They lurk in the shadows, waiting in the dark to destroy any opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, hovering out of sight as they prepare to launch their annual summer assault and spread sickness.
We have battled these sneaky, pernicious foes for eons. We’ve bombed them with chemicals. We’ve fogged them with smoke. We’ve unleashed every foul-smelling concoction in our arsenal, even to our own detriment. And yet, we cannot rid ourselves of nature’s most relentless and vexing enemy– the mosquito.
But what if there was a way of waging this war against them without doing harm to ourselves and the environment? Perhaps Mother Nature has something in her armaments that would allow us to triumph over this annoying menace.
A Brief History of the Conflict
Humans are often at the top of the food chain on planet earth. Not so with the mosquito. These unrelenting invaders hear the dinner bell every time we set foot out of doors.
The human struggle with them has raged for millions of years. Mosquito fossils have been found dating back to the Cretaceous period (145.5 – 66 million years ago). But it wasn’t until the 1600s that they brought the fight to American shores, employing biological weapons against our newfound country.
Since then, we have dealt with multiple mosquito-borne illnesses: Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus and Zika Virus. As if that weren’t enough, just in the news at the onset of this summer, we were threatened with cases of Dengue Fever.
On the upside, of the 200 species of mosquitoes found in the U.S., only about 12 of them can spread disease. However, the psychological tactics of their needling, buzzing sounds, and itching bites are enough to drive anyone to madness.
Know Thy Enemy
Mosquitoes find us so tantalizing they will pass by animals to get at us. What makes these airborne annoyances so adept at targeting their human prey? It’s a combination of factors:
Temperature: human body temperature is a beacon, giving away our location.
Breathing: Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide up to 150 feet away, following the trail to their target.
Body odor and skin chemistry: Your personal scent can be a flashing neon “EAT HERE” sign.
Every person has a skin microbiota. They are different bacteria we host on our skin, that help us to be healthy. Their interaction with our chemistry produces aromas, and everyone’s scent is different. This accounts for why the mosquitoes wage battles more on one person than another. Some personal scents are simply irresistible.
There is little we can do about body temperature or breathing. Our scent, however, can be influenced by our diet. Research has shown there are foods that help mosquitoes find us among the crowd. A word of warning to beer drinkers, caffeine consumers, and eaters of high protein diets: your favorite foods and beverages may be painting a target on your back for these aerial assailants.
Fortifying Our Defenses
Unfortunately, there is no way to get rid of these flying nuisances. And even if we could, we shouldn’t. They serve a purpose, namely, food for fish, birds, bats and frogs,
We can fortify our defenses following the tried-and-true method of our nation’s military. Since 1946, they have employed DEET as their weapon of choice. Government agencies and companies have deemed it safe for public use since 1957. In more recent times, concerns have been raised about possible neurotoxic effects.
For those seeking a more natural approach to warding off these minute menaces, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), is nature’s answer to DEET. This botanical extract comes from the leaves of the Australian Lemon Eucalyptus Tree, distilled from the leaves as an essential oil. It is then aged through a refining process to become PMD, proven to help us remain below the radar of our nemesis.
A 2014 Study found that while a 40% DEET formula provided 100% protection for 7 hours, a 32% OLE formula managed an impressive 95% shield against the buzzing swarms for 3 hours. 5
Consumer Reports, known for their independent testing and research, have identified several OLE-based repellents with a 30% OLE base, offering 5 to 7 hours of protection: 4
Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent2 Pump
Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Aerosol
Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Pump
When choosing your natural armor, be sure that it contains at least 30% OLE for maximum repelling power.
Diversifying Our Defenses
Just as different mosquito species have preferred flavors of human, they also have different odors they find repellent. You may be best served by finding a repellent that contains a mixture of essential oils along with OLE. Some oils believed to deter mosquitoes are:
Citronella
Tea Tree
Lavender
Peppermint
Geraniol
Clove
Thyme
Each of these oils has varying degrees of benefit, often somewhat short-lived due to their quick evaporation times. Most natural repellents will need to be reapplied several times through the day. With their pleasant scents and eco-friendliness, that may be an acceptable price to pay.
The Continuing Skirmish
We may never achieve total victory over the mosquito menace, we can give them a run for their money. By cloaking yourself in nature’s mosquito-repelling scents, you can enjoy the great outdoors and not sacrifice your health or the environment. Now that you are battle ready, head on outside and reclaim your summer!
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