Safer Outdoor mosquito protection....

Today's Post:  Wednesday, 6-1-2016

As you likely know, there are more mosquitoes outside in summer weather.

And, many places you might go hiking or camping this summer have some ticks.

If like most people who like hiking and camping and swimming in outside places, you are going to do it anyway, you might like a safer but effective way to escape the mosquitoes and ticks.

In fact, increasingly, with global warming and international travel, mosquitoes now can and sometimes do carry Yellow Fever and Chika virus in addition to West Nile Virus and more.

So you might well want a safer but effective way to escape the mosquitoes and ticks.

DEET, the insecticide product, mostly works.  But to protect you it’s necessary to put it on your skin where thick clothing doesn’t protect you.

That entails health risks.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a much safer natural product that tests as actually working as well or better than DEET?

Much to my surprise, I recently discovered there IS one!

Some were tested and:  “….the one that did work: Repel Lemon Eucalyptus.

"This insect repellent warded off Aedes mosquitoes, Culex mosquitoes (which can spread West Nile), and ticks (which can spread Lyme) for at least 7 hours," according to Consumer Reports.

The maker only says it repels mosquitoes.  But if, as Consumer Reports says, it repels ticks also, that would be a really great thing to use for hikers and campers.

So, you can go hiking or camping at times of the year or in places that have less ticks and mosquitoes.

You can wear a hat, and boots with your pants tucked into the tops. You can wear a bandana around your neck.

And, you can avoid being out at dawn and dusk when there are more mosquitoes.

But if you don’t want to wear a beekeeper’s suit 24 hours a day, that will still leave unprotected skin.

Now this looks like a way to protect your unprotected skin.

And, by using it on your boots and socks where they meet, it may protect you extra against ticks too!

As you can with most products, you can buy it on Amazon.

But here is the company website: 

http://www.repel.com/Products-and-Solutions/Natural-Insect-Repellent/Lemon-Eucalyptus.aspx

The active ingredient in Repel® Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent is derived from the leaves of the Eucalyptus citriodora tree. It is designed to repel mosquitoes for up to 6 hours.

DEET-free  

Repels mosquitoes that may carry West Nile virus

Now what we need is someone, perhaps WL Gore, to make a cloth that is light and breathes well for hot weather that contains effective mosquito netting too for your hiking gear!