As average temperatures rise, the mosquito population is at an all-time high. And, isn’t now a perfect time to revisit the safest strategies to avoid mosquito buzz around you?
Bugs and mosquitoes will become more widespread as the summer monsoon approaches, especially where there is plenty of stagnant water for their population to thrive.
As soon as a mosquito settles on your body, it feeds on your blood, but the enzymes in its secretions remain even as it flies away after feasting on your blood. When your immune cells detect a vulnerability, it releases histamine (the exact chemical your body produces in reaction to allergies) to fight the mosquito proteins.
What’s the end outcome? Those itching, red blisters that you recall clawing as a child. Fortunately, there are several easy tricks to get rid of a mosquito bite, and the discomfort usually subsides in about two days.
However, it isn’t just the stings that are a problem; the repercussions could be just as dire. Mosquitoes can transmit a variety of serious infections, including the West Nile and Zika viruses and chikungunya and influenza. This is why, throughout the wet summers, minimizing mosquito attacks should be a top concern.
Certain biological repellents may be beneficial in keeping people safe from mosquito bites as a replacement for synthetic insect repellents. These items are much less harmful to people and the planet.
Mosquito repellents and aromatic plants may be helpful because they impede mosquitoes’ olfactory senses, making it more difficult for them to settle on a person to dine. This article uncovers the 10 organic ways to avoid mosquito bites and illustrates how they work.
Table of Contents
1. Peppermint Oil
As per the American College of Healthcare Sciences in Portland, Oregon, peppermint extract is an organic pesticide and mosquito repellant. You can combine this minty ointment with other fragrances, such as lemon, and apply the balm onto your body to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Peppermint oil is a hot oil which implies it can give a tingling feeling when rubbed directly on the skin and may induce a skin rash. Hence, it is recommended to dilute peppermint oil with a carrier oil, such as canola oil, to avoid such instances.
2. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
OLE is an organic solvent that works similarly to treatments with lower repellent dosages in avoiding mosquito bites.
Repellents comprising OLE or para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) can offer immunity for up to two hours, whereas pure lemon eucalyptus crude extract can offer 100 percent mosquito defense for up to 12 hours. However, kids under the age of three should not use OLE or OLE-based insect repellents.
3. Camphor
You are likely to be more familiar with using camphor as a chest ointment used by those suffering from a bad cold.
This spicy chemical aids in the opening of the nasal cavity, making respiration smoother. The very same property makes it effective at repelling mosquitos, as the aroma readily overwhelms them.
Camphor is available in various formulations that are efficient at repelling mosquitos. If you opt for the burning form, make sure you shut all the windows and flame the camphor stick. You will find that there are no mosquitoes around in about 30 minutes after the camphor is well distributed in the air.
But, buying camphor pills is probably the easiest option if you don’t want the fumes! Replenish the tablets every few days in a tub of water. The pesky mosquitoes will be driven away by the strong aroma and will stay that way as long as you get a refill.
Keep in mind that camphor is a hazardous substance if consumed and should be kept away from the reach of kids and pets.
4. Basil
Basil is ubiquitous across many dishes, but it might also be used as an insect repellent to a certain extent. Numerous researches have successfully investigated basil as a bug repellant as examined by experts across the globe.
According to several field tests in Kenya, the potted plant gave approximately 40% defense against a mosquito that could transmit malaria.
In this scientific experiment, basil essential oil gave up to 100 percent resistance from yellow fever mosquitoes for over 6 hours. During the investigation, the oil was applied directly to the skin by the experts.
5. Tea tree oil
One of the pharmaceutical world’s superstars, Tea tree oil has several antibiotic characteristics that help heal a spectrum of disorders and ailments. It is also pleasant and fragrant in a positive way for humankind; therefore, a small amount is all that’s required to maintain mosquitoes at bay.
And the exciting part is that making your own tea tree oil mist is basic and straightforward. Combine several drops of tea tree oil with little water in a plastic container. Spray the remedy across your property, and you will be mosquito-free in no time!
