You know what? I am pretty sure if you asked most people in the Lowcountry what they dislike the most about living down here, it would be spring pollen & the no-see-ums.
The pollen can be unforgiving. Everyone coughs & sneezes this time of the year and complains that before living down here they never had any allergies. The whole Lowcountry is covered in green pine pollen ( even though it is really the oak pollen that cause all the discomfort). Screen porches become filthy & pools turn a murky jade. Mother Nature will not let us forget that St. Patrick’s Day is on the horizon!
In turn the dreaded no-see-um…most ferocious of all living creatures in the south!! They are tiny, smaller than a pin prick, but they have the most devilish bite. They actually itch more the second day than the first. They show up on the most beautiful spring days to say hello, and their favorite time to make their appearance is early morning and late afternoon. They really know how to ruin a party! My kids have actually quit certain after-school sports just because they suck all the fun out of being outside. Not that it’s a bad thing but make sure you enjoy happy hour safely inside a no-see-um-proof screen room. You’ll thank me for that!
All of this being said, Lowcountry living still wins! Lowcountry 1 — Pollen and No-see-ums 0. The quality of life down here beats any discomfort. We say over and over again that life is good in the Lowcountry. It is worth the pain because the gain is instrumental. We have beautiful wide sandy beaches, clean air, abundant wildlife, peace & quiet, and more than anything a wonderful sense of community. I can’t imagine a better place to live and raise my children. We are lucky to experience Lowcountry living, and I bet if you asked anyone living here they would happily brush off the pollen and break out the bug spray.
Addendum: I normally use Pest-Off bug spray for the no-see-ums. That usually works and you can find it locally at lot of small shops like West Marine and Southern Drawl Outfitters. However, I was recently told by a happy hour patron at Hudson’s ;) that The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter works the best. I’m a sucker for natural bug remedies. I hate using chemicals on my skin, so I ventured off to Ulta on a mission to find it. As I was purchasing it, a person in line said, “I’ve heard that works great for no-see-ums.” So now I’m really curious if it works. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts too. It has to be this scent!
Leave A Comment