Anyone ever seen the below methods and had success? I recieved them via email today. Maybe some are urban legends, but with the environmental downside of DEET, some of these may be worth a try…
MOSQUITO REPELLANTS
It’s about that time folks - so thought I’d send out this reminder!!! - OK, mosquitos… prepare to be repelled!!!
Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets…Best thing ever used in Louisiana…just wipe on & go…Great for Babies
Bob, a fisherman, takes one vitamin B-1 tablet a day April through October. He said it works. He was right.
Hasn’t had a mosquito bite in 33 years. Try it. Every one he has talked into trying it works on them. Vitimin B-1( Thiamine Hydrochloride 100 mg.)
If you eat bananas, the mosquitos like you, - something about the banana oil as your body processes it. Stop eating bananas
for the summer and the mosquitos will be much less interested.
This is going to floor you, but one of the best insect repellents someone found (who is in the woods every day), is Vick’s Vaporub.
Plant marigolds around the yard, the flowers give off a smell that bugs do not like, so plant some in that garden also to help ward off bugs without using insecticides.
“Tough guy” Marines who spend a great deal of time “camping out” say that the very best mosquito repellant you can use is
Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil mixed about half and half with alcohol.
One of the best natural insect repellants that I’ve discovered is made from the clear real vanilla. This is the pure Vanilla that is
sold in Mexico. It works great for mosquitoes and ticks, don’t know about other insects.
When all else fails–get a frog!
Fight West Nile…pass this along to all your friends in skeeter
land!!!
also
I have heard of catnip, lemongrass oil, a tomato extract, and not wearing various shades of blue.
Various shades of color
dark clothing attracts them. Tans, light greens and browns etc. don’t.
FYI
http://www.snopes.com/spoons/oldwives/skeeters.htm
Great site for checking out those urban legends.
Vanilla?!?!?
Having spent lots of time near the Everglades, I can tell you this. If you have to be in a an area seriously infested with mosquitos, do not count on anything besides DEET. I've always used Deep Woods Off or Sawyer Controlled Release. If you want the very best protection, use Permethrin on your clothing. Sawyer's sells a nice kit. Here's some scientific info for you:
http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/IPM/Landscape/F2/InsectRepellents.htm
http://www.health.ms.gov/msdhsite/index.cfm/14,957,93,html
The above link doesn't seem to work correctly. If you click on "West Nile Virus" in the left hand column, then under "Your Protection"..."Choosing a mosquito repellent"
Good Site
Good site to debunk legends. Also provided some real data on the actual effectivness
And then there was Kevin,
a guide we had in the Arctic National Wildlife Refugee, on a 14 day canoe trip.
He just let them land and bite, and told us to feel free to come up and squash any on his face if it bothered us to see them biting him.
Cheers,
JackL
Just what are the “environmental
downsides” of DEET? According to the EPA, it is safe, according to the CDC, it should be used to protect oneself from disease carrying mosquitos.
Personnally, I think there are a lot more “environmental downsides” to mosquitos.
Move to Puget Sound?
I’ve never experienced mosquitos here, but maybe I taste bad. I have run into Skeeters From Hell on the Cascade Crest Trail, however. On the other hand, our Sasquatches can be menacing. And watch out for geoducks.
Environmental Impact?..not sure
I’ve seen a few posts on this board from folks who claim that DEET will pollute if you get in the water, take a roll, etc.
more accurately
Personally my concern is the physical concerns. I know if I use OFF too frequently or get iit in skinfold areas I tend to develop a rash. Must mean something. Also if you get it in your eyes via sweat, forget about it.
Having said that, when it gets really thick nothing else seems to work as well.
I’ve seen deet …
melt the plastic nozzle on one of our water coolers. Makes me afraid to get any on my plastic boats!
Deet’ll eat
anything plastic. It’ll swallow the rubber coating on binoculars and cameras. I’m not very attractive to mosquitos. We don’t have chiggers, no-see-ums and blackflies way out west. Deer flies bite hard enough to draw blood.
Usually I just live with it. IF I use a repellant, I’m careful to wash it off my hands immediately after application to the rest of my bod. Thinking I may try the less-than-effective Skin-So-Soft bug juice this summer, since I don’t seem to be that tasty anyway.