Common Organic Insect Repellents Everyone Should Have
You can add another layer of defense against insect problems by using a number of different herbal remedies. The good news is that common insects are repelled by a few herbs that are readily available and easy to grow inside and outdoors. Take a look at the list below, and see how easy it is to start making repellents that are intended to keep insects at bay when commercial products aren’t enough.
Flying Insects
Peppermint and lavender top the list of herbs that are considered to be able to repel the most types of flying insects. These include mosquitoes, flies, fleas, moths and even chiggers. Mosquitoes also have a particular disdain for citronella along with cloves and eucalyptus. Flies also don’t like rosemary and bay leaves.
One simple fly remedy is to mix between 20-30 drops of mint oil with water and put in a spray bottle before treating the affected area. You can also take some pieces of rosemary and bay leaves, put them in a bowl or empty can, and place them near areas that attract flies. To control mosquitoes, try a popular remedy that involves placing 5 drops of lemon oil, 10 drops of eucalyptus and 20 drops of citronella oils into a spray bottle with 2 cups of water. Spray yourself and the surrounding area in order to make it as unattractive to mosquitoes as possible.
Crawling Insects
Peppermint and spearmint top the list of herbs that are well-known for spiders and ants. Take 15 drops of peppermint oil, a cup of water and put in a spray bottle. Shake and spray across baseboards, cracks, crevices or anywhere else that gets a lot of spider traffic. You can also spray down nesting areas if you can access them safely. Ants can also be repelled from the smell of the peppermint oil, but they also hate garlic. Consider placing a peeled clove of garlic around an area that attracts a lot of ants and see what happens. Some species are more averse to garlic than others, but it can’t hurt to try.
Pine is good for repelling slugs and snails and beetles can’t stand thyme. Slugs, snails and lice also don’t like cedarwood, and lice particularly don’t like spearmint and peppermint as well. Adding some cedarwood or hyssop to your garden can also help to keep aphids at bay. Ticks don’t like lemongrass, sage or thyme, and gnats and snails often try to avoid patchouli.
These examples illustrate how a handful of herbs and plants are all you need to control a wide-range of insects. The trick is to be strategic in their application. For example, you can place these plants in areas where you have insect problems and eliminate them at the source. You can also make your own essential oil by following one of many recipes that generally involve soaking plant material in oil for a specified amount of time. You can also buy your own oil products and prepare sprays and other treatments. Commercial products are fine as long as they are 100% natural.
Just keep in mind that nothing beats growing and making your own repellents, especially if you are working on becoming more self-sufficient. The plants they come from are useful for a lot of things other than insect repellent, and it’s a good idea to try and keep a steady supply on hand.
The key to any insect repellent strategy is to understand their habitat and behavior, experiment, add multiple layers of protection and reapply treatments as necessary. This article barely scratches the surface when it comes to your options, but having these items on hand can get you off to a good start as you learn more.
