Mosquito season is coming back! Winter is gone and summer is almost here. Time for BBQ, sun tanning, campfires and… bug bites! How can you prevent mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies from ruining your summer without using chemicals? Here are a few ideas:
Make your own natural repellent with these recipes:
- Vanilla insect repellent
Fill a spray bottle with Witch Hazel distillate. Add 10 drops each of eucalyptus and lemon essential oils and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. - Lemongrass insect repellent
Liquefy ½ cup coconut oil in the microwave. Add 25 drops of lemongrass essential oil, 10 drops of grapefruit oil and ½ cup fragrance free body lotion. Mix well with a mixer. - Tea tree insect repellent
In a spray bottle, mix ¼ cup water and 20 drops of tea tree essential oil. You can also plant peppermint, basil or rosemary plants around your deck or suspend lemongrass geraniums. Burning eucalyptus, lemongrass, mint or lavender incense will also keep mosquitoes away as well as using a diffuser with those essential oils.
You can also shop for a good bug zapper, there is a wide variety of electric and solar ones you can choose.
Here is a trick that was given to me by fishermen: 2 weeks before a fishing trip, fishermen start eating the white part of an orange peel every day. It seems that the odor it gives your body keeps mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies away! It’s worth a try and it also adds vitamins to your diet.
There are also homeopathic products you can take internally for 10 days and then once a week for the whole season that render your skin unappealing to insects. If you do not want to make your own insect repellent, visit a local health store to buy a good natural product.
Enjoy your summer!
Submitted by Line Crête. She has a professional diploma as a Natural health counselor as well as a professional diploma in Health, Fitness and Nutrition. Line has been giving conferences and workshops on a variety of subjects since 2011 and has been working at L’Amie de la santé since 2022.
