how to deter mosquitoes and other bugs.

[Guest guest]

All insects have a purpose but some are awfully annoying to humans! Here's advice from our archives (Farmers Almanac) on how to deter mosquitoes and other bugs.

Burn a little sage or rosemary over coals to repel mosquitoes.

Plant basil to deter flies and mosquitoes.

Rubbing the skin with baby oil or imitation vanilla extract repels biting insects such as mosquitoes and blackflies.

Get a bat house! Did you know that one small brown bat can eat as many as 600 mosquitoes in one hour?

Some people swear garlic works and swallow slivered garlic to ward off these summer pests. Others take garlic tablets or rub garlic juice directly on their skin. Pet owners often give dogs or cats a small clove of garlic in a bit of meat to ward off fleas.

If you do get bitten or stung, a paste of mashed garlic can help take the sting and itch away. Some people apply garlic, onion, or radish juice for the same purpose.

It is thought that certain plants repel a broad spectrum of insects. Marigolds, chrysanthemums, asters, and pyrethrum daisies, as well as herbs such as basil, anise, and coriander, are all thought to repel insects.

Some people have luck with high doses of vitamin B1 (100 milligrams, two or three times a day), but it doesn't work for everybody.

To keep mosquitoes to a minimum, eliminate their breeding sites on your property. They need standing water to lay their eggs in, so empty those puddles, old cans, buckets, and plant pots.

Here's a home hint: Add a few drops of citronella to each gallon of exterior paint to keep away flying insects such as blackflies and mosquitoes. The citronella won't affect the paint, but it will keep the bugs from messing up your fresh paint job.

And, here's an interesting fact: That annoying, high-pitched sound of a mosquito hovering around your head at night is most likely made by a female in search of a mate. Mosquitoes mate in midair, then the female goes off to search for blood (your blood) to nourish her eggs.

Suzi

List Owner

health

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