Summer is on the way! Sunshine, bright blue skies, little
puffy clouds, green grass, birds chirping-----all these things make up the
wonderfulness of summer. Unfortunately, summer also brings pesky pest-insects
to fly around your head, buzz in your ear, and sting your feet. In the United States and Canada, about 92,000 species of insects have been named.
As part of my commitment to sustainability I try to
respect the natural order of environmental cooperation. (This means I cannot
arbitrarily spray my yard with DEET containing insecticide) There are natural pest-insect
predators, which include birds, bats, spiders, insects, and bugs that eat and
keep the pest population in check. If you are interested in attracting
beneficial natural predators to control insect pests check out the
ferncreekdesign website listed below. Now that our bee populations are
endangered (which is a huge topic for another day) we need to be careful with
manufactured, chemical insecticides. We should all take steps to be
environmentally aware.
This year I have a new sustainable plan (sustainability
means survivability). I am adding into my wellness lifestyle homemade organic
and natural insect repellents. I am not alone in thinking that the natural path
is the healthy path. There is a great deal of information on natural insect
repellents and many recipes on the Internet. Many do-it-yourself websites have
easy, inexpensive pest repellent alternatives.
Mosquitoes
The most basic step to avoid mosquitoes is to know what draws them. This is a list of things to avoid, or that can be used as bait to lure mosquitoes away from you.
The most basic step to avoid mosquitoes is to know what draws them. This is a list of things to avoid, or that can be used as bait to lure mosquitoes away from you.
•
Carbon Dioxide--You give
off more carbon dioxide when you are hot or have been exercising--a burning
candle or other fire is another source of carbon dioxide.
•
Lactic Acid---You release
more lactic acid when you have been exercising or after eating certain foods
(e.g., salty foods, high-potassium foods).
•
Floral or Fruity
Fragrances---In addition to perfumes, hair products, and scented sunscreens,
watch for the subtle floral fragrance from fabric softeners and dryer sheets.
•
Skin Temperature---The exact
temperature depends on the type of mosquito. Many mosquitoes are attracted to
the slightly cooler temperatures of the extremities.
•
Moisture---Mosquitoes are
attracted by perspiration because of the chemicals it contains and also because
it increases the humidity around your body. Even small amounts of water (e.g.,
moist plants or mud puddles) will draw mosquitoes.
•
Standing water also allows
mosquitoes to reproduce.
There are a few different
formulations you can make for your natural insect repellent. These repellents
involve diluting essential oils that the insects find distasteful or which
confuses them. The oils don't mix with water, so you'll need to add them to
other oils or to alcohol. The repellent’s effectiveness is enhanced when a few
different insect-repelling natural oils are combined, as different chemicals
repel different insects. Mix the essential oil with the carrier oil or alcohol.
You may rub or spray the natural insect repellent onto skin or clothing be sure
to avoid the sensitive eye area. Be sure to re-apply the natural product after
about an hour or after swimming or exercise. Store unused natural insect
repellent in a dark bottle, away from heat or sunlight. To change the
consistency of the repellent combine the oil with aloe vera gel.
Essential Oils (An oil derived from a
natural herbal substance)
To make large amounts of insect repellent, a good rule of thumb is to mix the repellent so it's 5-10% essential oil, so mix 1 part essential oil with 10-20 parts carrier oil or alcohol. For a smaller batch use 10-25 drops (total) of essential oils and 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil or alcohol.
To make large amounts of insect repellent, a good rule of thumb is to mix the repellent so it's 5-10% essential oil, so mix 1 part essential oil with 10-20 parts carrier oil or alcohol. For a smaller batch use 10-25 drops (total) of essential oils and 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil or alcohol.
