Stave off Zika exposure or just everyday bites.
You’re not a fan of either mosquito bites or chemical insect repellents — so what are your options? As you work, hike, picnic or play outside, you’ll want to avoid potential exposure to infectious diseases when mosquitoes mix their saliva with your blood. Along with placing environmental barriers against mosquitoes and avoiding high-risk areas, experts recommend using products with proven repellent ingredients for the most effective protection. See which natural methods help keep mosquitoes at bay, and which ones the pesky insects ignore.
Wear long pants and sleeves.
Seems basic but it works: Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when going outdoors to protect yourself from insect bites. Put a cap on your head and swap sandals for boots or closed-toe shoes. In some cases, it’s safer to rely on an extra measure of chemical protection, says Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “If you go into an area that’s really high in mosquito infestation, you probably want to go with permethrin-treated clothing as well,” he says. “And use DEET on exposed areas of your body.” You can purchase permethrin to treat your own clothes or buy pretreated garments at outdoor-wear retailers.
Cover your kids.
Don’t forget to protect babies and small children as well as yourself on family outings in mosquito-heavy areas, Hotez reminds parents. In risky areas or seasons, he says: “Dress your child with clothing that covers the arms and legs. Cover the stroller, crib and baby carrier with mosquito netting.”
Drain standing water.
The Zika-spreading mosquito known as Aedes aegypti is considered a container-breeding mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When they can, females lay their eggs in water that collects in man-made containers. Stay on top of standing, stagnant water around your home to avoid attracting mosquitoes. The CDC recommends emptying, scrubbing, turning over, covering or throwing out water-bearing containers once a week. These include vases, pet water bowls, flowerpot saucers, birdbaths, pool covers, trash cans, rain barrels, fountains and even discarded tires.
Don’t bother with garlic.
Save the garlic for pizza: Although chewing garlic is often touted as a natural way to ward off mosquitoes, that method isn’t supported by evidence. “This idea [that] if you ingest garlic or take thiamine [vitamin B1], … it reduces your attractiveness to mosquitoes, shows up quite commonly, but it’s pretty well scientifically debunked,” says Dr. Mark Fradin, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. “If you did formal testing in either one of these scenarios, neither reliably repels mosquitoes.” In general, he says, “Ingested stuff doesn’t work.”
Look for oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Among naturally derived repellents, oil of lemon eucalyptus is considered an effective ingredient for long-lasting mosquito protection. However, the CDC cautions: “‘Pure’ oil of lemon eucalyptus (essential oil) is not recommended. It has not been tested by [the Environmental Protection Agency] for safety and effectiveness.” Instead, look for OLE on the labels of commercial, botanical-based insect repellents. One thing to keep in mind, Fradin warns: Eucalyptus odor is “very intense.”
Scent with citronella?
Citronella, an essential plant oil, smells pleasant enough to people but apparently reeks to mosquitoes. Citronella can be applied directly to the skin or burned in candles or coils to emit insect-repelling smoke as you lounge on your patio or deck. However, at best, citronella only supplements rather than replaces proven chemicals for effective mosquito protection, research suggests. A study published in February in the Journal of Insect Science, conducted in a wind-tunnel setting, found only weak protection from most wearable repellent devices and no effect whatsoever from a citronella candle.
Spread mosquito nets.
Unless you’re traveling to an infested area, mosquito nets are probably off your radar. On the other hand, you might be interested in their health benefits on a global, humanitarian scale. Mosquito nets are a mainstay for malaria control with their established effectiveness against the night-biting anopheles mosquitoes, Hotez says. Africa has benefited from the United Nations Foundation’s NothingButNets campaign to distribute mosquito netting to families at risk. Placing nets around beds imposes a physical barrier against bites. To further boost protection, insecticide is woven into these nets to kill these disease-spreading parasites.
Screen your home.
Fortunately, Zika spread is in a relative lull in the U.S. However, that could change. “If we started having a lot of Zika transmission on the Gulf Coast, you may also want to consider taking steps to control mosquitoes inside and outside your home,” Hotez says. That means staying in air conditioning, possibly sleeping under a mosquito net and placing screens on your windows and doors, or repairing holes in existing screens.
Consider picaridin.
Picaridin is one of the “big four” mosquito repellents backed by the CDC and EPA, along with oil of lemon eucalyptus and the chemicals DEET and IR3535. Strictly speaking, picaridin is not a natural ingredient. “Picaridin is a man-made product but was originally a chemical derived from pepper,” Fradin explains. “It depends on how you define ‘natural.'” Made available in the U.S. about 12 years ago, picaridin is considered effective and safe when applied directly to the skin or clothing to repel mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers and other insects.
Forget about “force fields.”
Electronic or ultrasonic devices that promise to kill or repel mosquitoes don’t hold up too well in studies. Neither do mosquito-repelling bracelets, natural or otherwise, Fradin says. An insecticide-emitting device could work in an enclosed space, like a tent. “But if you’re hiking through the forest, whenever anyone wants what I call a ‘force field’ — some sense that you could wear something on your wrists or put a little dab behind each ear so you’d be cloaked — does not work at all,” he says. “Any skin that’s uncovered by repellent could be easily bitten. If you miss any swath on your arm, mosquitoes will find it.”
Rethink how natural you need to be.
When it comes to “casual” mosquito protection, Fradin says — you’re outside flipping burgers and prefer not to be bitten — some natural products will work “reasonably well.” If you’re serious about protection from mosquito-borne diseases, however, you need stronger methods. “Nothing’s going to work against biting insect species as well as DEET, the gold standard; picaridin, which is a much more aesthetically pleasant product; IR3535; and oil of lemon eucalyptus,” he advises. “The dilemma with going all-natural is just the potential that it’s not going to work very well for very long.”
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10 (Mostly) Natural Ways to Evade Mosquitoes originally appeared on usnews.com
