Keep the Bugs at Bay: DIY Outdoor Bug Repellent Solutions
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If it is one thing we do not like about the great outdoors, it is the plethora of little creepy crawlies we share it with. Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitos, and so much more – eww! Not only are they annoying, but they tend to transport disease. Everything from Malaria to Lymes Disease shows up in warnings, and we must be creative.
DIY Outdoor Bug Repellent? As we become more knowledgeable about how what we do affects the environment around us, many of us wish to cut back on the things we use that harm ourselves and nature. Pesticides and available commercial bug sprays commercially can contain very harsh chemicals, and new varieties are being banned regularly due to their negative effects. Planting vegetative plants in and around your garden can help naturally repel pests.
Common Garden Vegetables Are Effective Ways To Deal With This
A handful of vegetables already commonly grown in most gardens can keep various pests at bay and act as homemade bug repellents. Lettuce, for example, is the scourge of carrot flies and so is ideal for planting near that crop. Tomatoes are like a natural bug spray and repel asparagus beetles, green beans protect against Colorado potato beetles, and aphids, slugs, and spider mites dislike fennel.
Root Vegetables Are A Repellent Trick For Outdoor Activities
Even vegetables that grow mainly below ground can be effective insect shields. Potato plants are disliked by bean leaf beetles, as are turnips. Turnips also turn off harlequin bugs. Onions ward off harlequin bugs but also bean leaf beetles, cabbage loopers, carrot flies, flea beetles, and Mexican bean leaf beetles.
Radishes are a multi-tasker and are a good choice if you are plagued by cowpea curculio, cucumber beetles, harlequin bugs, Mexican bean leaf beetles, squash bugs, or stink bugs.
Herbs Are The Natural Way
Herbs, commonly used as filler due to their thick growth, are already utilized for many purposes. Many of them are also fantastic repellents. Basil will take care of your asparagus beetles, tomato heartworms, and thrips. Thyme guards against cabbage loopers and whiteflies.
Oregano fends off cucumber beetles and cabbage butterflies, while rosemary does the same for imported cabbage worms and slugs. Mint is perhaps the most valuable herb for use as a natural pesticide, being disliked by ants, aphids, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, imported cabbage worms, squash bugs, and whiteflies.
Regardless of how insects find their way into your home, you should get them out as soon as you can, before they cause damage or reproduce. It is safest to avoid using chemical-based repellents. Natural bug repellents not only keep your home insect-free, but they also keep your family, pets, and furniture safe. Many natural and effective bug repellents are available to use inside your home.
Lemon Grass Oil For Better Results With Natural Methods
Lemon grass is versatile grass growing in southeast Asia, India, and Australia. It grows up to 8 feet high, although the average height is around 4 feet. Lemon grass oil is a natural and effective bug repellent. Products containing lemon grass oil are especially effective at deterring mosquitoes. This insect repellent is safe for users of all ages and works as a personal and surrounding-area bug repellent.
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Is An Essential Oil Blend To Make Your Own Bug Repellent
Lemon eucalyptus oil is a plant-based oil derived from eucalyptus leaves and twigs. This homemade bug spray is extremely effective against mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and deer ticks. It generally has a protection time of two hours, although some repellents for bug bites containing lemon eucalyptus oil protect for up to six hours.
Lemon eucalyptus oil is found in spray and lotion bug repellents. It has a pleasant odor and is safe to apply to the skin. Avoid using lemon eucalyptus oil on children under three years old, as it causes eye irritation.
Eugenol Is Better Than Store-Bought Repellents
Eugenol is a natural liquid derived from cloves, basil, and bay leaves. Although it has many applications, it is very effective at repelling insects such as moths, mosquitoes, spiders, fleas, crickets, flies, wasps, and ants. Eugenol works by affecting a special insect neurotransmitter. This repellent is safe for humans and will not hurt your home or plants. Eugenol repellents are typically available as sprays and lotions.
Neem Oil Is A Great Way To Avoid Harmful Chemicals
If you have indoor plants affected by insects, use neem oil to keep them from reproducing. Neem oil, extracted from azadirachtin trees, is a natural repellent with active ingredients against insects such as beetles, caterpillars, spider mites, grasshoppers, gnats, and plant lice.
Neem oil works very slowly but effectively in repelling different bugs, as it slowly controls the insects’ digestive tracts. Over time, this leads to the insect being unable to reproduce since the insect stops feeding successfully.
Citronella Oil For DIY Outdoor Bug Repellent
Citronella is a natural insect repellent that is extracted from the citronella plant. Its distinctive odor masks carbon dioxide released by the body, to which mosquitoes and other biting insects are attracted. Citronella oil is often sold as insect-repelling candles or coils but is also used on the skin.
Citronella is to be re-applied every 30 minutes to be most effective, as it has short-term effectiveness when applied to the skin. In some individuals, citronella oil irritates the skin, so it’s best to test a small area before using it on large patches of skin or clothing.
Tea Tree Oil For A Homemade Mosquito Repellent
Tea tree oil is a plant oil that is safe for children to use as an insect repellent. Dilute two oz. of tea tree oil in a spray bottle of water, and spray the hair and body. Rub gently a few drops of the essential oil mixture into the skin and reapply when needed.
Tea tree oil is one of the few essential oils that is used undiluted as well. It works to repel biting insects such as mosquitoes, lice, and ants. Tea tree oil is also used to soothe mosquito bites and stings.
Soybean Oil For Homemade Insect Repellents Is A Good Idea
Soybean oil is a natural bug repellent that provides more than an hour of protection against many different kinds of insect bites. Natural sprays and soybean oil creams are found where other insect repellents are sold.
Oil Of Lemon Eucalyptus Is Great For Outdoor Space
The oil of lemon eucalyptus is a natural oil from the lemon eucalyptus tree that is the main ingredient in many DEET-free insect repellents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends it as an effective and safe insect repellent.
It has a strong aroma, which some find overpowering. DEET has not been proven to protect against ticks, but it offers more than two hours of protection against many other biting insects, such as mosquitoes. The CDC advises that the oil of lemon eucalyptus is not to be used on children under the age of three.
Cedarwood Oil For Diy Bug Sprays
Cedarwood oil was originally used to repel moths from clothing. It is considered a safe food additive by the FDA, and according to the EPA, it is an effective and safe insect repellent.
Lemongrass For A Diy Mosquito Repellent
Lemongrass is typically used to treat oily skin and hair because of its astringent properties. As a cream or diluted in a glass spray bottle, it is also a safe and natural insect repellent that is effective against mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and other pesky bugs.
Final Thoughts
Exploring wooded areas or just playing in the backyard makes young children a target for mosquitoes and other biting insects. Many products available in stores are highly effective in repelling these insects, but not all are safe for children to use. To repel bugs away from kids, there are several natural alternatives with simple ingredients to chemical sprays and creams.
Do you have a good recipe for DIY Outdoor Bug Repellent?
Share with us in the comments – we all love to know how to avoid the little pests and be safe at the same time.