Home made (natural) spray to keep critters away

[mik matra]

Hi, I am moving well away from commercial chemicals for everyday use. In fact I make my own deodorant (works better than any mass produced ones I have ever tried), toothpaste (my dentist remarked how clean my teeth are lately) and now I want to move to not just mosquito repellent but GENERALLY ‘all bugs’ repellent that I can make from natural products. We hike in a lot of tick infested country, plus there are the mossies and a few others. My question is; is there a recepie that wards off a bunch of these criters in one type of solution?

Ta

[Sam Farrington]

Undiluted catnip oil is reputed to be effective.
I’ve found Eucalyptus maybe halfway as good as DEET.
Nothing else works for me when the bugs are out in full force.

[DAN-Y/FANCEE FEEST]

Homemade Mosquito Spray

June 22, 2005 — It’s heating up around the country, and that means conditions are perfect for mosquitos. Many people have their own solution for dealing with this pesky problem. One Alaska man says one possible solution involves combining three household ingredients.

While it may sound crazy, he says his yard has been mosquito free since he sprayed it with the mixture.

Arnie Mason is a retired television and radio broadcaster. He hates mosquitos. So when his wife’s co-worker suggested a remedy, he was all ears. “They have some property on a lake, their neighbors didn’t have any mosquitos and they did, like crazy. There were swarms of them. They asked them, ‘Well, what’s the difference. How come we do and they don’t?’ They told them.”

Now, Mason is trying the special brew. He says you can see the lush, green spots on his lawn where the special concoction was sprayed. “I’ve seen no effect, no detrimental effect to my lawn at all, the good effect is that we haven’t had any mosquitos.”

The recipe consists of three household ingredients: epsom salts, <span class=”highlight”>beer</span> and Listerine. Mason combines a third of each in a garden sprayer, then wets everything in his yard. he was told one application lasts the season.

“I sprayed my bushes, I sprayed my tree, I sprayed my tree last week. It’s still healthy. I sprayed that bush last week, it’s still healthy. I sprayed my wife’s flower garden, they’re sprouting like crazy. The yard’s still alive, and the front yard is showing the greatest improvement I think in growth.”

The formula sounded odd to horticulturist Julie Riley. But she had good things to say about one of the ingredients. “Epsom salts contain magnesium which is a type of fertilizer so that would be healthy to plants in a small amount. The only research I’ve seen on <span class=”highlight”>beer</span>, <span class=”highlight”>stale</span> <span class=”highlight”>beer</span>, has to do with attracting slugs so that they drowned and Listerine has a high alcohol content in it so that can’t be good for plants.”

“It seems to be healthy for the lawn and unhealthy for the bugs,” added Mason.

So for now, mason plans to continue using the special brew to keep the pesky bugs at bay. As Masons says, “Try it. If it doesn’t work then I’m sorry, but I’ve tried it and it works for me.”

Julia Riley, the Horticulturist, says mosquitos tend to hide in the bushes or tall grass on a sunny day. She says they’re not very prominent in a mowed lawn. And in case you’re wondering, Mason says it doesn’t matter what kind of <span class=”highlight”>beer</span> you use.

<span style=”color: #0066cc;”>http://www.wect.com/story/3505494/ho…mosquito-spray</span&gt;
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The Three Ingredient Mosquito Spray

Keeping mosquitoes out of your yard doesn’t require expensive chemical pesticides. One of the more unusual experiments comes from a resident of Alaska — where mosquitoes are a major issue in summer. As WECT6 in North Carolina reported, the spray contains equal parts <span class=”highlight”>beer</span>, an alcohol-based mouthwash and Epsom salts, combined and poured into a garden sprayer for treating the lawn. The news story also included comments from horticulturist Julia Riley, who cautioned that Epsom salts in small amounts isn’t bad for plants, but alcohol is. She pointed out a mowed lawn usually doesn’t attract large amounts of mosquitoes anyway. The newsletter of the Columbus, Ohio Landscape Association included the three-ingredient spray in their July 2013 edition as one of several possible home remedies for getting rid of mosquitoes.

<span style=”color: #0066cc;”>http://homeguides.sfgate.com/home-re…ass-94217.html</span&gt;

[BlackHatGuy]

Cedar oil is effective, but not long lasting.

[Roger Caffin]

I find napalm effective against some critters.
Sorry :-)

Cheers

 

[Jim C]

Try Brawndo: it’s got what plants crave…and bugs fear!

