"natural" insect repellents

“Well, I went through a swampy area last week after a light dose of Deep Woods Off and the skeeters bombarded me. Like I said, it was just a light spray, kindof as an afterthought, seeing as how I hadn't seen but a few mosquitoes this year. I got 3 or 4 bites.

For the walk back through the swamp on the way out I completely soaked myself with Naturepel lotion (citronella) and was bitten another 4 or 5 times.

I think I'll go with the Deep Woods Off in the pump spray next time. I have some Ben's 100 I can take as a backup... That stuff will melt plastic.”

“It's personal preference really, but I'd rather be eaten alive than put that stuff on my skin.

We talk about organic foods and vitamins, etc. but how often do we think about the chemicals in the deoderant, perfume, soaps, lotions etc. we douse our skin with every day. Not to mention the drain cleaner and other crap we dump down our sinks that poisons the earth that our food comes from.

For example propylene glycol which is an ingredient in most hand creams, is also a chemical in anti-freeze.”

“Living my first summer in NH, I found that a headnet was a necessity this time of year. I originally got it for the black fly season, but it's been really helpful with the skeeters, too. I spray some 100% DEET spray on the top of my hat, the underside of the brim and around the leg openings of my pants. Seems to work pretty decently. With as much rain as we've had in May, the mosquitos are pretty bad this year.”

“It is true Twigeater, but are you trying to tell us that you don't use deoderant?

I try to use as little nasty cleaning stuff as possible since I have a septic system. It definitely in going to end up in the environment.”

“Sulfurous well water works, if you can get past the smell and flavor. After a few weeks of drinking that, ain't nothing gonna bother you.”

“Tom's of Maine deodorant, baby!”

“I was always told that citronella is a crock of crap because the plant oils irritate the feelers on the feet/legs of the mosquito's..so candles,torches, and coils only work if they oily smoke is wafting over you coating you so to speak, the plants planted around your deck do nothing.. and as far as citronella lotion/spray..the mosquito has to land on a well lathered location before she's repelled.”

“LOL, nope - just that there are chemicals all around us that we don't think about quite as much as we do the chemicals in food, but affect us in the same ways.

I don't know anything about city sewer, but I bet it operates on the same principal as my septic system.”

“Somehow the idea of lathering citronella on thick is very repellent to me at least.”

“I use citronella candles and the mosquito coils in camp, and the coils while backpacking. I dunno what the coils are made of, I'm probly inhaling some toxic substance that'll kill me in 35 years, lol.
j/k, I really don't worry too much about that stuff, there's just something about rubbing pesticide on my skin that "bugs" me. =D”

“Summer in the High Sierra, I have never seen mosquitos so bad. I put on my shell, long pants, baseball cap and head net. A little Ben's 100% DEET, cut to 50 percent with water on the tops of my hands seems to do the trick.

I've hiked with people that brought citronella products and after about 20 mins, they are always asking to use my DEET.”

“100% DEET is the best remedy, but you can find lots of products with a milder solution 20-50%. Never use 100% DEET on children!!!, it should be on the warning label. This is per Red Cross First Aid (I teach). Happy Hikin', Karo”

“Oh yeah, I haven't had any luck with anything besides green ban.”

“i find drinking 100%DEET helps also...now back in boyscouts..my scoutmaster told us to eat garlic cloves the week leading up to summer camp...well a few did and when they started to sweat..the garlic smell was HORRIBLE..i dunno if they got bitten..we stayed too far away”

“lol I bet it kept the vampires away also!!!!”

“Pyrethrin works well and is made from Geraniums. It is the same chemical found in flea dip. You can buy the wash-in kind...it goes in the laundry with your hiking clothes. The residue will stay with the clothes for a few washings (or a few downpours, as the case may be).

It's what we'll be using in South America next year.

Other than reeeeally bad bug situations, I use natural products exclusively. If it's really bad, a headnet and long sleeves/pants are in order and sometimes DEET on the clothes too.

Burt's Bees makes an EXCELLENT incense stick for use around camp - they are giant sticks that last for hours. Check your local health food store.”

“I like the heavy duty DEET in the Adirondacks. I try to apply it to my clothes instead of my skin. I rarely have any problem in the Catskills, but this year is a little buggy. Once I needed a bugnet,longsleeves & gloves on a canoe trip but that's rare.”

“hey i heard that if you let one of your trail buddys pee all over you that works pretty good. ha ha ha ha ha sorry i had to do it”

“Ok, the only thing I've ever found in the form of a truly natural insect repellant that WORKED was Skeedaddle brand. It was patented by a lady I know. It uses plant essences from various yarbs that drive away bugs. It also uses the essence of the plants which attract "good" bugs like praying mantis, lady bugs, etc. The theory being that the scent of the plants which attract good or helpful, bad-bug eating critters is in itself a deterrant to the baddies. It works great and is safe. DEET is dangerous in children since their little livers cannot hold up to its toxicity. Its available in a lesser strength for kids though. Something like 23% concentration for little people. I have only smoked once in my life and was darn glad to have the cigarettes too. I was 15 and bike riding with my homeys one evening. The gnats and mosquitos were so thick they like to have carried us off. We went to a neighbors house and got a pack of smokes and a book of matches and every one of us lit up to ride home. I never enjoyed a cigarette so much! No bugs! Worked great.”

“bring on the DEET, 100% too!!! I ain't messin around with them dang skeeters...deet em!!! and premethrin for the ticks and chiggers...we hates ticks and chiggers!!!”

“DEET for skeeters and black flies, Sawyers' for skeeters and no-see-ums, and/or permethrin (sp?) for this target of the evil-doing bugs. The only thing I can say for myself is that I kept the black flies off Creek Dancer!”

“okay, i'll check out Pyrethrin! that sounds good.

danababy, i tried looking up Skeedaddle on the net, and the only one i'm finding contains DEET.”

“I guess the best bug dope is the stuff you actually use, LOL!

I didn't put on any bugdope Sunday, cause the bugs didn't seem to be bothering me while hiking. However they feasted on me when I stopped on the peak, but as usual, I didn't notice until it was all over and I was a bloody mess. :)”

“That's too funy! I wonder if there is any fatalities under those same circumstances....

...::::wanders out of thread to go check out guiness records”

“ouch, twiggy! i know, it seems like i always bring bug dope when there're no bugs, and forget it when they're swarming. oh the humanity!”

“Oh I had the bug dope in my pocket, just didn't put any on! =D”