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How to Prevent Mosquito Bites Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance--their bites can cause serious complications including the transmission of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and West Nile virus (WN) to humans and animals.
Mosquitoes belong to the Diptera order, otherwise known as the True Flies. There are over 2,500 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world with about 200 species in the United States. There are 77 species in Florida alone, and a new species, Anopheles grabhamii, was reported in the Florida Keys in 2001.
While there are many ways to deter mosquitoes from biting you, some are more toxic than others. The following suggestions give you easy ways to repel these pests:
Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets--just wipe on and go. This is great for babies.
Supplement with one vitamin B-1 tablet a day from April through October. Add 100 mg of B-1 to a B-100 Complex daily during the mosquito season.
Don't eat bananas during mosquito season--mosquitoes love bananas! There is something about how your body processes the banana oil that attracts these female sugar-loving insects.
One of the best natural insect repellents is Vick's Vaporub.
Planting marigolds around your yard works great as a bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs do not like. This is a great way to ward off mosquitoes without using chemical insecticides.
Campers agree that the very best mosquito repellant is Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil mixed half and half with rubbing alcohol.
One of the best natural insect repellants we use in Texas is made from the clear liquid vanilla that is sold in Mexico. It is reported to work great for mosquitoes and ticks, and spreading a little vanilla mixed with olive oil on your skin smells great.
Commercial mosquito dunks will kill mosquito larvae before they become mosquitoes. There are fairly environmentally sound biological mosquito controls containing no toxic chemicals. Each dunk affectively treats up to 100 square feet of surface water regardless of depth for about 30 days. Dunks may be broken into smaller pieces to treat small areas. Unused and dried out dunks retain their potency indefinitely, so you can store extras for the long summer season. Put them in fountains, ponds, rain gutters, flowerpot trays, and anywhere water may pool.
Citronella soap is a product that started in the Bahamas and Belize. The soaps are made with olive oil for moisture and great lather, Aloe Vera to soothe the skin, and citronella oil to repel mosquitoes. For high intensity protection you can burn citronella incense. Mosquitoes avoid citronella and they hate the smoke.
Citronella essential oil (Java Citronella) is considered to be the highest quality citronella on the market. The best quality is steam distilled from the grass giving it a fresh, sweet woody aroma. It blends well with geranium, cedar wood and other citrus oils. It is 100 percent pure essential oil--no additives, no dilutants, no adulteration, just safe mosquito
repellent.
Electronic repellents utilize one to two sound frequencies to simulate dragonflies and other male mosquitoes, creating a competitive environment for the blood-sucking female. These devices come with Velcro bands for wearing on your wrist or ankle, or on your pocket or belt. This makes for a versatile, compact unit that you can take anywhere for protection. Some units even have a built-in red flashlight for nighttime use.
When all else fails--get a frog!
Most commercial insect repellants contain a chemical known as DEET and should be used with caution, if at all. Many studies have found DEET to have harmful effects. One study found that DEET causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats, and researchers suggest that humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath with heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides.
Further, in combination with other chemicals or medications the chemicals could cause brain deficits in vulnerable populations. Children are particularly at risk for subtle brain changes because their skin more readily absorbs chemicals in the environment and chemicals more potently affect their developing nervous systems.
In the event that you choose to use DEET, although I strongly recommend against it, do not use the products on infants and be very wary of using them on children at all (at least make sure products for children contain 15 percent or less DEET). The following precautions were issued by The New York State Department of Health for repellents containing DEET:
Store bottle out of the reach of children and read all instructions on label before applying.
Do not let children apply DEET themselves because they may put them in their mouths or touch their eyes.
Avoid prolonged and excessive use of DEET. Use sparingly to cover exposed skin; do not treat unexposed skin.
Do not apply repellents in enclosed areas. This is especially important when using sprays or aerosols.
Do not apply directly on face.
Mosquito Bite Prevention: Home Remedies & Tips Vanilla Extract: A few different recommendations for this one, each contradicting the other. Some say to dab Vanilla Extract on your pulse points, others say to rub it all over your skin & dab your clothes. Some say the cheap stuff is what you have to use, others say the real, pure Vanilla is the only thing that will work. Some say to apply it full strength, others say you can dilute it with water and spray it on. Play around with Vanilla to see what gives you best results-there are plenty of believers for this one as a mosquito deterrent so I think there's something to it.
