Insect repellent

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JT

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My son gave me this today, and it led me to wondering if it's really any good for "mosquitoes, ticks, & biting flies". My extended family members are universally 100% intolerant of most 'harmful' insects (yes, fml), though I must admit that the biting flies do love my shiny dome as it strolls around the grounds.

All of which led me to the larger question: what do you use for these buggers, and/or other buggers of ill repute?

If this exists elsewhere on the forum, I managed to miss it -- please redirect as appropriate.

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I've used DEET for decades. I do not seem to find bites when I've used it. That said, flying pests will still swarm around my face, but they don't bite, and any impacts appear to be accidental rather than fly-right-at-me-with-a-purpose landings.

So far, I have not grown a rhinocerous horn. I'm gonna call it good.
 
Living in the Keys..man. The bugs there will carry you away. The Keys are just an extension of the Everglades, and bug-wise that is indeed the case.
Anyways, the deet stuff works, but I hate it. I'd get a buzz for 20 seconds after I put it on my skin. Wth is this gasoline stuff?
So I ended up making my own bug-off. 10 parts of aloe vera gel and 1 part citronella oil. It works great on all the biters, mosquitos, sand fleas, ticks etc.. you can increase or decrease citronella depending on how bad the bugs are, the aloe is good for the skin.
But the aloe will go bad after some time so it does expire and you need to use it before too long. Make tiny little batches for the next day or three. And you kind of smell like a citronella candle, but not so bad and it smells better than deet that's for sure. The ladies seem to like the smell, it's better than getting bit, and they like the aloe part. The sun will roast your skin in the Keys.
Sum; it doesn't have to be poison to keep bugs away.
 
Living in the Keys..man. ...
I was TAD in Key West once. I took the opportunity to live on the economy, and rented a trailer. One morning, I got out of bed, put my foot on the floor, and landed on a palmetto bug. Instead of squashing it, the bugger ran away -- with my foot still on it! :eek:
 
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I was TAD at Key West once. I took the opportunity to live on the economy, and rented a trailer. One morning, I got out of bed, put my foot on the floor, and landed on a palmetto bug. Instead of squashing it, the bugger ran away -- with my foot still on it! :eek:
lol. The palmetto bugs are a freak of nature. Fortunately they don't really go for humans.
Getting hit in the head on the motorcycle with one will wake your butt up I can tell ya that.
 
Getting hit in the head on the motorcycle with one will wake your butt up I can tell ya that.

Naaah. I went for dropping a bike in a curve into the sand and nettles.

Though come to think of it I did take a June bug in the teeth at 70 mph (no helmet, obviously) in Pittsboro a few years earlier.
 
Naaah. I went for dropping a bike in a curve into the sand and nettles.

Though come to think of it I did take a June bug in the teeth at 70 mph (no helmet, obviously) in Pittsboro a few years earlier.
Ow! I caught a bumblebee in the Adam’s apple at 65+ mph. That stung
 
Living in the Keys..man. The bugs there will carry you away. The Keys are just an extension of the Everglades, and bug-wise that is indeed the case.
Anyways, the deet stuff works, but I hate it. I'd get a buzz for 20 seconds after I put it on my skin. Wth is this gasoline stuff?
So I ended up making my own bug-off. 10 parts of aloe vera gel and 1 part citronella oil. It works great on all the biters, mosquitos, sand fleas, ticks etc.. you can increase or decrease citronella depending on how bad the bugs are, the aloe is good for the skin.
But the aloe will go bad after some time so it does expire and you need to use it before too long. Make tiny little batches for the next day or three. And you kind of smell like a citronella candle, but not so bad and it smells better than deet that's for sure. The ladies seem to like the smell, it's better than getting bit, and they like the aloe part. The sun will roast your skin in the Keys.
Sum; it doesn't have to be poison to keep bugs away.


Huh, I'll have to try that. I can not do DEET. That smell has to be one of the most horrific unnatural aromas in the universe, up there with tire air for me. I've rubbed rosemary all over me in a pinch with moderate success.

At this point, I would fine with them biting me if they would stop flying into my eyes, ears, and nostrils.
 
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We have some decent scented off (orange can) that seems to work well and doesn't smell like toxic waste. We've also sprayed down our "yard work" cloths with pyrethrum spray for ticks and the like, it seems to work as well and will last one the cloths a couple washes.

If we're just hanging out in one area we use a thermocell (spelling), they work great for flying bugs.
 
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Permethrin, DEET, and Picardarin in order of effectiveness (and toxicity)

Permethrin on the long sleeved clothes I wear in the woods and a little squirt of 40% deet rubbed on my neck and forehead keeps most of the insects off me in nastiest place I go in summer (Pee Dee refuge / Brown Creek swamp)
 
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