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Keep Mosquitoes Away Naturally
Mosquito season is here but before you reach for the bug spray, take a moment to read the label. Many effective bug sprays on the market contain a chemical called DEET. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, DEET can irritate your skin and damage your clothes and eyewear. DEET can also be harmful to birds, fish and aquatic invertibrates. Even domestic pets can be poisoned by DEET if they ingest a high dose. Fortunately, there are natural botanical oils that have been shown to be equally as effective in fighting mosquitoes helping you Do Your Part in the backyard without getting eaten alive.Citronella oil, soybean oil and even catnip oil have been shown to help keep mosquitoes at bay. Lemon eucalyptus oil is also effective and is endorsed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as an effective alternative to DEET. While the oil alone will be effective, there are now many store-bought repellents that contain lemon eucalyptus oil.
Don't invite mosquitoes to your yard! Don't let water stand for more than a week. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as 2 ounces of still water in that time. You can also consider incorporating natural mosquito repelling plants in your garden like basil, rosemary, catnip and marigolds.
Mosquitoes are annoying and they can also carry West Nile Virus, a sometimes deadly disease. DEET products are certainly effective at keeping mosquitoes away but now there are also natural alternatives that are equally effective and safer for the environment.
