Repellants to control mosquitoes

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Mosquitoes got you itching? Browse around here for some remedies. We have reviews of different mosquito traps and an educational resource about mosquitoes, and what you can do to avoid being bitten.

Mosquito Prevention, Protection, & Control
The Hard Facts: What Works and What Doesn't

Repellents:

Repellents come in many forms including chemical sprays, natural lotions, and electronic
devices. The best known repellent is deet (N, N diethyl-m-toluamide). Deet has
been studies extensively by the scientific community. There is little doubt that
Deet does work, especially in higher concentrations. It is the most effective and
long-lasting repellent commercially available. Unfortunately, health concerns have
been raised by many researchers about deet being a chemical. These concerns have
prompted many to recommend not to use deet with a concentration of more than 10%
on children, and that deet should always sparingly applied to exposed skin. In
a race to develop a natural alternative to deet, many manufacturers have turned
to essential plant oils and other substances. Unfortunately, only limited success
has been achieved. Of those products that do offer some mosquito repellence, generally
have a short efficiency period. Citronella is probably one of the best-known natural
repellents. Most who have used Citronella agree that its effectiveness is quite
limited. Electronic and ultrasonic devices have also proven largely ineffective.



Mosquito control products generally fall into three main categories:

Repellents
Insecticides
Traps and Zappers