My son and I just returned from a week up in Quetico. It was our first trip using hammocks and tarps.

I sprayed the hammock netting and underside of the hammock and tarp with permethrin. My son did not, mainly because he lives in an apartment and didn't want to try to spray things indoors.

Anyway, he got covered in bites last week and in particular his back and the back of his neck were hammered. I have only a few bites. We both wore long pants and long sleeve shirts the entire week. I should also mention he used a 3/4 length underquilt, but nothing else underneath him in a two layer Warbonnet hammock. I used a self inflating pad and slept in/on a sleeping bag.

For you experienced hammockers, do you think my son got bit through the underside of the hammock at night?

I don't know that I've ever been bitten through my double layer Warbonnet. Once in a while I think I may be but can't say if I really am or just my mind messing with me.

He should have been well protected anyplace that was covered with the underquilt. Back of the neck may have been vulnerable depending on where the quilt was placed but it should have provided plenty of protection for his back.

Alan

I have a double layer blackbird as well & also use permethryn and bever had a bite. I also use a full lenghth under quilt.

I personally think it would be very hard to go through that double layer.

I talked with Brandon about this when considering my hammock options. He told me that the bugs don't bite through even the 1.1 single layer. I have both a 1.7 double, and a 1.7 single, and have never been bitten through the hammock, even when using a 3/4 length quilt.

I have a 1.7 WBBB double layer and have never been bitten through the bottom layer, even when not using an U/Q in hot weather.

a uq protector from 2qzq.com would help, i use a dutch hammock now with a fronkey bug net. completely wraps the hammock.

Mossys should not be able to bite thru a double layer because the weave of the two layers generally doesn't line up. The bug would have to curve the proboscis thru two different holes in two different weaves and that is highly unlikely.

I think the bites most likely occurred outside the hammock or mossys got inside the net.
Did you both use any on-skin bug dope, e.g. deep woods off?

I agree with the others. I have a 1.7 single layer WBBB and was in the Q for a week at the end of June. I use a full length underquilt. The buzzing sound all night was something to behold, but never a bite on my backside. As an aside, I didn't have to put on bug spray the whole trip!

Thanks for the replies. Good to know there must have been another method for the bites to occur. We did use Deet but nothing on covered areas. So, at night when he did not sleep in a shirt, his back would be exposed in the hammock. It sounds like this is more likely the result of bugs sharing the hammock with him. I don't think he'll go without the permethrin treatment again!

Some folks are just tastier than others. Does he have more bites than you in other situations? And I agree, sharing his hammock more likely a factor than getting bitten through two layers. Before I learned about permethrin I took a can of backyard bug killer and would shoot the hammock and area, let it clear and then change and climb in the hammock. Having both hammock and tarp treated seems to do a pretty good job.

The bugs have never shown a preference on past trips but I also always treated both of our sets of clothes. This was the first with separate sleeping facilities (hammocks versus a tent) and none of my son's hammock, tarp or clothing was treated.