There's a lot of misinformation out there on "organic" and "natural" insect repellents.
What Actually Works
Some data:
Data Source: https://academic.oup.com/jinsectscience/article/15/1/140/2583458
What Does Not Work
What Actually Works
- Clothing: Shoes, socks, long pants, baggy long-sleeve shirt, hat. (In hot weather, sweaty, baggy clothing will cool you more effectively than tighter fabric or no clothing.)
- DEET. Use at least 25% DEET. Higher concentrations don't work any better, but its effect lasts longer. (I routinely use a 40% DEET solution that I spray onto my hands, and then rub onto all exposed skin except my face. I then wash my hands thoroughly, since DEET will dissolve some plastics [like a computer keyboard, or the plastic lenses of my spectacles]. It lasts about 5-6 hours.)
- Picaridin. Works as well as DEET.
- On an open porch, an oscillating fan (or box fan set on high) prevents mosquitoes from navigating to your skin. Over 5 mph of wind is more than their fragile wings can manage.
- Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and at dusk. They prefer shady areas, rather than direct sunlight.
Some data:
Data Source: https://academic.oup.com/jinsectscience/article/15/1/140/2583458
CDC said:Repellent Efficacy
Published data indicate that repellent efficacy and duration of protection vary considerably among products and among mosquito and tick species. Product efficacy and duration of protection are also markedly affected by ambient temperature, level of activity, amount of perspiration, exposure to water, abrasive removal, and other factors. In general, higher concentrations of active ingredient provide longer duration of protection, regardless of the active ingredient. Products with <10% active ingredient may offer only limited protection, often 1–2 hours. Products that offer sustained-release or controlled-release (microencapsulated) formulations, even with lower active ingredient concentrations, may provide longer protection times. Studies suggest that concentrations of DEET above approximately 50% do not offer a marked increase in protection time against mosquitoes; DEET efficacy tends to plateau at a concentration of approximately 50%. CDC recommends using products with ≥20% DEET on exposed skin to reduce biting by ticks that may spread disease.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellow...ion-against-mosquitoes-ticks-other-arthropods
What Does Not Work
- Citronella, either as a skin repellent or a candle/torch
- Lemon grass extracts
- "Mosquito Coils"
- Most popular "organic" or "natural" repellents on the market
- Tobacco smoke (otherwise I would never get mosquito bites--ever)
- Tight, thin clothing (NO YOGA PANTS!)