Will be in NZ all of January and February. I would like to just camp with a tarp and ground cloth rather than a tent. I or rather my wife is concerned about Mosquitos and flies etc. We will be bike packing and leaving the tent home would save a great deal of weight and space. Are we likely to have problems or are they not too bad? We will be on both the north and south islands. Thanks, Harry
there as big as hang gliders here in OZ ,im sure the kiwis have em there, check on the net mate, youll find your answer, and watch out for those kiwis there very sketchy mate
Mozzies complain about sand fly bites in NZ. I wouldn't even consider camping in NZ without having a mesh, the sand flies on the west coast can be horrendous. In some places we've had to go out into the middle of bridges over big rivers to eat meals in some sort of peace. I've had mozzies in other places, flies can be annoying, but not a huge issue in most places.
Depends very much on where you are in NZ but due to the temperate climate and generally high rainfall insects are pretty plentiful.
As mentioned by others, sandflies are a pest especially along the west coast of the South Island and southern end of south island... these are like midges or little gnat type things that are around in swarms and bite. The bits are similar to mosquito bites but some people react a bit to them, I am itchy for weeks!
The other thing NZ is good for is rain, parts of the south island have an average rainfall of 9 metres!! a year. So make sure your set up will cope if it really rains.
From my experience of two months cycletouring in NZ a couple of years back, I'd say you'll definitely need insect protection!
If you don't want to carry a tent, try something like this - its small and light, and keeps the bugs out while still giving you that 'sleeping under the stars' feeling...
The west coast of the south island is beautiful. I drove over scenic Arthur's Pass to get there. Don't miss Doubtful Sound in Fiordland or Queenstown. Nelson is a town I could live in. People there are as friendly as anywhere I've been.
Was there skiing so can't comment on the summer bugs.
Get a good "deet" based repellant like "Bushmans" as many of the others are rubbish.
I prefer the spray on, but it also comes in a tube. It will attack plastics though so watch what you touch when its on your hands. Lots of Mozzies in NZ, some places hardly any but others plentiful. Same with the sandflies. The sandflies are only out during the day whilst the Mozzies are mainly nocturnal and wait till just as the sandflies are finishing their shift before
coming out.
Love to hear how you are getting on. I personally would never travel NZ for any length of time without a good tent complete with insect mesh. Mosquitoes can be terrible in parts of the North Island. Sand flies in the South Island but they are usually only a problem during the day. And then there is the rain. You can get away with just a tarp for maybe a night or two but over a month or two you are bound to get heavy rain. Take the tent. The saving in weight will not be worth getting wet and eaten alive during your trip.
Just don't camp near still water or damp sections pick a good spot on the ground you wont have an issue,
Secret tip if needed, mix a bottle of baby oil clear stuff Johnson's works and Dettol together shake well and you have a super repellant and bite remedy in one, you can buy these 2 secret ingredients at any super market in NZed and it works a treat in the West Coast of the South Island only place you'll get eaten alive in summer.
Ive used this secret in the Army all over the world, never fails.
Anywhere else just poor site selection, they breed in still water damp ground.
Thanks for all the good advice. I am so glad we brought the tent. Sandflies were the only bad part of the trip. We would have been devoured in one night and then had to spend a fortune buying a second tent over there. I guess the sandflies liked me. My legs were scarred for weeks after we left the west coast. They SUCK! Otherwise an excellent trip. Little rain or wind. traffic wasn't nearly as bad as we were led to believe. And we found some amazing places and great people. Harry
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