Insect repellents keep mosquitoes at bay.
A nice day at the park or a romantic picnic can quickly be soured by invading pests. When a bug problem arises, people often turn to insect repellents to keep the pests at bay. Commercial insect repellents contain chemicals thought to ward off bugs. Since not everyone likes the chemical route, others turn to natural repellents to get rid of bugs. The effectiveness of these repellents is often called into question. Along with effectiveness, insect repellents also pose health concerns. Does this Spark an idea?
Chemical Repellents
Store-bought insect repellents can be found in several formats. Repellents come in candle form, area-protecting strips, lanterns, balms, lotions, wrist bands or as sprays. Spray repellents can be applied to the skin and clothing prior to going outside. Lotions or balms should be applied solely to skin. These commercial repellents work by using chemicals like oxybenzone and allethrin to ward off bugs. DEET and picaridin hail as the two more common ingredients for pest control.
Natural Remedies
Other people use natural solutions as an alternative to insect repellents with chemicals. Oil of citronella, often found in candle form, helps keep biting insects at bay. Some commercial repellents take the natural route by removing chemicals like DEET. The natural lifestyle website Eartheasy recommends adding sage or rosemary to a barbecue's fire to stave off mosquitoes. Neem oil, from neem trees in India, repels insects as well. Other chemical-free options include planting marigolds, buying pheromone mosquito traps or installing bat houses in your yard so that the bats eat the bugs.
Effectiveness
Certain insect repellents offer more or longer protection than others. In some cases, the effectiveness of the repellent can depend on a person's body chemistry, as biting insects such as mosquitoes gravitate toward some people more than others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the effectiveness of some chemical repellents depends on the amount of chemicals within them. For instance, a product with around 5 percent DEET concentration may only work for about an hour and a half, while a product that is almost 24 percent DEET works for about five hours.
Hazards
Insect repellents should be restricted to exposed skin and clothing, but not under clothing. Repellents also need to be avoided over broken or irritated skin, eyes and mouths. When using with children, parents must read the label to make sure the product is safe for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that products containing DEET should not be used on children younger than 2 months old. DEET's safety has come into question in recent times, however. French researchers published a study in 2009 in "BMC Biology" showing that DEET may be hazardous to central nervous systems in insects and mammals.
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