Are their mosquitos in the Alps?

"Do we need to worry about mosquitos?" Not if you prepare for them. The mountains aren't nearly as bad as, say, a tropical rain forest, but neither are they completely mosquito-free either. You might encounter some in the forests below the Alpine level. I haven't noticed any above the tree line. Wear some DEET or premethrin and you should be fine.

Not at the top, but in the lower regions will be some. They will only bother you in the shade or in the evenings though. But anywhere in the Alps the situation is much better than anywhere in the low lands... If you don't want to bring your own anti mosquito spray you can by Bayer's "Autan" anywhere in Europe... a small spray bottle sells for ca. the equivalent of $6.

Thanks for the info. I asked because the mosquitos are really bad here in our area this summer. Also, our daughter and her husband just returned from Poland and our son in law said the mosquitos were the worse he had ever seen in Poland where he grew up. So it sounds like we just need to bring some "feet" spray and we will be fine. No extreme measures like nets to where on our heads or gloves..etc. Again, thanks for your responses! Carol

We just got back from 4 days in the Berner Oberland. We wore no bug spray, and we did not get any bites or even see a mosquito. I am from the Chicago area too, and am constantly bitten at home. I think you will be fine.

Great News! I look forward to someplace where I do not feel like a pin cushion!

You likely already know this, but the Off! brand makes their Deep Woods version (with 25% DEET) in a wipe/towelette, which is nice because the towelette packages are very small, take up barely any room in a suitcase, and don't have to go into your 3-1-1 liquids bag. I mention this in case you wanted to bring your own from home, but Andreas' suggestion of buying it over there is great, too. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q64DI8

If you don't want to carry any bottles, you can try one of these clothing washes. A tropical disease specialist I know swears by this method. Might be going a little overboard for the Alps, though.

I've been in the alps for the last two weeks and haven't seen or heard or been bitten by a mosquito. Flies, on the other hand, are a nuisance here because of the cows! We are in a chalet up in the mts and they are really starting to drive me a little nuts!

If there are mosquitoes we never saw one, and I never got bitten even though mosquitoes love me. Never saw a fly either... maybe this year is bad for some reason, or we were just lucky. We've stayed in Murren twice in July and hiked all over.

I will add that in the grocery store yesterday I saw a whole section of mosquito repellant and other supplies. Maybe it depends on your elevation and location? Just hiked the Matterhorn region and spent time in Zermatt today and still saw no mosquitoes!

"Are their{sic} mosquitoes in the Alps?" Whose (their) mosquitoes? BTW, at over 5000' (higher than Gimmelwald) we still have mosquito in the Colorado Front Range - many cases of West Nile Virus every year.

I learned in the Rockies - mosquitos cannot live above a certain altitude, I think because of the thinning air. Mosquitos are attracted by scents - don't use scented cosmetics, soaps, deodorants, creams, hair products, etc., and don't use perfume, and they won't bother you as much.

Never experienced them during several trips on season and early season. Sleeping?

Lee, you're right. It was fleas, not mosquitos. LOL. I was traveling with my cat :-) The perfume thing is still correct, I'm pretty sure.

So funny you asked because I just commented to family that we never saw a bug in our 3 weeks going to 4 countries in Europe! We, too, are midwesterners and totally understand your dilemma about mosquitos!! I had to laugh. I really think you will be fine. Take the bug spray wipes in the small hand size packets. I think we did use them in Interlaken hiking in their city fields and parks but had no issues. And that was in June and into July last year.

Thanks to everyone who posted info. Happy travels everyone. 4 weeks from how we will be in the Alps!

Chani, no fleas, you're right. A Denver vet once told me that when they go to vet conferences and there is a speaker on flea control he says 'all you from the Rockies can take a break'. I think it is the low humidity. We sure had them in Tennessee.

Nope, no mosquitos in the Alps. And no sharks in the Mediterranean either ;-)