One thing I love about city-living is the absence (or at least minimal presence) of mosquitos especially having grown up in the great outdoors of the US, where they are plentiful. But bugs can pose problems for many summer nights' plans no matter where you live or where you travel with their bites being itchy, annoying and sometimes ridiculously painful.
And it's a confusing market out there for bug repellents. Many repellents contain the chemical N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, commonly known as DEET: an insecticide that can affect the nervous system. Deet was identified as a 'toxic worry' by scientists who have expressed safety concerns about Deet after observing the chemical's toxic effects in mammals. But manufacturers have relied upon our fear and loathing of mosquitoes and other bugs like ticks to increase their sales of products containing DEET and ignore its many potential harms that include the potential to be absorbed in the bloodstream, and for pregnant women, the placenta and affect an unborn child, influencing birth defects.
So what can we do? How can we avoid attracting those pesky pests and protect our families from itchy bites and serious insect-carrying diseases (like the West Nile virus or Lyme disease)?
- First, avoid using fragranced personal care products (like that yummy cucumber and cantaloupe lotion) or setting out delicious fruit, meats or other fragrant items that would attract insects. Instead, for some outdoor summery smells, plant geraniums, lemon thyme, citrosa plants and sweet basil - these natural scents seem to keep away little pests.
- Consider using yellow light bulbs for your outdoor lighting. Bugs aren't attracted to them.
- When outdoors, wear light clothing that covers most of the body, keeping as much skin and hair covered as practical. Avoid bright, floral colors. Khaki, beige, and olive are best.
- Biting is at its worst from dusk until dawn. The problem is worse when the weather is hot or humid. Avoid playing outdoors during the peak biting times in your area.
If you must go outside, here are some options for Deet-free repellents:
- You can find Incognito Anti-Mosquito Spray in the UK. It is a 100% natural and Vegan Society approved spray that uses essential oils to combat mosquitoes. Just make sure to do a patch test on babies (only those above 6 months can use it) and children to check for skin reactions before applying it properly.
- BiteBlocker Organic Xtreme Insect Spray, found in the US, is a natural insect repellent containing soybean and other plant oils as the active ingredients, which are safe for use on children and babies.
- California Baby Natural Bug Blend Bug Repellent Spray is another great, natural bug repellent option.
- Squeeze and Stick Mosquito Patches from Green Baby in the UK consist of a small cushion patch containing microcapsules of essential oils including Citronella, Euclyptus and Citriodora. A wonderful choice for the whole family because you just put them on your clothes and there's no skin contact.
- Or go for a DIY option - you just need to put the following in a spray bottle:
- 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup witch hazel (or cheap vodka)
- 5 drops of citronella or eucalyptus essential oil
We hope we've given you some helpful tips on how to avoid itchy and disease-ridden bugs but if you think we've missed anything, send us a note, write a comment and we'll make sure you're heard!
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