I know that I've heard of a few, but of course now that I want to pick some up I can't find them! I have heard that there are some DEET-free insect repellants out there that are supposed to work, and be all-natural. Does anyone know what the brand names are and/or where to find this? Our usual form of bug-control is citronella candles & torches, long clothes & avoidance but we'll be going large-group camping very soon and I'd like to have something with for when the kids take off into the woods with their friends. I'll be calling the health-food-store when they open this morning, but just in case they don't carry it I was hoping someone here might have heard of it too? love, mom
Thanks I called the health food store, and they had 4 brands! I asked which was the best, and nobody in the store had tried any of them personally... but they said they sold tons of the Burt's Bees & All-Terrain brands. I looked both of them up, and it looked like All Terrain had a slightly higher concentration of repellant herbs in it, but when we got to the store the Burts Bees was a full $2 less per 4-oz bottle so that's the one we picked up. Sure hope we don't wind up regretting that decision! love, mom
Just so you know, I've tried to use organic-natural bug spray before and it didn't work at ALL.. I would do some research see what people say about the brands you find
Umm, doesn't OFF have DEET in it? I can't use DEET - it gives me a terrible rash, and my son has a TERRIBLE reaction - looked almost like he'd had a seizure, so we're steering clear of it from now on. love, mom
From Mother Earth Living: http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/natural_health/natural-ways-to-prevent-and-treat-bug-bites_507-1.html Natural Ways to Prevent and Treat Bug Bites by Megan Hirt It’s hard to resist the lure of the outdoors during these summer months. But whether it’s a chore, a meal or a simple frolic that beckons you into the open air, you’re likely to be stung, feasted on or just irritated by bugs. Prevention Rather than reaching for manufactured insect repellents that use powerful chemicals to keep bugs at bay, try these tips to naturally prevent bug bites. Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing when outside. You’ll lower your chances of popping up on a mosquito’s radar, as these bugs are attracted to dark colors and easily bite through tight clothing. Also avoid wearing bright or floral patterns, as resembling a scrumptious flower can make you attractive to bees and wasps. Even if you don’t have a pool or pond, you still need to eliminate standing water around your home, which is an invitation for mosquitoes to lay eggs near your abode. Drill holes in the bottoms of things like trash bins to drain water that may collect in them. Change birdbaths and pets’ water dishes at least once a week and as often as possible in the summertime to wipe out any breeding grounds mosquitoes may have created. Check for other standing water sources, such as gutters, flower pots and children’s toys. Rosemary, basil, catnip, lemon balm and rose geraniums are a few of the plants you can grow that have insect-repelling qualities. Lemon balm and catnip are especially good for warding off mosquitoes: Researchers at Iowa State University found the essential oil in catnip to be about 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, the widely used synthetic repellent. Simply crush the leaves of any of these plants to release their scents and rub them on your exposed skin. Make your own catch-all insect repellent from a concoction of essential oils: 2½ teaspoons total of any of the following essential oils: basil, cedarwood, citronella, juniper, lemon, myrrh, pine, rose geranium or rosemary (available at health food stores) 1 cup 190-proof grain alcohol (available at liquor stores) Place ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Transfer to a small bottle for storage. To use, rub a small amount on exposed skin, though test first to make sure skin doesn’t react negatively. Don’t like measuring and mixing? Buy an herbal insect repellent here. An irritating mosquito to humans is welcome nourishment to bats. See Beat Mosquitoes with Bats for more on attracting these incredible insect-eaters. Turns out garlic wards off more than vampires. You can make a potent mosquito repellent by mixing one part garlic juice with five parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake and spray a light coating of the mixture on exposed skin. Treatment If you are bitten or stung, try the following natural healing remedies. Plantain, a common weed in yards and parks, can zap out pain, heat and swelling when its leaves are chewed and applied to a bite. Identify plantain by the five parallel veins that run the length of each leaf. Get a closer look here. Rub aloe vera leaves on stings or bites to relieve burning sensations. Ease itch by applying a few drops of lavender oil as needed.
Might be a little late (nearly a year after your post), but you might be able to get the All Terrain natural insect repellent direct & it probably wouldn't cost as much. All Terrain Natural Insect Repellent
I Hate DEET the stuff is poison but I have tried every natural thing I can get my hands on and nothing works for me :-( Some of the oils worked for about 2 or 3 minutes and then the bugs just tore into me. I just try to avoid the mosquitoes now and use DEET only in an emergency. The light clothing WalkerintheWoods was talking about works I have seen mosquitoes go for the darker colors and leave the lighter ones alone. I think it might be a survival strategy that they are less likely to be seen and eaten or killer on darker colors.
Have lived in mosquito infested woods in Florida. Lots of standing water and people's trash. Was homeless and camped there on purpose to avoid getting my camp found by authorities and other homeless people. The mosquitoes made great watch dogs. I used pennyroyal oil mixed with olive oil. It only takes a little. It is very irritating to skin if used full strength. I wore light colored clothing and it does help. They do like the color blue for some reason. If you are outdoors and have a campfire toss on some twigs of aromatic woods occasionally. In Florida I used camphor wood. Scrounge around for deadfall and scrape the bark of twigs and sniff. Any strongly aromatic wood or brush will help repell mosquitoes from your campsite. Also throw on some green wood to give off more smoke. Such is the case with most repellants. Any strong aromatic spice oil will repell bugs. Garlic helps. Infuse some olive oil with some crushed cloves and then strain and bottle up. It helps even more to eat it. Lots of it. The bugs will smell the garlic oil coming out of your skin even if you can't. Some flower based oils will attract bees though so if you are allergic to bees and/or wasps please Do Not use flower based essential oils. Always mix the essential oils with Olive or coconut or baby oil. I have used the mosquito coils with lots of success. Also wear baggy loose fitting clothes not just light colored ones. As the dead air space prevents the mosquito from being able to reach your tender skin. Squat to pick up things from the ground instead of bending from the waist. Skeeters see your up turned backside and see it as a bullseye. They are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide that you exhale. Breathe through your nose as much as possible. Take it easy and don't sweat if you can help it. Light baggy clothes help cool you down and make you less of a target. It stinks but old timers in heavy mosquito areas like swamps, mixed powdered sulfur with lard until it was good and yellow and applied it to exposed skin. It is said to work when all else fails though I have not tried it personally. I am almost 50 and my definition of old timers is folks who were my age when I was a teenager. They did use it and were bite free and I got bit all to heck. Hope this all helps some of you vanquish the little vamps out there in the great outdoors Peace, Cricketlind