Essential oils that work
well against biting insects (mosquitoes, flies, ticks, fleas) are:
·
Cinnamon oil (mosquitoes)
·
Lemon eucalyptus or regular
eucalyptus oil (mosquitoes, ticks, and lice)
·
Citronella oil (mosquitoes
and biting flies)
·
Castor oil (mosquitoes)
·
Orange oil (fleas)
·
Rose geranium (ticks and
lice)
·
Most mints
·
Cedar wood
·
Patchouli
Other recommended
essential oils include: Rosemary Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Cedar Oil, Peppermint
Oil, Clove Oil and Geranium Oil.
Safe carrier oils, vinegars,
and alcohols include:
·
Olive oil
·
Sunflower oil
·
Almond oil
·
Jojoba oil
·
Grape seed oil
·
Any other cooking oil
·
Apple cider vinegar
·
Witch hazel
·
Vodka
·
Gin
IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS: It's important to use an oil or alcohol that is safe for
your skin. The essential oils are potent and could cause skin irritation or
another reaction if you use too much. Patch testing is recommended---try a
small amount of the repellent on the inside of the arm for twenty minutes to
check for sensitivities or allergies. Avoid getting repellents to close to the
eyes. Keep repellents out of the eyes. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not
apply an insect repellent, natural or otherwise, until after you've gotten it
cleared by your physician.
Homemade Insect Repellent Recipe
Vinegar of the Four Thieves
--Combine in a large glass jar 8½ cups of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
--Add to this ½ ounce each of the following herbs: rosemary, rue, sage, wormwood, and peppermint
-- Add 2 ounces of dried lavender flowers; ½ ounce of camphor; and ½ ounce each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and Calamus aromaticus. (Calamus aromaticus also known as sweet sedge or sweet flag—the root is used)
--Seal and allow to steep in a sunny windowsill for about 2 weeks and shake well daily
--After the 2 weeks, strain the mixture
--Add several cloves of crushed garlic to the vinegar, seal, and allow to soak for 3 days
--Strain, seal, and store the vinegar in a cool place
--Add to this ½ ounce each of the following herbs: rosemary, rue, sage, wormwood, and peppermint
-- Add 2 ounces of dried lavender flowers; ½ ounce of camphor; and ½ ounce each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and Calamus aromaticus. (Calamus aromaticus also known as sweet sedge or sweet flag—the root is used)
--Seal and allow to steep in a sunny windowsill for about 2 weeks and shake well daily
--After the 2 weeks, strain the mixture
--Add several cloves of crushed garlic to the vinegar, seal, and allow to soak for 3 days
--Strain, seal, and store the vinegar in a cool place
Mosquito Repellent for People
The fractionated coconut oil base is light. This formula
can be put in a spray bottle and stays on better than water-based formulas.
- 60
drops catnip essential oil (this is a 5% dilution)
· 20
drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
· 10
drops lavender essential oil
· 2
oz. fractionated coconut oil
Be sure to keep the total percentage of essential oils
under 15% for safety.
Insect Repellent Butter-bars (from wellnessmama.com)
•
1 teaspoon dried whole
cloves
•
2 tablespoons dried or
fresh thyme
•
1 (or more) tablespoons of
mint leaf (optional but adds great scent)
•
Optional: 1 teaspoon olive oil
to preserve.
Essential Oils (optional but
good): Bug off blend (contains all of the above), lavender and lemon
(10+ drops of each). Herbs can be infused into the coconut oil rather than
using expensive essential oils.
Using a double boiler or
glass bowl on top of a small saucepan, heat about 1 inch of water (in bottom
pan) until starting to boil. Place the dried rosemary, cloves, thyme, cinnamon,
catnip and mint in the top part of the double boiler and add the coconut oil
(can also use almond, olive or other oil but you will need to add more beeswax
later on to get the bars to firm. Cover the bowl or top part of the double
boiler and keep the water at medium/high temperature for at least 30 minutes or
until oil has adopted a darker color and smells strongly of rosemary.
Alternately, you can fill a crock pot about half full with water, put the
coconut oil and herbs in a glass mason jar with a tight lid, cover and keep on
lowest setting for several days to make an even stronger infused oil. Then,
strain the dried herbs out of the oil using a small mesh strainer or
cheesecloth and pour the oil back into the double boiler. The oil will probably
be reduced by almost half and you should have about 1/2 cup of the infused oil.
