### ?…ask the Bugman

Green Pest Management | ID your Bugs | Animal Issues | Natural Living
All Creatures Great and Small

# Mosquito Repellents

Posted by askthebugman ⋅ June 12, 2019 ⋅ 4 Comments

Mosquitoes will be out pretty soon. Here is some information on mosquito repellents.

DEET. What is DEET. Someone asked me why I never recommend it when all government agencies always recommend it. DEET is short for N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (also known as N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide).

In 1998, the EPA made it illegal for any product containing DEET to make any child safety claims. Products with DEET are required to carry instructions that they should not be used at all for children under 6 months. Additional required warnings state that for children 6 months to 2 years, only concentrations of less than 10% DEET should be used, and only once a day. For children from 2 -12 years old, only concentrations under 10% should be used, and repellents should not be applied more than 3 times a day. Some people who are exposed to DEET have experienced negative health effects, including rashes, skin irritation, numb or burning lips, nausea, headaches, dizziness and difficulty concentrating. Considering the damage it can do to children and some adults, why use it?

There are non-toxic insect repellents available. You can go online and Google non-toxic mosquito repellents and find some. I used to use catnip when I lived in Corrales where there were a lot of mosquitoes. Greenbug has a good mosquito repellent made from cedar. You can get that online as well. You can also make your own mosquito repellent. Recipe below. You have to apply these products more often, but they are safer than DEET.

Why do agencies insist on recommending DEET products? The more DEET products that the chemical industry can sell the better for the chemical industry economy I guess. Also, better for the pharmaceutical industry when people have to get drugs to counter the effect of DEET if they have a reaction. We live in a chemically controlled country. The more chemicals we use the more money certain industries make.

Here is a recipe for a very good repellent that you can make yourself.
Combine in a 16 oz. bottle:
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp. of vanilla extract
1/4 Cup lemon juice.
Fill bottle with water. Shake. Ready to use.

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## About askthebugman

I have been in the pest management industry for over 40 years. In that time I have used almost every pesticide available to control so-called “pests”. With this experience, I have learned over the years that the pesticides we use are far more dangerous than the pests we are trying to control. As a result, it has become a passion for me to improve the quality of life for humans and the planet, by assisting people to not only become more educated and aware of their environment – but also by learning to manage their home and business with a sustainable and healthier approach to tending to unwanted infestations of bugs. Please enjoy my blog posts, check out my publications, utilize my services, or simply stay in touch if you have a bug question…
View all posts by askthebugman »

## Discussion

### 4 thoughts on “Mosquito Repellents”

1. Hello! Does the City of ABQ give away Gambusia - Mosquito Fish?

   Posted by C.C. | June 12, 2019, 4:40 pm
   Reply to this comment

   - I don’t know if they still do. They used to. Call them and ask.

     Posted by askthebugman | June 12, 2019, 5:16 pm
     Reply to this comment

2. https://www.cabq.gov/environmentalhealth/urban-biology/pest-management/mosquito-control/mosquito-fish-distribution
   Mud Monsters on north Edith will give away only 10.

   Posted by C.C. | June 12, 2019, 5:58 pm
   Reply to this comment

3. Bottom line abstract:
   The CDC recommends Repel and Off! brands of lemon eucalyptus oil repellants. Studies found them as effective as Deet.

   Consumer Reports found:
   Consumer Reports looked at plant-oil based repellents and found that one “product in our insect repellent ratings that contained 30 percent oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) did well in our tests, warding off mosquitoes and ticks for at least 7 hours.” It said that other products with plant oils – including cedar, cinnamon, citronella, clove, geranium, lemongrass, rosemary, and peppermint – “provided little protection, often failing in our tests within a half-hour.”

   https://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r050428.htm

   https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/the-pre-travel-consultation/protection-against-mosquitoes-ticks-other-arthropods

   https://www-treehugger-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.treehugger.com/health/amp/using-oil-lemon-eucalyptus-instead-deet-mosquitoes.html

   Posted by K Winston Caine | June 15, 2019, 3:13 pm
   Reply to this comment

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