by Jenny Roberts
Now that summer has officially arrived, nature is calling us outside. Whether our summer plans include baseball games and patio parties or strenuous hikes and rugged camping trips, we will certainly come into contact with one of the season’s more annoying features: insects. While our flying buddies certainly have their places in our ecosystems, mosquitoes, flies and ticks can be a real nuisance when it comes to lapping up the sunshine and warm breezes of summer. Luckily, we have an aromatherapy arsenal to ward off the most common bugs of the season.
It used to be in years past that our only saving grace in the battle against insects was a DEET-based repellent. This chemically-dubious product has earned a mixed reputation; it is not recommended for young children and pregnant women, yet it is still widely used by adults because it is highly effective in warding off bugs over long periods of time. Our understanding of pest management through essential oils, however, may give us the opportunity to chuck the DEET, and its overbearing scent and mysterious side-effects, completely.
Let’s look at a few of the heavy-hitting essential oils in the insect repelling world of aromatherapy. First and foremost, citronella. We all know its reputation as a bug repellent. This bright green grass grows in warm climates and emits a strong bug-repelling aroma. It has a lemon-like scent that has come to remind us of summers past with a single whiff.
Citronella is not actually the best oil to use alone, however. Its power is magnified when it is combined with other essential oils, such as lemongrass, which it is related to, cedar wood, peppermint or geranium. Cedar wood, long-known for its ability to keep moths away from your wool sweaters, has a warm, pleasant scent that balances citronella’s astringent qualities. If you like the scent of peppermint, this affordable oil will also work beautifully with citronella and leave your environment smelling crisp and clean.
The geranium plant is well-known among gardeners as one of the plants of choice for natural insect control. This hardy plant smells wonderful and keeps bugs away to boot. Geranium oil is a fabulous oil to use with citronella if you’re craving a bright, floral scent. In fact, their natural relationship can be found in the species citronella geranium, a vivid green plant with large, ruffled leaves that can be smelled from yards away.
Essential oils can be applied as a bug-control mechanism in one of two ways: atmospherically or topically. A diffuser or nebulizer is the most effective way to get these oils circulating in the air, ensuring insects don’t come near. One or more of the oils listed above can be atomized, providing you and your family the uplifting benefits of aromatherapy while simultaneously protecting you in a no-fly zone. Additionally, if you do not have a diffuser, simply take twenty drops of essential oil in a small bottle, fill the rest with water, and manually mist the area.
Occasionally, especially if you’re traipsing around outdoors, a topical application of essential oils becomes important. This recipe, which combines the best oils listed above, can be mixed and then put in a sunscreen, mister or a lotion: 0.5 milliliters of both geranium and lemongrass, 0.75 milliliters of cedar, 1 milliliter of peppermint and 3 milliliters of citronella. If you want to use this blend on pre-teens, divide the concentration in half before placing in a carrier. Cut this blend in half once more and leave out the peppermint if you are using it on toddlers. For infants, use a 1% concentration of lemongrass and/or citronella alone. As with all essential oils, the skin should be tested prior to extensive use on the body. If your body responds well, enjoy! Also, adding witch hazel, a naturally-occurring preservative, adds a cooling quality to your misting blend.
Dealing with insects has been a part of human civilization for as long as we’ve wished to sit outside at night and watch the sun set. Luckily, the pest management field is brimming with new approaches and insights into how we can minimize our chances of getting bitten. A group of researchers at Seoul National University in Korea has found that fennel oil may discourage mosquitoes, too. For some people, fennel is a delightful scent, making citronella seem too strong. There is another surprising essential oil that has been found to irritate mosquitoes: clove. Scientists in Thailand discovered that using undiluted clove oil gave a 100% effective barrier against mosquitoes for up to four hours. In addition, these researches learned that patchouli oil offered two hours of safety when used full-strength.
One oil that comes out way ahead of the pack in terms of effectiveness in fighting insects is catnip. A recent study by the DuPont Company found that this plant, also known as catmint, is the best essential oil defense out there in the struggle with insects. If used in a 15% concentration in a carrier, catnip can fight insects for 4 to 8 hours. Research has even demonstrated that catnip beats DEET in its ability to ward off bugs. The punch line, though, is this: catnip oil is pricey. If you want to see it at work, try it in small doses and confirm that your insect neighbors hate it and that your calico doesn’t lick your arm off.
Your chances of skating through the summer months without a single mosquito bite are slim, even if you are diligently using your preventative blends. Should you find yourself with an insatiably itchy bite, don’t fret. Lavender and blue tansy oils are well-known anti-itch medicines. Lavender can be applied directly to the skin and provides instant relief. Blue tansy should be diluted to a 2% concentration in a lotion or carrier oil and then massaged into the skin. Both of these oils smell good to many people, providing a nice change from the pink calamine lotion many of us endured as children.
With so many oils to choose from, it’s no longer necessary to smell like citronella all summer if you don’t want to. While aroma has the power to attract or repel any insect, animal or human with a scent organ, field research is definitely on our side when it comes to finding the exact formula for politely requesting that unwanted pests stay away from our sensitive skin. Aromatherapy applications have also come a long way in the last ten years; we have ultra-efficient and attractive diffusers and a wide variety of carrier oils and lotions to get the essential oils where they need to be. This year, before succumbing to more harsh insect repellents, consider the repertoire of aromatic oils that is easily available and create your own bug-displacing blend. Your nose will thank you.