6. Citronella
Citronella is a mosquito-repellent scented oil that is both organic and remarkably effective. It is a component in many insect repellents, as it is produced from a combination of botanicals. Citronella candles would render up to 50% more defense when used outdoors.
Citronella’s formulations, according to studies, are critical to its effectiveness. When properly designed, the substance is as powerful as DEET and can provide protection for as long as two hours. However, citronella can fade quickly if the mix isn’t correct, leaving you highly vulnerable.
7. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is among a few organic products that, when combined, make a powerful mosquito repellent solution. Quickly blend one cup apple cider vinegar and one cup witch hazel in a small bowl. Then, for aroma, add some natural essential oils.
If possible, make sure the oil you incorporate has some anti-mosquito characteristics, such as eucalyptus or citronella! Fill a sprayer halfway with the mixture. Make sure you give it a fine shake before each spray!
8. Catnip Oil
The majority of people are familiar with catnip’s influence on cats. However, it can either be inhaled like a cigar or utilized as a flavoring agent for human use. Furthermore, as per studies, it can be applied to combat mosquitos.
The distinction between the oil and the plant is that when the oil is extracted from the species, the oil does not have the same effects as the plant. Well, to debunk the most popular misconception, setting up a potted catnip plant alone will not prevent mosquitoes from entering the residence.
Additionally, from the research point of view, catnip oil is EPA- approved and will provide you with at least seven hours of protection.
9. Clove
Cloves are commonly used in cooking combined with cinnamon or as a fragrant accent to lemonade and honey cocktails. Cloves, but on the other hand, may aid in the prevention of vexing mosquito stings.
Experts blended clove essential oil with olive and coconut oil formulations in a 2013 trial, which participants then administered directly on their skin. And for up to 96 minutes, the clove oil mixes rendered protection from yellow fever mosquitos.
Other research illustrates that methyl eugenol, a compound of cloves, may be a carcinogen, but these assertions need to be confirmed.
10. Garlic
Garlic has several characteristics that repel mosquitoes. Mosquitoes dislike the sulfur in this herbal remedy, so they attempt to avoid it. Garlic extract is also lethal to mosquitos, so make sure you stock up on some garlic bulbs now and then.
You can try this strategy by crushing a few garlic cloves and then boiling them in water. Then, squirt the solution across your bedroom, driveway, and other areas using a sprayer. This garlic-based treatment should immediately kill mosquitos. And the odor will evaporate within minutes, so you won’t have to worry about your house stinking.
Don’t have enough hours to do all of that? Consume garlic with your daily meal, and for a brief period, the smell of garlic on your breath will keep mosquitos away.
Why do some people keep getting bitten by mosquitoes?
Admittedly, specific individuals are more vulnerable to mosquito attacks than others, and surprisingly the primary determinant is heredity, which we have limited or zero influence over. Mosquitoes are driven to several compounds in healthy skin, such as lactic acid.
The elemental composition of your skin, in combination with your blood group and metabolic activity, can indicate whether or not they consider you a “meal.” Increased metabolic rates mean that your body produces more carbon dioxide, attracting more mosquitoes.
In the end, a mosquito’s attachment to your blood is based on one critical cause: biology. An average human body emits over 300 distinct scents, and it has been discovered that a few of them repel mosquitos while others are enticing.
Fundamentally, depending on how the bodies metabolize, some individuals are more mosquito-prone than others.
To Conclude
Holding mosquitoes at check during the summertime is difficult since the population of mosquitoes increases as the temperature rises. And though there are several techniques to keep mosquitoes at bay, none of them are long-term solutions.
Hence, when venturing out, think about wearing long-sleeved blouses and full-length trousers. And I know this might be difficult in hot weather, but prevention, on the other hand, is always preferable to treatment.
Eliminating places of standing water, keeping indoors during dawn and dust (prime mosquito intervals), and limiting usage of fragrances and scented things that can draw mosquitoes are all solutions to protect mosquito susceptibility.
(Last Updated on May 19, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)
