[RandallFlagg]

Smoking. They don’t like smokers.

Sometimes. Some of the things get past the smoke and just dive right in.
Smoker/fisher here, speaking from experience.
Perhaps the exhaled smoke mixed with the CO2 makes us undesirable at times.

[razorboy]

I’ve been bit as a smoker too, but always less than the non-smokers who were in the same place at he same time. Of course one always has to keep in mind the target of opportunity problem. I don’t think they like the taste or smell of smokers, but if there’s no other “food” around... So maybe that’s the best natural defense: present them with other “food”, sort of along the lines of “you don’t have to be faster than the lion”.

[Gabz]

From experience I’ll tell you that being a smoker does NOTHING in the way of repelling stinging/biting insects.

Deep Woods OFF is about the only thing I have found that gives me even the smallest amount of relief from the skeeters which are the regional bird in this area. The lotion form with the SPF 15 sunscreen works particularly well when I’m working in the garden.