Garlic: This isn't a favorite thing to do day-to-day, but if you're going camping or hiking through heavily mosquito infested areas, try a garlic powder and water paste. Apply to pulse points, behind knees, on shoes and ankles and a dab or two on your cheeks or somewhere on your face and kneck. Remember-keep out of eyes. And maybe stay out of public places too ;).
Essential Oils: Mix choice of essential oils with rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel, or distilled water and spritz on body or directly on cloth to rub on body (shake before each use). Or add a few drops in baby oil or olive oil then rub on skin. You can also apply drops along a strip of fabric (cotton) and tie around wrist. *Make sure to avoid mouth and eye areas when using essential oils.
Citronella oil
Lavender oil
Catnip oil
Eucalyptus oil
Pennyroyal oil
Tansy oil
Basil oil
Thyme oil
Cedar oil
Tea Tree oil
Peppermint oil
Lemongrass oil
Plants: Break off leaves and crush them roughly, rub them all over your clothes and skin. Toss the bruised leaves around the perimeter of your deck or patio. Also plant these in pots and arrange them around the patio. You could also infuse these in water and then use that as a spray.
Citronella
Lavender
Basil
Catnip
Pennyroyal
Tansy
Marigolds
Commercial Products (other than DEET items)
Avon's Skin So Soft (straight or mix 50/50 with rubbing alcohol)
Bounce Sheets (hanging out of a pocket or waistband)
Listerine (mixed 50/50 with household vinegar then sprayed all over body)
Vicks VapoRub
Household hack Spray garlic powder and water all over the yard and bushes. Use a fertilizer hose attachment. Will need to be done bi-weekly (approx) or after a heavy rain.
Items to Eat (daily): Apparently the smell that comes out of your pores from a steady diet of the below deters mosquitoes. The items aren't meant to be combined, they're just different suggestions.
Garlic
B1 Vitamins
Brewers Yeast
Lemons
Here are a few of the options for preparing homemade mosquito repellent, each of which has kept me free of bites in the past.
Eucalyptus: Granted, most people may not have a eucalyptus tree growing in their backyard, but many folks have some form of Eucalyptus oil, distilled from the leaves of the tree, in their medicine cabinets. A few ounces of the potent oil, plenty to create a homemade mosquito repellent solution, can be purchased at many drug stores for under $5.
Using a spray bottle and some warm water, add about 1 ounce of oil for every 6 ounces of water. Be sure to shake the mixture before each spray, and watch out for the eyes (just as you would with any commercial chemical spray). This
homemade mosquito repellent will have a somewhat medicinal smell, but it's not as unpleasant an odor as that of DEET.
Lemon Balm: Another essential oil available cheaply at the drug store, lemon balm can be combined in drop form with water and a spray bottle as described above to create homemade mosquito repellent, though I recommend a more concentrated solution (1.5 - 2 ounces of oil for an ounce of water). However, the lemon balm plant (Melissa officinalis) grows easily in North America, so if you keep this fresh herb in your kitchen, you can snip off a handful of leaves and boil them in some hot water. Let the mixture cool a bit, and then put it into spray bottle.
If you are looking for a natural mosquito repellent, you've probably noticed that there are many natural topical products available, all with different active ingredients. So which one works?
Lemon eucalyptus oil The most effective natural mosquito repellent at the time of writing is Repel Lemon Eucalyptus. A 2002 study in the New England Journal of Medicine compared different synthetic chemical and herbal repellents:
Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Repellent provided 120.1 minutes of mosquito protection, more than a repellent with a low concentration of the chemical DEET (Off Skintastic for Kids with 4.75% DEET provided 88.4 minutes of protection) and less than Off Deep Woods with 23.8% DEET, which provided 301.5 minutes of protection.
A study by the US Department of Agriculture compared four synthetic mosquito repellents and eight natural mosquito repellents and found that Repel Lemon Eucalyptus was the most effective repellent, more so than a 7% DEET repellent.
