I think it's fairly safe to say that no one likes mosquito bites. But there are lots of folks who would rather risk an itchy bite than apply a chemical bug repellent to their skin.
Well, for all those people, here's a bug repellent recipe to try. This is from a reader of the Rodale Organic Gardening Magazine.
If you have a herb garden, the ingredients will be no problem to find. Place three 3-inch sprigs of mint and a large handful of three to four inch sprigs of sage in a large pot. (Make sure you harvest these herbs in the early morning when the concentration of essential oils is greatest). Cover the herbs with one quart of boiling water and then steep the mixture until cool. Strain the herbs out and mix the liquid with an equal amount of rubbing alcohol. Keep in a tightly closed jar and apply liberally to all exposed skin surfaces when needed.
Hare's something else you might find interesting. Scientists at the University of Georgia have been researching citrus peel as an insecticide. Although the original research was done with oranges, later tests proved that the oil from lemons, limes and grapefruit was also an effective insecticide against houseflies, horseflies, some ants, cat fleas, paper wasps and crickets. Apparently, the oil, which is concentrated in the outer peel of the fruit, acted as a contact poison to these insects.
This might come as quite a surprise to some people, but I know of one gardener who has been using fresh lemons for years as a mosquito repellent. She doesn't have any sophisticated recipe. Just fresh cut lemon rubbed all over her face, neck and hands and into the fabric of her gardening clothes.
She swears she hasn't had a mosquito bite in all the years she's been using lemons. She also gives her cats a weekly rub down with lemon and has never had flea problems.
And, when she comes in from her chores, if she has any gardening stains on her hands, she rubs them off with lemon too.
You've got to admit it. It's worth a try. And please let me know how it works for you!