Since I can't find any of the original threads, I'm starting a new one.
Just got off the phone with a guy in Cedar Key, who swears by a new bug juice called Swamp Buddy. He says it is all natural- lemongrass, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils. They buy it at the hardware store there. My new Cedar Key friend, Bob, says he "doesn't like the taste of Deet in his mouth". I didn't ask who or what he was licking to be tasting the Deet
!)
Has anyone seen this here? There is a website
www.swampbuddy.net. Think I might order some since the skeeters are starting to assert themselves....
Jdarg, I use a lot of natural repellents here in NY for tick and mosquitos, and eucalyptus oil doesn't do much for mosquitos (ticks hate it, but besides smelling minty, doesn't seem to help with skeeters IMO, (maybe no see ums', but not skeeters)
but these are some of the natural oils that work best for skeeters.
Natural Repellents
These natural products will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require more frequent reapplication (at least every 2 hours) and higher concentrations than DEET. Because of the differences between types of mosquitoes, products that contain multiple repellents tend to be more effective than those containing a single ingredient. As you can see, natural repellents tend to be volatile plant oils.
- Citronella Oil
- Castor Oil
- Rosemary Oil
- Lemongrass Oil
- Cedar Oil
- Peppermint Oil
- Clove Oil
- Geranium Oil
- Possibly Oils from Verbena, Pennyroyal, Lavender, Pine, Cajeput, Cinnamon, Basil, Thyme, Allspice, Soybean, and Garlic
Another plant-derived substance, pyrethrum, is an insecticide. Pyrethrum comes from the flowers of the daisy
Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium.
I also found that taking
B-complex repels skeeters too. You sweat it out and they hate the smell. I found this highly effective and had limited bites last year from skeeters and spiders. (I am fiercely allergic to spider bites) This is good too since sunscreen lowers effectiveness of repellents.
I take the concentrated oils, (take your pick but use several and they sell them at natural stores) and mix them with 1 part oil, 10 parts water, put them in a dark spray bottle, and keep it out of the sun. This works out a lot less expensive. One concentrated bottle of oil (about an inch high) could last you a whole season.
FOR PETS: Take a bandana and soak it in the above overnight, let dry.
Also, Brewers yeast mixed in pets food (some natural stores sell it with garlic mixed in, is also highly effective as a added natural repellent in addition to Frontline etc.
Chickpea, I got a natural repellent from a Sowaler for the biting flies. I will find it and post later if someone doesn't beat me to it.
mango's disclaimer: Speak to your doctor first before using any oils. 
