Herbs for repelling bugs?

Question

What herbs are a natural repellent for mosquitoes and no-see-ums...I know of Citronella, are there any others?

Answer 1

pyrethrin Daisey's may also help...mint can also repel many bugs....but for mozzie make sure you have no stagnate water on your property for the to breed in

Answer 2

For personal protection, I take mega doses of Vitamin B-1. B-1 is a water soluable vitamin which the body will slough off through the skin in the sweat and oils. Bugs dislike the smell and stay away. I've used this as a natural bug repellant for nearly 20 years.

Answer 3

Many of those strong-scented, and lemony herbs are not attractive to mosquitos. Cintronella is the best.
But merely planting it around your yard will NOT keep them out. They just won't be landing on that plant. If you grow a lot of it, you can take a leaf and rub it on your exposed skin to deter them from landing on you.

Make sure you have no standing water around your house - they breed in still water. What they are attracted to is carbon dioxide - the gas that mammals exhale. So if you have a bunch of people hangin out on your porch, the concentration of CO2 will be stronger there - with everybody, you know, breathing and all. But you can counter that will reducing their nearby breeding areas, and using repellants on the skin, and placing cintronella candles in the area.\

Oh, and just an interesting FYI - only the females "bite". Mosquitos are actually necter feeders, and the males exclusively so. But the females need one blood meal in order to produce eggs. The males never bite. (or "siphon" blood, as it were)

Answer 4

Herbal folklore has long included the use of aromatic herbs and oils as insect repellents. Most of us are familiar with the use of citronella oil (Cymbopogon nardus) in candles and in products designed to be used on the skin. Other aromatic herbs used for centuries for their insect repellent qualities include Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), Elderflower leaf (Sambucus nigra) which also repels mice, and Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) both known for repelling moths. Natural insecticides such as Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Pyrethrum flower (Anacyclus pyrethrum), Anise (Pimpinella anisum) and Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) have also been used since ancient times.



The rise of the use of essential oils has expanded herbal insect repellent possibilities. At our house, where summer gardening is a daily effort, we have at various times used the essential oils of Cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendron L.), Citronella, Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), Geranium (Pelargonium roseum), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Peppermint (Mentha x piperita), Red Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) with great success. We use these oils either singly or in combinations diluted into hydrosol or water and sprayed liberally on our skin (taking care to avoid the eyes, of course) and clothes.



Now researchers have reported that a component of the essential oil of the Catnip plant (Nepeta cateria) which is so fascinatingly attractive to felines, actually repels mosquitoes 10 times more effectively than DEET, the chemical found in most commercial insect repellents.



Catnip is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family and though it grows wild in most parts of the United States it is also widely cultivated for commercial use. Catnip is native to Europe and was introduced to the United States in the late 18th century. In France the leaves and young shoots were used as a seasoning. Native Americans brewed it into a tea used for colic in infants.

Answer 5

Take the equivalent of 1500 mg of fresh garlic clove (a 15 mg capsule of garlic powder or 3 x 5 mg capsules) orally every day. Taking garlic will cause your skin to secrete a natural insect repellent.
It might however, keep people away too!

Answer 6

Yes, Neem oil (azadirachta indica) available in any tropical country. But it stinks !!! Much better off with citronella or any other citrus based oil.

Answer 7

definite take a twig bottle and combine some dish washing liquid on the cost of four factors water and one area liquid cleansing soap and spray it on the plant fabric. The bugs can no longer stand the style of the cleansing soap and as quickly as the backyard is in a position to reap merely wash off the greens and you will in no way style the concoction your self.

Answer 8

I've been told by several gardeners that marigolds are effective in keeping mosquitoes away.

Answer 9

for mosquitoes, the leaves of the neem tree, (grows in the tropics)

Answer 10

yes vinegar is good to keep the bugs bodies shrinking.