I was tempted to put this in the food and drink section at LF, because thats exactly what I am, food for mosquitoes! Does anyone share my problem? Last year in the Loire at the end of June I was bitten all over - 40 bites or so. However, there was one bite that was horrendous! Id thought it was a mosquito, but I do remember brushing something off my leg because the pain of the bite was instant. I am beginning to wonder it could have been a Cicindela (or tiger beetle), which I understand to be carnivorous. Has anyone suffered a bite from one? To cut a long story short, my whole leg swelled, the bite was enormous and required medical treatment including antibiotics, cream, special washing liquid etc., as it was beginning to turn gangrenous. I felt ill for the rest of the holiday still have the scar, and an occasional niggle from it! My question is of course, what is the best deterrent? Also, I think I read somewhere that mosquitoes dont like lavender. Can anyone confirm this? If so, I shall rush out and buy lavender bath/shower gel, soap, body lotion, and of course lavender perfume!