Insect repellents

[madcoco]

This was found on AOL. Original source is Consumer Reports.
In their study for Consumer Reports, three medical entomologists judged insect repellents with a range of DEET concentrations from 7% to 100% -- as well as insect repellents without DEET. They exposed their repellent-treated arms to 200 mosquitoes for 3 minutes, then counted the number of bugs that bit them. If none bit, the testers repeated the test every half-hour until at least one mosquito bit during two successive exposures.

"[DEET] does not kill bugs, but the vapors discourage them from landing or climbing on you," the story states. "Deet is generally acknowledged as the most effective mosquito repellent there is. ... Generally, products with about 30% deet have proven most effective for the longest periods, and they are considered safe for adults and children age 2 months and older."

Of the insect repellents tested, here's how long they fought off mosquitoes:

Product
Mosquito Protection

3M Ultrathon
13 hours

Off! Deep Woods for Sportsmen
13 hours

Muskol Ultra 6 Hours
8 hours

BugOut
7 hours

Sawyer Controlled Release
6 hours

Cutter Unscented
5 hours

Off! Skintastic with Sunscreen SPF 30
4 hours

Cutter Skinsations
2 hours

Avon Skin So-Soft Bug Guard/ Sunblock
1 hour (contains no DEET)

Insect repellents using plant oils such as citronella, soybean, coconut, and geranium "provided little if any protection," the report states.

Here's another safe bet: Insect repellents intended for use on clothing -- not on skin -- can provide long-lasting protection when you're wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks. Repel Permanone, which contains permethrin, kills bugs on contact, the report states.

In the Consumer Reports' study, the insect repellent Repel Permanone kept all mosquitoes from biting for 24 hours; protection gradually diminished over two weeks. Other insect repellent sprays with the same amount of permethrin should perform similarly in killing mosquitoes, the article states.

 

[BWVDenise]

Thanks for posting the report.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Some helpful tips to help ward off those nasty insects!

OK, mosquitos...

Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets...Best thing ever used in
Louisiana..just wipe on & go...Great for Babies

Bob, a fisherman, takes one vitamin B-1 tablet a day
April through October . He said it works. He was right.
Hasn't had a mosquito bite in 33 years. Try it.
Every one he has talked into trying it works on them.
Vitimin B-1( Thiamine Hydrochloride 100 mg.)

If you eat bananas, the mosquitos like you, - something about the banana oil as your body processes it. Stop eating bananas for the summer and the mosquitos will be much less interested.

This is going to floor you, but one of the best
insect repellents someone found (who is in the woods
every day), is Vick's Vaporub. However, since its base is petrolatum, which is on the known carcinogen list, you must consider whether you are more worried about Cancer or West Nile.

Plant marigolds around the yard, the flowers give off
a smell that bugs do not like, so plant some in that garden also to help ward off bugs without using insecticides.

One of the best natural insect repellants that I've discovered
is made from the clear real vanilla. This is the pure Vanilla that is sold in Mexico. It works great for mosquitoes and ticks,
don't know about other insects.

When all else fails--get a frog