How do i repel mosquitos other than deet and citronella candles and lamps?

Try Skin-So-Soft by Avon

Is there a local plant you can use? Over here we have a bush called a ngaio that you can rub yourself with to repel biting insects and it handily grows where your most likely to encounter the little buggers.

Stand next to me, I’m the Alpha Donor. Seriously though, I’m waiting for answers What I need is sunscreen that has bug off stuff in it, for sensitive skin, no less. I found some stuff in New Hampshire a few years back that claimed to have no chemicals and whatever it was, it kept the bugs off, but I haven’t been able to find it on the west coast.

The only long-term solution is a screened-in porch or a mosquito net jacket

I used to wear one in Lake Placid in June when I tried to garden and was devoured by black flies.

The outfit is extremely sexy and flattering. (The only problem is if a biting insect gets inside it.)

@gail. How fetching! I need one for a formal (outdoor) wedding this Summer, but alas, they are out of the jacket. I could probably buy a bunch of them and sell them to the other guests.

@See: It is a hot item, I know. So, try these sites.

If you burn something, not a citronella candle or any kind of candle, but actually burn something, like wood or paper or leaves, they’ll probably leave you alone.

bug zappers

I find a solution of sugar water applied liberally to the skin usually does the trick.

I second the Skin-so-soft aproach; I used to work at a pharmacy, and although avon have not gone through the process of getting their product listed as a repellant, it does the trick. There’s also a good natural solution that’s made from the seed of a specific flower (although I can’t remember what!). It’s preferred to DEET because it’s pet-safe, and we have a guy who comes and sprays our yard every summer with it.

Skin-so-soft does not work for some of us whom biting insects find particularly delicious.

The organic spray is Pyrethrin (from chrysanthemums).

I used to get bitten all the time. In 1980 I got hepatitis from some greasy spoon and since then the little buggers leave me alone. I guess my blood must smell bad to them. Weird, but the only good thing about me getting the hep.

Did I hear something once about using a vanilla-water mixture? Or was that for a different insect? What ever it was for, it works – think it was misquitos.

I’m not sure if they work well or where you can buy them but, I have seen little electronic devices you can wear on your body that make a sound mosquitos do not like.

do mesquitos have ears?

It may be southern thing but I grew up hearing that if you were to drink dill pickle juice (I suppose a cup would do it) that it keeps those pesky mosquito off.

It seem to work when I was younger and I suppose you could always give it a try if you can get past the strong taste.

“Juniper Breeze” body spray from Bath and Body Works works surprisingly well, and it doesn’t get gross like bug spray.

it just smells kind of gross….IMO