What Attracts Mosquitos and How to Repel Them

Avoid the use of Chemical Repellants, especially ones containing DEET

DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is used in hundreds of products, in concentrations of up to an astounding 100 percent. DEET is a chemical that melts plastic or fishing line, so how can it be safe to apply it to your skin!  Children are particularly at risk for subtle neurological changes because their skin more readily absorbs chemicals in the environment, and chemicals exert more potent effects on their developing nervous systems. Based on 30 years of clinical studies, DEET exposure can potentially cause the following adverse health effects: Memory Loss, Headaches, Muscle weakness, muscle & joint pain, impaired brain cell function, neurotoxicity, tremors, seizures, skin irritation, hives, blistering, nausea & vomiting, hypotension (low blood pressure), bradycardia (slow heartbeat), shortness of breath, pain, irritation and watering of the eyes.  

Another potentially harmful chemical found in many bug sprays is permethrin.  This chemical is a member of the synthetic pyrethroid family, which is known to be neurotoxic. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also deemed permethrin carcinogenic—capable of causing lung tumors, liver tumors, immune system problems, and chromosomal abnormalities.  Pyrethroids have also recently been linked to behavior problems in children.  Permethrin is very toxic to the environment—especially to bees and aquatic life—and is extremely toxic to cats.  Even a few drops can be lethal to your cat.  It is used as an ingredient in some topical flea products, so when you see "for dogs only" on the label, it likely contains permethrin.

Mosquitoes are attracted to a number of chemical compounds that they can detect from an impressive 50 yards away. The males are not interested in your blood, but the females are a different story, thirsting after the protein and iron in your blood to produce their eggs.

We know that mosquitoes are attracted to the following:

•Bacteria: One trillion microbes live on your skin and create your body odor. Humans have only about 10 percent of these microbes in common—the rest vary between individuals. Some of us have a collection of microbes that are particularly irresistible to mosquitoes.

•Chemical compounds: When they are sniffing us out, mosquitoes hone in on a wide variety of chemicals—277 were isolated as potential mosquito attractants from human hand odors in one 2000 study.

Some of their favorites are lactic acid, carboxylic acid, ammonia, , and octenol (present in human breath and sweat). Mosquitoes are especially drawn to carbon dioxide.

The more carbon dioxide you emit, the more attractive you are to them. Larger people naturally emit more carbon dioxide than smaller people, which is one of the reasons adults seem to be bitten more often than children.

•Movement and heat: Mosquitoes are drawn to both movement and heat. So if you're exercising outside on a warm summer evening, you're the perfect target—especially if you're short of breath!  

JES Organics Natural Organic Bug Away Insect Deterrent is perfect for the summer-time swarms.  Available in 1 oz, 2 oz, 4 oz. spray bottle& 8 oz. Refill Bottle.   Contains highly effective natural ingredients that really work. 

Key Ingredients:

Catnip: Researchers report that nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, is about ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET — the compound used in most commercial insect repellents.

Cedarwood: antiseptic, relieves skin inflammation, bug bites

Cinnamon Leaf: shows promise as a great-smelling, environmentally friendly pesticide, with the ability to kill mosquito larvae, according to a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. The researchers also expect that cinnamon oil could be a good mosquito repellant, though they have not yet tested it against adult mosquitoes.

Citronella: Insect deterrent, keeps away mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other pesky insects.

Eucalyptus: insect bites and rashes, antiseptic

Lemongrass: Lemongrass oil, which is closely related to citronella, repels a greater variety of pests than most natural "one-scented" oil mixtures.

Listsea Cubeba: Insect deterrent

Patchouli: repels bugs, and relieves insect bites.

Tea Tree: Rashes and insect bites.