We have a lot of biting flies and mosquitoes here where we live and I was wondering if it would work to treat the kids swim shirts with Permethrin. We use swim shirts over our suits when swimming in the river anyway, so I was trying to figure out how to stop the bugs. Thoughts?

I have not treated our swim suits as permethrin is toxic to fish so I wouldn't want to be swimming with it on our suits or swim shirts. However, that is slightly hypocritical as we do treat our socks and pants and we wet foot land.

Those biting flies are the devil!

but once dry it would not leak into the water and harm the fish. It chemicaly bonds to the fabric which is why you can wash it so many times right?

found this info

"Residues from permethrin-treated clothing are not an environmental hazard since leaching of the chemical from fabric is negligible"

That is great news! I would say go for it with the swim shirts.

ok just an update. I just read online that treating the swim shirts with permethrin can also PREVENT swimmer itch! now for sure I'm going to try it

well I finally got around to treating everything. I'll let you know how it goes

quote Canoearoo: "ok just an update. I just read online that treating the swim shirts with permethrin can also PREVENT swimmer itch! now for sure I'm going to try it"

Wow! Sounds like a good idea to treat both shorts and shirts for swimming. Thanks for the info.

update again! This worked like a DREAM! I wish I would have done it years ago. Good idea about swim shorts! I didn't think of that. But the kids wore there zip off as shorts this last time and the bug bites were almost none!

quote luft: ""Residues from permethrin-treated clothing are not an environmental hazard since leaching of the chemical from fabric is negligible"

That is great news! I would say go for it with the swim shirts."

Hmmmm. Not sure how that can possibly be true, but it is good news.

we have been swimming dozens of times now in the river and have not had any more bug bites. I'll let you all know how long this lasts.