If you have more, save it for next time! Add the butter(s) and beeswax to the
double boiler and stir until all have melted. Remove from heat, add the Vitamin
E oil and any other essential oils and pour into molds. Leave in the molds
until completely set (overnight is best) or you can speed up the process by
placing in the fridge.
Organic Insect Repellent
5ml Neem Oil
2ml washing up liquid, or soap
(organic)
1L Water
1x Spray bottle (clean)
1: Add 5ml of Neem Oil to the
1L of Water (or 5% Neem if you want to make a different quantity).
2: Add 2ml emulsifying agent,
like washing up liquid or soap.
3: Pour into a clean spray
bottle, shake and apply directly to exposed skin.
Useful Information
A smoke smudge created by dropping handfuls of
lightly dampened dried pine needles on smoldering coals will drive mosquitoes
away. A strongly tea brewed of equal parts chamomile and elder leaves can be
used as a wipe to repel mosquitoes for about 20 minutes. Lemongrass pulpy goo,
which is extracted from the stem, is an effective mosquito repellent. The
Annals of Internal Medicine (June 1998) report citronella, eucalyptus,
lavender, pine, cedar, verbena, geranium, peppermint, cinnamon, thyme, basil,
garlic, and allspice essential oils repel mosquitoes for up to two hours.
Essential oils need to be diluted with host oil, such as almond, jojoba, or
olive at a 1 to 16 ratio (1 part essential oil to 16 parts host oil). Spot test
essential oils on your wrist and wait one hour to check for sensitivity. If
you’re pregnant, consult your doctor first.
Homemade First Aide
To soothe the swelling, itching and pain associated
with tick, chigger and fly bites:
•
Apply a compress made of:
- A washcloth dipped in plain or salted (one teaspoon salt in two
cups) cool water
- Ice wrapped in a washcloth
- Pulped comfrey, plantain,
parsley or mullein leaves
- Raw grated potato
- Thick oatmeal
- A wet tea bag
•
Dab bites with:
-
Calamine lotion
- A moist Alka-Seltzer tablet
- Witch hazel
- Heavily salted
butter
- Apple cider vinegar
- Raw garlic
- Fresh aloe vera pulp
- Tea tree,
neem or emu oil
- Bach Rescue Remedy, drops or cream
- Bug bite oil made by
combining 1 teaspoon each of tea tree and lavender oils in one ounce rubbing
alcohol or witch hazel
- Thick paste made of baking soda, cornstarch, or
arrowroot moistened with water, lemon juice or vinegar. Or a paste made of one
teaspoon meat tenderizer mixed with teaspoon water
- Peppermint toothpaste from
the health food store
•
Soak in a tub of hot water containing one of these
soothers:
- 1/2 cup sea salt
- one cup
apple cider vinegar
- one cup cornstarch
- one pound of baking soda
Essential Oil research
There has been research
into the effectiveness of certain herbs. Fennel was researched at Seoul
National University in Korea where it was found to be effective as a mosquito
repellent. Thyme contains carvacrol and alpha-terpinene; two compounds derived
from the essential oil displayed significantly greater repellency than the
commercial DEET repellent. Don't try to make thyme oil repellent at home as it
is too irritating and strong smelling to be used at effective concentrations
above 25%. Clove oil research found that the undiluted topical is active against
mosquitoes. Clove oil should not be applied undiluted to skin as a homemade
repellent; it should be added to carrier oil. Celery extract research revealed
that the extract did not irritate the skin or cause a burning sensation and was
found to be active against a variety of mosquito species at a rate comparable
to a 25% DEET formula. Neem oil, which is extracted from the tropical neem tree
has insecticidal compounds called azadirachtins however the neem smell is
generally unappealing.
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/aznaturalremedyindex/a/mosquito.htm
http://www.diylife.com/search/?q=insect+repellant&sort=relevance
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