Insect repellant/deterrent

Orchid Lady

With all the wet windy weather, my mind started wandering to summer months when hopefully it will be as lovely as last year. This brings with it one problem......insect bites!!! Apart from the obvious insect repellant does anyone else have any other tried and tested methods (preferably natural if at all possible) that work. I have researched before and read various theories including garlic, ginger, vitamin B etc etc but unsure what are old wives tales and what actually works. I am asking now, because if indeed the vitamin B and/or garlic pills work then I probably need to start now. Thanks everyone

fidgetbones

Citronella oil.( not a licensed use now,it is supposed to be a perfume only.

Avon skin so soft oil

Lots of vitamin b complex (water soluble so you cant overdose) or marmite or vegemite.

Dovefromabove

As someone who has suffered all her life from the attentions of mosquitoes and midges, the only thing I've found that keeps them away from me is Skin So Soft by Avon and it worked against midges on the Scottish West Coast -  it's supplied by the bucket load to the British Army when they go on manoeuvres up there 

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/avon-s-spray-finds-calling-as-midge-repellent-for-royal-marines-1-1403152 

And you can look forward to being an older lady - they like us less than you younger ones 

nutcutlet

You need a mozzie net at night

http://www.safariquip.co.uk/all-categories/insect-protection/mosquito-nets/

 

Orchid Lady

I wonder what it is in Skin so Soft they don't like? It must one of the perfume ingredients. I might look into that furtehr and see if I can use an essential oil.



Fidget, can you clarify the citronella, I don't tank it came out right? I thought that was just used in candles or can you buy the oil? Maybe mix that with moisturiser?



Marmite Dove? I'm presuming because that has lots of vitamin B in, but I love it so that would be a good one - daily on toast?

Orchid Lady

Nut It looks good but they don't tend to bother me at night, it's during the day when I am gardening.



We back on to fields with horses in and horse flies are also a nightmare and they don't agree with me at all, so anything to keep them away!!

fidgetbones

Citronella oil is used by horsey people to keep midges off the horses. It was always sold as insect repellant eg such as in candles, but the powers that be decided that it could only be used as perfume unless it underwent clinical trials etc and so you will only find it labelled as a perfume. I use it dabbed on wood or other articles where I am sitting.outside. It seems to work for me.

Orchid Lady

Great, thank you Fidget, I could put it on the wood of the picket fence around my veg patch....perfect And even better if it hasn't undergone clinical trials as at least I know it is 'beagle friendly'

Orchid Lady

Patsy, I missed your post. I could try lavender oil in my bath and see if that helps.



I'll be smelling very florally this summer

Alan4711

not only are our boys the best troops in the world but they smell wonderful as well,Dove ie correct AVON tried and tested by our allotmenteers 2 years ago,proved the best ,we were being eaten alive and some bites went septic for some of us, Avon did the trick, it works just try it, most summers Avon do a bogof iv got loads of it, 

Fairygirl

It's well known up here as the best insect repellent, and lots of the hotels and B&Bs that walkers use supply it. I'm not too bothered by them fortunately, but they even survive at the top of our mountains - not just in shady, damp areas at lower levels. I believe they are now developing it commercially as an insect repellent, using the same ingredients that are in the Avon product, as it can't legally be advertised as an insect repellent.

You do realise Tracey, we breed midges bigger and feistier up here just to keep English visitors away? It's part of Mr Salmond's 'Grand Plan'.....