Is there any truth to the tale that vitamin B discourages mosquitoes?
They always find me. In a group of people, I’m the one usually covered in bites. It’s been a wet late Spring/early Summer in Austin. Mosquito repellent is somewhat helpful for spending long amounts of time outdoors near water or at sunset, but doesn’t seem like a good everyday solution — I get bitten on the few square inches I forgot to cover. And covering oneself with greasy toxin everytime one goes out seems like a cure worse than the disease.
Do others really cover up in mosquito repellent every time they leave the house? Any better solutions than staying indoors during the summer, and trying not to open the door too often?
http://www.realgoods.com/shop/shop2.cfm?dv=2&dp=209&ts=1090419&kw=mosquito
it’s inexpensive, chemical- and hassle-free, and it really works (though maybe not so well in super-heavily infested areas, such as near stagnant water, but otherwise really well)
also, at home, obviously make sure you have quality screens for your windows/doors, patch holes or otherwise repair if needed
See some discussion around your question posted at http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20010501.html Doesn’t sound good.
Have you tried Citronella oil? Works for me and this plant extract contains nothing toxic. Details at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_021901.htm
You may also want to consider changing your diet/body chemistry. Try eating more garlic. See details at http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn030908.html
Repellents with DEET remain the best, conventional strategy.
Adina, I’d be interested in hearing what you think about citronella oil. I used to swear by a citronella- and lemongrass-based product called Green Ban but now I wonder if I just fell for a placebo. If you try something similar and it helps, let me know.
We don’t have any air-conditioning in our house. For reading and dining outdoors, we rely on a cheap screen-tent (usually under $30 for a 10×10). They all have mosquito-netting on four sides; the cheap ones zip on two sides only. Even with our bad rain-storms and hail, most of these have lasted at least two or three years, some more. They are usually green- or blue-and-white striped items, with what isn’t mosquito net being plastic.
We don’t have any air-conditioning in our house. For reading and dining outdoors, we rely on a cheap screen-tent (usually under $30 for a 10×10). They all have mosquito-netting on four sides; the cheap ones zip on two sides only. Even with our bad rain-storms and hail, most of these have lasted at least two or three years, some more. They are usually green- or blue-and-white striped items, with what isn’t mosquito net being plastic.