty high and just flew past with just a few straglers. The second time was on the way home in April. Just outside of Constitution. We drove thru a cloud of wasps that was so thick that the windsheal wippers could not cope. We had to stop and clean the windows!!! I can't imagine being on a motorcycle:o The third was on the same trip about a week later. Camping at Requeson...actually La Perla. We were on the beach and again, I could hear them approaching. We grabbed the dogs and headed into the van. This time the stopped on a tree at the next campsite. A huge black .... not sure what you call a group of wasps... covered about 1/4 of a good size branch. These things were really nasty. If you made any kind of movement they chased you. Almost everyone got bit. They moved out the next day but those left behind were a nuisance for several days.
Anyone else experience these. I have lots of experience with wasps in Alberta but these were really aggresive.