Green Tip Tuesday - Mosquito Control
My friend Nia is currently in Bali and being eaten alive by mosquitoes. So, I thought it appropriate to look up eco-friendly ideas on repelling these nasty vampire bugs.Here's the first recipe I found on Care2.com:Mosquito Repellent Oil10 drops essential oil (use oils such as basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, peppermint, rosemary, lemon balm (citronella), onions, garlic, and feverfew)2 tablespoons vegetable oilCombine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing.Note: Pregnant women should consult with their doctor before using essential oils.From Mother Earth News I found this recipe:Herbal Insect Repellent2 1/2 teaspoons total of any combination of the following essential oils: basil, cedarwood, citronella, juniper, lemon, myrrh, palmarosa, pine, rose geranium and/or rosemary (available at health food stores)1 cup 190-proof grain alcohol (available in liquor stores)Place ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. Transfer to small bottles for storage. To use, rub a small amount on any exposed skin (test first to be sure your skin will not be adversely affected by the repellent) or dab it on clothing.Experiment a little to find which essential oils work best with your body chemistry. If you’re lucky, you also will like the way they smell; otherwise, add a few drops of peppermint oil to fine-tune the fragrance.Here are some other options:
- For a short time, you can try to rub celery juice on your skin - though you'll have to have some sort of juicer to extract this from the celery stalk.
- Lemon-eucalyptus oil is also said to help repel mosquitoes and no-see-ums.
If you've already been bitten and are looking for some natural relief, try the herb plantain. It is a very common weed, often growing in compacted soil along sidewalks and driveways. To use the plant as first aid for a mosquito bite, crush a few leaves and rub them on the bite. The leaves look like: