Mosquito myths
If growing citronella to
harvest the oil, buy cit-ronella
{ }
focus on bigger insects. { }
june 2021 28
WBM
{ }
grass rather than
citronella geranium, which
has no bug-repelling properties despite its fragrant leaves.
Bats are an important part of
the ecosystem so it’s a great
idea to provide shelter for them,
but they’re unlikely to diminish
the mosquito population much.
Bug zappers are a
common weapon
but aren’t highly
effective. { }
Research suggests only 1-4 percent of
the bugs killed by zappers are biting
insects, and the ultraviolet light they
emit might attract more insects than
they eliminate. Zappers also kill indis-criminately,
meaning they’re likely eliminating pollinators and
other beneficial insects instead of meaningfully reducing the
mosquito population.
Other bird species may con-sume
more mosquitoes than
the purple martin, but birds are
not an effective component of
comprehensive insect control.
DIY insect repellent
It is easy to mix custom mosquito repellent with just a few ingredients.
Harvest oils from some of the plants mentioned before or skip the growing
and pressing by buying bottled essential oils. A quick online search will
yield thousands of recipes for DIY essential oil mosquito repellent, but a
basic recipe is included here.
It is best to buy a tinted glass bottle to mix and store the spray. The tint
prevents degradation due to light exposure, and glass is chemically inert
and won’t interact with the oils like metal and plastic can.
As with any topical product, test a small patch of skin to make sure
you aren’t allergic before spraying on a large area. Essential oil repellents
need to be reapplied more frequently than DEET repellents, so be sure to
take them along for long excursions.
DIY mosquito repellent recipe
Add more or less oil depending on how strong you want the scent to be
and switch out the oils with other mosquito-repellent ones to create a scent
you like (but mosquitoes won’t). Peppermint, lemon, catnip, basil, clove,
thyme, rosemary and geranium oils are all said to discourage mosquitoes.
To repel fleas, try
cedarwood, citronella,
eucalyptus, tea tree,
lemongrass, lavender,
orange or pine oil. For
ticks, mix in rose gera-nium,
juniper, rosewood,
thyme, grapefruit or
oregano oil.
Watch what you wear
Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so wearing white and
other light-colored clothes can reduce the chances of getting
bit. Perfumes and sweet-smelling lotions draw biting insects, so
skip those if going outdoors during peak mosquito activity hours.
Pendants, bracelets and other wearable essential oil diffusers
offer a means to deploy mosquito-discouraging scents without
applying sprays directly to skin or clothing.
Citronella is widely known as a
natural mosquito repellent, but
it’s the oil, not the live plant, that
discourages the winged pests.
Bats are rumored to be an
effective means of mos-quito
control, but they
usually eat larger insects.
Purple martins, like bats,
are often touted as mos-quito
hunters, but they too
4 oz distilled water
1 Tbsp avocado or jojoba oil
2-4 Tbsp witch hazel or
apple cider vinegar
10-15 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
10-15 drops lemongrass essential oil
10-15 drops citronella essential oil
10-15 drops lavender essential oil
sustainable living