Citronella Citronella is a well-known natural mosquito repellent. The oils from the plant are used to make lotions, sprays, and candles.
A University of Guelph study assessed the effectiveness of 3% citronella candles and 5% citronella incense in protecting subjects from bites.
They found that subjects who were positioned near the citronella candles had 42.3% less bites and those near the citronella incense had 24.2% fewer bites.
Based on these results, citronella candles shouldn't be used as a stand-alone repellent, all though they may help in combination with topical repellents.
Other natural mosquito repellents Although the above repellents are the most promising, there are other natural mosquito repellents that are being researched:
Fennel - A small study by researchers at Seoul National University in Korea found that a spray mosquito repellent containing 5% fennel oil was 84% effective after 90 minutes and a repellent cream with 8% fennel oil was 70%
effective after 90 minutes.
Thyme - In one study, carvacrol and alpha-terpinene, two compounds derived from the essential oil of thyme, were found to have significantly greater repellency than a commercial DEET repellent. The researchers suggest that a spray made with 2% alpha terpinene is a promising natural mosquito repellent. However, don't try to make a thyme oil repellent at home- it is too irritating and strong-smelling to be used at effective concentrations above 25%.
Clove oil - Two studies have found that undiluted topical clove oil is active against mosquitoes. However, like thyme oil, clove oil should not be applied undiluted to skin as a homemade repellent.
Celery extract - A Thai study compared 15 mosquito repellents with a topical extract from celery. The researchers found that the extract did not irritate the skin or cause a burning sensation. It was found to be active against a wide range of mosquito species comparable to a 25% DEET formula.
Neem oil - An extract from the tropical neem tree, neem oil has insecticidal compounds called azadirachtins.
Vitamin B1 - Vitamin B1 is often taken to help repel mosquitos but one study suggests this remedy may be useless. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin study tested B1 with a larger sample of human subjects and found no effect of vitamin B.
Garlic - Another popular theory is that ingesting garlic can provide protection against mosquitoes. A University of Connecticut study examined this claim with a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. The data didn't provide evidence of significant mosquito repellence. However, subjects only consumed garlic once, and the researchers say that more prolonged ingestion may be needed.
Something to keep in mind: Since some people seem to be a mosquito magnet while others around them don't get a single bite, I have the suspicion that there could be a personal body chemistry factor involved. And that could explain why a remedy that works for one person, may not work for another.
I suspect that's why some people swear by the Bounce sheet method, or the Avon Skin So Soft solution, while others have a different experience. Bounce nor the Avon SSS did a thing for me btw, but I did include them in the list below. I know a few people who SWEAR by them.
Listerine is a GREAT mosquito repellant---spray it around outside where you'll be sitting (about 15-30 min prior)
Also, rub on skin---IT REALLY WORKS !!!
Put some water in a white dinner plate and add just a couple of drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dishwashing soap. Set the dish on a porch or patio. Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, the white color, or what, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead, or fall into the water, or on the floor within about 10 feet.
Single fold vanilla extract, which is generally what one would purchase in the grocery, will have 35% alcohol which is mandated by the FDA. if the bottle says "vanilla flavor" it is not pure vanilla and will not work. Most vanillas on the
market have up to 40% sugar which will make you sticky. The best blend I have found so far is to dilute the single fold pure, sugarless vanilla with 50% water so that you will have a blend of 17% alcohol and then spray on exposed skin.
I am curious as to the claims of Mexican vanilla being highly effective as an insect repellent. Within the vanilla industry we are well aware of the fact that Mexican vanilla extracts often carry high levels of residual chemicals and pesticides due to poor farming practices. Perhaps this actually contributes to its effectiveness as a repellent? (07/13/2005)
In 1 cup water mix 1 tsp Soybean oil (any vegetable oil) and 1/4 tsp Palmolive liquid soap. Mix well, spray or wipe on skin, lasts at least 90 minutes as well as DEET. Some claim 5-6 hrs. Apply hourly to be sure! It doesn't smell! Stores 2 yrs in frige.
