Does anyone know whether it works on tsetse flies? Is there any repellant that works?

nothing works on tse-tse, they're too highly evolved into being the most annoying creature on the planet! Though you will possibly see hundreds if not thousands, not all of them will bite, if they do it does hurt but part of the fun of being in Africa and can tell people back home "I got bit by tse-tse flies!"

I used the mini tape on the tse-tse flies.....
Or was that the mini stapler?

In 5 weeks in Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, my wife Carol was bitten only once by a tsetse (on her ankle one day when she wore her Keens)! And we were mostly in open vehicles in areas with rather dense tsetse patches - Katavi, west Ruaha, south central Serengeti and such!

I was bitten senseless to point where it did not matter anymore - I became somewhat immune!

Carol wore Buzz Off clothes - I did not. I saw the tsetses and horse flies (Akagera Park) land on her but they wouldn't bite!

She used no Deet - just Repel Lemon Eucalyptus on her bare arms. We did not bring enough so I was bitten senseless on my back and legs through my clothes to point where it did not matter anymore - I became somewhat immune!

BTW, in the end I decided to wear short sleeves and short pants. It made it easier to feel them land so I could swat them away before they bite!

HAHA! Lynda, so that's what you used your stapler for!!

Lynda, LOL. But, really... I'm curious as to why you chose the stapler over the tape. I want to take the best repellent available. My research has found mixed reviews on the tape, but I was, until your post, unaware of the stapler.

I have some BuzzOff clothing and may look into climbhighsleeplow's suggestion of Repel Lemon Eucalyptus.

Maybe I'll just look at the tsetse as another photo op and try to get some good pictures.

nevermind,

The last time we were in TZ I was not bit once. This time--ugh. Although we encountered far more tse tse flies this time, last time I treated all my clothes with permethrin. Maybe that had something to do with it? The one person in our party wearing Buzz Off clothes was bothered far less than the rest of us.

After my first 10 bites or so I became "allergic." Started getting red itchy welts where they bit me. I had to use my old summer camp trick of toothpaste covered with a BandAid. Not very sophisticated, but it prevented me from scratching myself in my sleep.

So...try Buzz Off or permethrin and bring lots of toothpaste. Lynda's method only works for accountants.

This is all too funny! I loved the smell of skeeter beeter and used it. We didn't encounter the flies though. Too early (or late) in the season, I think!

Leely - accountants ... and maybe lawyers.

We also took the Skeeter Beater and were in the same area as cooncat and did not see any tse-tse flies. At the beginning of the trip I used it, but then we didn't seem to be bothered by mosquitoes or tse-tse flies or any other flying insects, so just didn't use anything. Took Malarone, however just in case, for malaria prevention.

Malaria pills good for mosquitoes only but not tse tse flies (tse tse carry African Sleeping Sickness).

We had buzz off top to bottom, plus deet and citronella bands. The tse tse kept coming...the only thing that worked was the fly swatter!

Also, you'll know if you've been bitten, it stings. Our guide said that the probability of getting ill from tse tse bits is low (unless you get bit repeatedly and over long period of time, not sure how true that is).

However, if you are potentially allergic to the bit, that could really be bad. One of the other drivers at a camp we stayed at got bit on the hand and it was very very swollen and painful.

We definitely saw scatterings of tse tse but the most concentration was in Seronera area (we wer literally chased by those darn things). They drafted behind our car like cyclists and dropped in from the top, smack smack smack!!!