(Sorry, that’s all I could think of when hearing about Epsom salts and lush, green lawns).

[DAN-Y/FANCEE FEEST]

Sam Farrington said: “Undiluted catnip oil is reputed to be effective.”

I found this on the web:

*According to researchers, “nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents.” (source)

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Homemade Citronella Bug Spray

This version is also considered safe for children over two and pregnant/nursing mamas.

Water-Based Spray Recipe

Ingredients
•2 ounces apple cider vinegar, witch hazel or vodka
•2 ounces water
•15 drops citronella essential oil
•15 drops cedarwood atlas or cedarwood virginia
•10 drops geranium
•Optional addition (NOT for kids – just adults who are not pregnant or nursing) 2 drops catnip essential oil*

*According to researchers, “nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents.” (source)

To Make

Because essential oils don’t mix well with water, start by adding them to the apple cider vinegar, witch hazel or vodka. Add a squirt of castile soap if desired and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before giving the mixture a stir. This will disperse the essential oils in the liquid. Add water and pour into a spray bottle, preferably one made of glass or PET plastic. (Essential oils can leach chemicals from some plastics, and we don’t want that!)

Store in the fridge when not in use. Should last 2-3 months.

To Use

Shake well before use. Spray on skin or clothes before going outside.

Oil-Based Spray Recipe

Ingredients
•2 ounces liquid oil such as jojoba (which is non-greasy), olive, etc.
•15 drops citronella essential oil
•15 drops cedarwood atlas or cedarwood virginia
•10 drops geranium bourbon essential oil (where to buy it)

To Make

Mix oil and essential oils together and add to a spray bottle, or better yet an oil mister that is less likely to clog. Store in a cool, dark area when not in use. Should last 2-3 months.

To Use

Spray directly on skin before going outdoors.

Homemade Patchouli Bug Spray

Water-Based Spray Recipe
•4 ounces apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, or vodka* OR a dry oil such as jojoba
•15 drops patchouli essential oil
•15 drops cedarwood atlas or cedarwood virginia
•10 drops geranium bourbon essential oil (where to buy it)

To Make

Because essential oils don’t mix well with water, start by adding them to the apple cider vinegar, witch hazel or vodka. Add a squirt of castile soap if desired and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes before giving the mixture a stir.  This will disperse the essential oils in the liquid. Add water and pour into a spray bottle, preferably one made of glass or PET plastic. (Essential oils can leach chemicals from some plastics, and we don’t want that!)

Store in the fridge when not in use. Should last 2-3 months.

To Use

Shake well before use. Spray on skin or clothes before going outside.

[Ian]

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil appears to be a winner

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/01/30/464740275/whats-the-best-way-to-keep-mosquitoes-from-biting

 

[Diane Pinkers]

I am leery about essential oil use–you have to be really sure about the source and purity of your oils, and I’ve had people lard on the essential oils. Being sensitive to odors, I’ve gotten headaches and breathing trouble from too heavy usage of essential oils.

Chemicals are chemicals; “natural” does not mean “safe”.  Everyone’s sensitivity is different, and you will have to decide for yourself if it is safe FOR YOU.  However, please, if you use the essential oil route, be aware that others around you may not be as unaffected as you are.  Hopefully, in the outdoors, with good ventilation, you will not be a hazard to others.

Here is a link to safety of picaridin.  It is derived from the active ingredient of black pepper.  I have had good use of it, although I will admit I got the crap bit out of me by mosquitos in Florida.  The locations I had the picaridin were fine; I missed several locations on the backs of my arms and legs, and OH MY GOD, did I get it!

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PicaridinGen.html

[DAN-Y/FANCEE FEEST]

Most plant-based insect repellents on the market contain essential oils from one or more of the following plants: geranium, citronella, cedar, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, and soybean. Products made from <span style=”color: #0066cc;”>oils-of-eucalyptus</span> perform the best out of these examples.

Catnip is another example historically used as an <span style=”color: #0066cc;”>insect repellent</span> and as a folk lore remedy. Although not native to North America, catnip now grows <span style=”color: #0066cc;”>throughout Michigan</span> and is generally considered a weed. Nepeta cataria (also known as catnip, catswort, or catmint) is a plant in the Lamiaceae family. The common names can also be used to refer to the Nepeta genus as a whole. The main chemicals in oils of catnip were identified to be nepetalactones, consisting primarily of two isoforms. Here I review some of the recent studies on catnip for its ability to repel mosquitoes.