NOTE: There is just enough soap to disperse the oil. To be sure of allergies, wipe a dot of oil, and one of the soap on your skin and wait 30 min to be sure no reaction occurs. (07/01/2005)
EUCALYPTUS is one of the more popular plants here used to repel mosquitoes. Lemon grass is also good and rose. To make ANTI-MOSQUITO Spray, you can combine 10 ml Eucalyptus, 5ml Rose and 5ml Lemongrass essential oils with 80ml water. Shake well before using and spray on yourself or around the room. (12/10/2006)
WRKO radio has a recipe- 1 part clove oil- 1 part peppermint or spearmint oil- 15 parts water
Consider staying indoors at peak mosquito feeding times - dawn and dusk.
Avoid using scented soaps, lotions and shampoos.
Cover you skin as completely as possible when outdoors.
Studies have shown that mosquitoes are attracted to the colour blue. Conduct your own study wearing blue jeans and a neutral top and see where they bite first.
Limit the number of places mosquitoes can lay their eggs by eliminating standing water sources around your home e.g. old tires are one of the most common mosquito breeding sites.
Regularly empty any standing water from pool covers, saucers under flowerpots, children's toys, pet bowls and wading pools.
Clean eaves troughs of debris so water doesn't accumulate.
If you use rain barrels make sure they're covered with mosquito screening or are tightly sealed around the downspout.
On the flip side, ornamental ponds with fish are great for getting rid of mosquito larvae. Planting marigolds, lemon geraniums or basil around your yard is also good. The flowers give off a smell mosquitoes don't like.
Mosquito Bite Relief Check your children and yourself for bites before the scratching starts. Conduct a routine inspection whenever you come indoors.
Moisten a bar of soap and rub on the bite. This will stop the itching and acts as a disinfectant.
Other techniques include applying a bit of toothpaste, rubbing a crushed red clover flower on the bite or applying a paste of baking soda and water.
And if you can catch the bite before it receives its first scratch you may want to dab on a little vinegar, lemon juice or the juice of a cut onion or garlic clove to soothe the itch.
So there you have it - a variety of insect repellent and mosquito bite tips to help keep you itch-free all season long.
Household Items: Rub a bar of soap over the itch. I just tried this (Ivory soap) and the relief was near instant. I used a dry bar of soap directly on the skin, but I also have notes that you can spritz bite with water and then run bar of soap over area–or
use a wet bar of soap.
Place a piece of scotch tape on the bite; or dab rubbing alcohol or ammonia on the bite first then stick on a piece of tape.
Hot water: Take a hot shower, or a hot bath, or apply a hot compress. As hot as you can stand it without burning you.
Ice cube, ice pack or very cold water
Dabbers: The quicker you can apply one of the remedies below, the faster the relief. These are topical suggestions, apply directly to the bite area.
Nail Polish
Strong tea mixed with rubbing alcohol
Toothpaste
Mouthwash
Vinegar (apply directly to bite or take a hot bath with 2 cups of vinegar in the water)
Honey
Underarm deodorant (solid or roll-on) - apply directly to bite area
Rubbing Alcohol
Ammonia
Bleach
Tea: Use a hot tea bag or a cotton ball soaked in hot tea to dab on bite area
Pastes: Mix these fresh then apply to bite as soon as possible. The consistency should be nice and thick so it won't run, yet will still stay in place on the affected area. You could also spritz bite with water then apply grains/powders directly (generously) and rub them in.
Baking Soda & Water
Meat Tenderizer & Water
Salt & Water
Epsom Salt & Water (could also do this as a foot soak if it's the ankle/foot area affected)
Tums Tablets: crush and add a few drops of water
Aspirin: crush then add a few drops of water
Aspirin - crush then apply a few drops of rubbing alcohol
Gold Bond Medicated Cream (or the Gold Bond Medicated Powder)
Mylanta (heartburn relief product)
After Bite
Essential Oils: Apply full strength directly to bite area. Edit: There are concerns about using essential oils on children and pre-teens, especially repeated use.
Tea Tree Oil
Lavender Oil
Witch Hazel (astringent)
Cedar Oil
Leaf Applications: Crush the fresh leaves roughly then apply to bite area
Basil
Plantains (Plantago)
Fruity Applications: Use fresh fruit & apply directly to bite