My 5-year-old recently came home from school with a bug bite.
Bug bites at the end of September?
I’m not an entomologist, but it looks like a mosquito took a hit from her eyebrow.
I was a bit shocked that she got bit so late in the season, but we have had an unusually warm September, so I guess the bugs have decided to stick around.
Too bad. I was hoping our days of being buffet options for hungry bugs were over for the year.
Apparently not.
This means that I have to dig out my DEET-free insect repellent once again.
Yes, I’m that mom.
DEET-free for five years and loving it.
DEET (or N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) has been used for decades to ward off a variety of common critters, but according to some health care experts, the compound is less than perfect. A study done a few years ago by researchers at Duke University found that prolonged exposure to DEET can hinder brain function and could result in problems with muscle coordination, muscle weakness, walking, memory and cognition. The study also noted that limiting exposure to repellents that contain DEET and using products with less than a 30 percent concentration of the substance is desirable, especially if you are using repellent on young children.
DEET-free insect repellent is a lot easier to find today than it was five or six years ago. These days a slew of manufacturers offer organic insect repellants made from all-natural products such as soybean and geranium oil. DEET-free insect repellent like Jason’s “Quit Bugging Me” is one of the most popular organic bug sprays on the market today. The company claims the spray protects adults and kids from mosquitoes, gnats, horseflies, black and biting flies.
Another way to keep bugs at bay is to avoid smelling like a flower. Bugs are extremely attracted to sweet-smelling scents, so if you douse yourself in lilac perfume you can bet that more than a few biting bugs are going to want to be your best friend. It’s also a good idea to skip flower scented laundry detergents, shampoos and deodorants.
If you feel the need to place some type of scent on your body stick to essential oils that bugs can’t stand. The most popular is citronella, which is usually found in the form of a candle, but it also used in some bug sprays. Eucalyptus essential oil has also been proven to ward off mosquitoes, while basil and lavender have been shown to keep biting flies away from kids.
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