<span style=”color: #0066cc;”>Field tests</span> were conducted using a hydrogenated form of catnip oil in Florida and Maine. First, the essential oil of catnip was catalytically hydrogenated to yield dihydronepetalactones (DHN). Strictly speaking, hydrogenated catnip oil (HCO) is not something the average person can make without a palladium catalyst, hydrogen gas and a pressure vessel. DHN was previously detected in the defensive secretions of certain insects and it had been reported that DHN had the ability to repel ants. HCO was formulated into a lotion or alcohol-based spray. All HCO formulas exhibited some degree of extended protection with the 15% by weight HCO lotion providing complete protection during the eight hour tests. The authors suggest that formulations of HCO can be effective alternative to existing repellents such as DEET.

<span style=”color: #0066cc;”>In Australia</span>, a commercial product containing 5% catnip essential oil was tested as repellent against four different species of mosquitoes. Significant variation was observed for protection afforded against different mosquito species ranging from no protect to four hours on average. In contrast, a 7% DEET spray provided complete protection over a six hour period. Overall, the authors concluded that catnip does provide limited protection against some mosquito species in Australia, and may be more effective than other products containing natural plant extracts, but it was not as effective as DEET.

A <span style=”color: #0066cc;”>study from China</span> compared catnip essential oil along with other plant essential oils and DEET. Catnip essential oil (composed of 36%, 45%, 18% isomer 1, isomer 2, and caryophyllene) provided the best protection against mosquitoes and the only oil to provide complete protection for over six hours. When testing the major ingredients of catnip oil, their tests showed that a blend containing the nepetalactone isomers at a 3:1 ratio has the highest and longest repellent activity.

The <span style=”color: #0066cc;”>most recent study</span> published in 2011 on the use of catnip essential oils was performed on Afro-topical mosquitoes originally cultivated from Tanzania. They compared two different batches of catnip and found that the isomeric composition of nepatalactone varied considerable (batch A: 92% isomer 1 and 8% caryophyllene, and batch B: 17% isomer 1, 70% isomer 2, and 13% caryophyllene). Upon testing, batch A was not as effective at repelling mosquitoes as compared to batch B. Purified isomers provided inferior protection to either batches of essential oils. Testing of binary mixtures confirmed the synergistic effect between the two isomers. Lower activity was seen with purified isomers and, surprisingly, with equivalent or near equivalent binary mixtures. Highest activity was afforded when the isomers were mixed in 3:1 ratios. Furthermore, a ratio mixture equivalent to batch B did not perform as well compared to either batch of essential oils. A three component blend containing caryophyllene at the levels found in batch B had the same activity as the essential oil.

Typical of plant extracts, the concentration of active ingredients various from batch to batch and the variation is dependent upon things like supply location, seasonal variations, age of the plant, and extraction procedure. Indeed, the ratio of isomers within a catnip plant <span style=”color: #0066cc;”>was shown</span> to vary weekly and the effectiveness of the essential oils to repel insects varied greatly.

Overall, the research on catnip essential oil has proven it to be an effective repellent of mosquitoes. Some variation on the species of mosquitoes repelled and the duration of effectiveness was found. The data suggests that catnip can be used as an effective insect repellent when used as an unfractionated essential oil due to the presence of both nepetalactone isomers and other components such as caryophyllene. However, for practical use of these plant essential oils, further studies on their safety to human health are necessary.

http://www.miskeptics.org/2011/06/does-catnip-essential-oil-protect-against-mosquitoes/

[Ian]

There are 3,500 mosquito species worldwide and I’ve found that some of them don’t seem to give a damn what lotion I wear.  Clothing is the only truly universal protection I’ve found.  I’ve worn nylon long sleeved shirts and pants, along with a S2S or Peter’s headnet with great success in areas where Mosquitos were swarming.

[DAN-Y/FANCEE FEEST]

DEET works wonders for tick and chigger repellant when sprayed on pant legs that are tucked into socks when walking through heavy undergrowth. I do more bushwacking than trail running. Always have shirt tucked into pants. Chigger bites are much more itchy than skeeter bites.

[Valerie E]

There is an additional scary side effect if you use catnip — your next hike will look like this:

[BlackHatGuy]

LOL! Well, that should keep the smaller critters away….

[Author]

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