Record breaking flooding in Vermont this spring has set the stage for a bumper crop of moisture-loving mosquitoes. There are many natural remedies for repelling those little blood-sucking devils: tea tree oil, marigolds, citronella, cedar oil, etc. I have had great success with peppermint oil (used topically) and Vitamin B1 (tablet).
The jury is still out, though, on garlic’s effectiveness as a mosquito repellent, but the volume of anecdotal evidence flies in the face of the dearth of scientific evidence (those scientists aren’t spending that much time outdoors, anyway, they might not have a lot of experience with mosquitoes). Garlic has a long history of success getting rid of bugs. It is purported to turn most mosquitoes away.
Some say it’s the allicin in garlic that is repugnant to mosquitoes; others cite the mosquito-vampire connection for garlic’s repellant success. According to Garlic-Central.com, the strong fragrance of garlic overwhelms the mosquito’s sense of smell so much so that he can’t find his prey (you and me). Some garlic fans use it topically, but I recommend eating it. That way you will receive all of garlic’s magical benefits. Check out the Garlic and Health category of our blog for more of garlic’s benefits – many are scientifically proven).
image credit: franceshunter.wordpress.com