Sonicdeb, I feel your pain!! I had tsetse bites that bothered, swelled, were sore, even made my arms lose strength (am severely allergic to all bug bites). Upon marvelous advice and support from this board, I did go to the doctor to have it checked out. Couldn't find a doctor who seemed to know, until I eventually stumbled upon the Infectious Disease Center here. Once there, all they could do was run a test (fine with me, I just wanted to know). The tests were negative for the sleeping sickness, yay. After all that, the bites eventually calmed down and went away. Just a strong reaction to the little varmints. Am not a doc, only a traveler with a similar experience, so take these words at just that.

Thanks for letting me know about your experience. I will wait a few more days and then see how it goes. I work in a medical clinic, but they are not experienced about tse tse's and I could not find any info on how long the bites were sore and if this is normal for anyone. I am not highly allergic to anything, not even mosquitos, but these little #*%! are nasty!
Thanks again for your info

My tse tse bites were sore for a few days after, and they loved me too, during a trip to Tanzania a couple of years ago.

It is my understanding that the sleeping sickness is restricted to certain areas, and I'd got it into my head that the tourist areas we visit in Kenya and Tanzania are free of it, but I may be wrong. Someone else may be able to comment.

I thought that also until I read the CDC website, which listed Tanzania. It did say that a few tourist get it, so it sort of heighten my anxiety. Usually I am not a worry wart, but I didn't think the bites would be so severe as they are.

We were troubled in Feb in Grumeti. And still my marks are visible - the bites I got 1 1/2 years ago in Zambia.

Some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_trypanosomiasis

If you feel better when you let your blood check - do so!

SV

Thanks for all the info. I guess I will have a "reminder" of Africa for quite some time. Some people have places tattooed on their hearts, apparently mine are on my ankles. Thanks again. They are already looking and feeling better.

I was at Kirawira the same time of year a while back. Those flies can be vicious! Anyways, no one suffered any lingering after effects once the inflammation of the actual bite sites died down.

Good to know, Femi! Thanks to all for sharing your "bite" stories. It makes me worry less.

Doesn't sound like a good experience at all. We are going to treat our clothing with Equip DeBugger (permethrin), and I've got Bushman products which have high concentrations of 80% DEET. http://www.bushman-repellent.com/
The gel is supposed to be good up to 15 hours. Got the spray too. Plus instructions how to use it all. I hope this will help us on our trip. I also have purchased a little gadget that is supposed to settle the sting of any insect bites. Hope that helps too in case the other things aren't quite enough to discourage the little rascals.

PS: also got a little gadget that is about as big as a car alarm clicker that is supposed to repell mosquitos up to 3 meters. Battery run and has 3 settings up to 12 hours. Not sure if it will be any good on tse tse flies though. But, you never can tell.

Sadly, I didn't find that DEET deterred the little buggers.

I had some nasty bites, too. Took a couple of weeks to heal and months for the scars to go away.

If you will be in tsetse territory, don't wear sandals. (I speak from experience.)

Deet doesn't affect tsetse flies. I've heard that permethrin works somewhat.

Be careful with Deet because it will ruin rubber and plastic (cameras). And nail polish. And some scientific studies show it is harmful to humans.

I was there 3 weeks ago and a

Great, you all have me thinking I'm going to have to add Beekeepers suit to my packing list!

Sorry, Sonicdeb,I pushed on the wrong button.

I was in the same area 3 weeks ago and also suffered from flies. I do not know if this will set your mind at rest, but though tse tse flies are present, in a lot cases you were bitten by horseflies who are very similar to tse tse flies.

Sorry, Sonicdeb I pushed on the wrong button.

I was in the same area 3 weeks ago and also suffered from flies. I do not know if this will set your mind at rest, but, though tse tse flies were present, you were probably bitten, in a lot of cases, by horseflies.

So, what is considered tsetse territory? I somehow got the impression that they were worse in Tanzania than Kenya but I'm not sure if this is true. Anyone have any idea?

I haven't encountered many tse tses in Kenya, a few in parts of Meru and Tsavo.

And they tend to be in woodland areas.

I was in Kenya two years ago and did not encounter them. Of course, it was really dry and in Sept. The main area is in the western corridor of the Serengeti where they got me around the Grumeti. There are more woods there, but the grass also had them as well. Since it was so soon after the rainy season, maybe that was why they were so bad.Fortunately, it was towards the last days of the trip. I used Deet repellent AND had my clothes treated with permethrin. Neither detered them. I was wearing sandals the first day and that is day they got me the worse. So, Tinydancer, wear closed shoes and socks when you are in that area. They bit right through my clothes/socks and I got bites on my back and abdomen as well. I have been bit by horseflies and these were definitely not horseflies. There were a few of the "migration" flies but not as many as tse tses. They also recommend rolling up your windows until you get through the area, but the whole area was infested and you just couldn't keep the windows rolled up all the time, it was too hot. My bites are getting better and healing, so...so far so good. I still had a wonderful safari in spite of the nasy little #@%!

I have heard from many different quarters that DEET is of no use in trying to deter tsetse. But I have also heard that RID (made in Queensland) really does work. It has different active ingredients and those who have used it in tsetse heaven, Katavi, swear by it.

Of course, burning elephant dung also is said to work.

I looked into that Twaffle, but the cost of getting RID online was pretty expensive and I didn't think I needed it that bad...maybe I should have re-considered it

Yikes! I was going to get RID, and then for some reason got turned towards Bushman. Maybe I'll take some RID too, as that's what I heard first. So confusing.

Tinydancer, you know you will probably get all of this stuff and get there and not see a single fly. I had everything for mossies and only saw one. That's the Murphy's law, but at least you are prepared.

burning elephant dung also is said to work

I'll stock up

Hey Patty,
I wonder if you should put it on the hood of the safari vehicle or the popup top

A fire on the hood might not be a good thing so I think I'll use the pop top.

I think you need to find an old metal container, a hubcap will do. Then you walk out into the bush and collect your dung … not sure whether it should be fresh or old … then if you are still alive, you put it into the hubcap and light it. On the metal floor of the vehicle. Enjoy!

GOOD GRIEF! I've been researching tse tse fly repellent and haven't found a single good idea going back to something like the 1960's. Or even earlier. But I like what sonicdeb said "Tinydancer, you know you will probably get all of this stuff and get there and not see a single fly. I had everything for mossies and only saw one. That's the Murphy's law, but at least you are prepared " and hope that's the way it will be.

I have this vision of me on safari with a hat, face net (we have them here in Australia) long sleeves, mesh chemically treated jacket, long pants, white socks, closed shoes. And totally not enjoying my safari. I think I'll minimalize it and hope for the best.

We will be there in September, going to Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, and then the Mara triangle in N Serengeti before heading up to the MM in Kenya. Maybe we can zip by the tse tse flies?

I have now heard positive comments about RID, Sportsman's REPEL, Bushman's Choice, and elephant dung. I have my fingers crossed that we won't encounter them in either Samburu or the Mara but perhaps it isn't a bad idea to have one of them in my game drive bag as a precaution. I think the elephant dung will get me over my luggage weight limits but one of the others may do.

TD, I asked a friend who lives in Nairobi and she said most of the flies are in Tanzania and mozzies in very humid areas. I dont think Sept. will be hot and humid, but rather dry.

I never see a Mara trip report indicating them, so maybe it is a Tarangire problem? Someone correct me if I am receiving incorrect info!

Would also like to know if any Sept. travelers of past had any problems.. thanks for bringing that up. I hate carrying all this extra repellent etc if we don't need it or can get it there...

MB

I never saw a tse tse in the Mara. I was there in Sept 08. I just ran into them in the Tanzania Grumeti/Kirawira area, but I have read reports of travelers finding them in Tarangire and Lake Manyara,although not as bad as what I experienced. I was also in Lake Manyara on this trip and did not experience them. There is not much you can do to prevent them (other than a HAZMAT suit & I think they could bite through that!) Just wear closed shoes and socks in areas that you will encounter them. They love ankles and feet for some reason. My friend had a yellow shirt on and they didn't bother her at all. The game didn't care about her yellow shirt either, apparently, because we saw plenty ; but I had on dark hunter green and the seats in the truck were that color as well, so maybe they confused the green with the blue. Anyway,don't worry too much (I survived them) and have a good trip.

I'm just back from Tanzania and encountered them in both Lake Manyara and particularly Central Serengeti. Got me badly - but anything and everything does. They ate me alive in South Luangwa last year also. I have also found them in much smaller numbers in the Olare Orok area in the greater Mara area but not in the reserve proper.

Everybody I have spoken to has said that there is little to deter them if they find you tasty.

Has anyone tried eating garlic pills? I have heard that since you sweat out garlic this is a deterrent. Any fly sightings at the crater or southern serengeti lately? eight sleeps til departure.

last pic down right - that's the way you SEE them most of the zime: suckling. Flying rather rarely

That's a horse fly:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pferdefliegen

As you will realise the horse fly doesn't overlap it's wings as the Tsetse does.
The head of the tsetse is more "round-ish" than that of the horse.

But the action is totally different:
horse flies make noise when flying - tsetse don't. That's the nasty thing: you won't hear them until it's too late.

Sonicdeb- regarding your friend's yellow shirt, do you recall what shade of yellow it was? Bright lemon yellow, pale yellow or golden yellow? Thanks for your input, I am very curious. KhakiF

i was in Tarangire and Lake Manyara last weekend and got pretty badly bitten in both parks. It seemed the flies were the worst in dry, southern part of Lake Manyara (and there weren't any animals around there either - chased away by the flies, I am sure!)

The worse bites are the ones that I got thru my clothes (thighs and back). I was wearing lightweight linen clothes. Right now it is not that hot in that part of Tanzania, so I'd wear jeans and closed shoes if I had it to do over.

The parks were beautiful though. Have a great trip!

Safari Njema!

-Cheryl

Avon Skin-So-Soft <http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-x-skin-so-soft-dry-oil-spray-insect-repellent-/320593546193?pt=UK_HeathBeauty_BathShowCons_RL&hash=item4aa4dd4bd1> .

Colgate toothpaste took the itch from my bites. Reapplied daily. Also swimming in a chlorinated pool will dry the bites up. Hope this helps.

Was in Bushanga Plains, Botswana last year and painfully bitten by tsetse. The only thing that worked after the fact was rubbing the pulp of sausage tree fruit on the bites. Took pain out immediately. From then on travelled with the fruit of the sausage tree always in the truck and slices taken to room. The elephant dung was aromatic but seemed to keep them at bay

Don't wear dark or blue clothing of any kind. Wear light colors.

Skin-So-Soft? Really?
Wouldn't that be a nice solution!