What smells mosquitoes do not like and what plants can be used as repellents

what smells mosquitoes do not like
What smells mosquitoes do not like

Hello! For a whole week I suffered from insomnia. It was not caused by stress or philosophical thoughts at night.

The reason was the planned "flights" of dozens of mosquitoes. It was impossible to catch them all: immediately new ones appeared from somewhere.

I had to choose another tactic of struggle, which was successful. All that was needed was to use one remedy. Want to know what smells mosquitoes don't like? How to get rid of annoying insect? Then in the article below I will talk about the most effective ways.

What smell strongly repels mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are insects that are widespread in the world. Today, there are about 3,000 varieties of them. 70 species live in our country, of which 7 are capable of transmitting malaria.

Important!
But, in addition to the chance of contracting a dangerous disease, there are other health troubles with a mosquito bite, the most common of which are itching and swelling, the more severe option is allergy.

So what attracts insects and what can they not organically tolerate? What smell repels mosquitoes? What to do when there are already bites? Below in the article will be sorted out the luring and repelling odors for mosquitoes, a detailed review of purchased insect repellents is given. Describes how to remove discomfort after a bite.

What smells like a person attracting insects?

The pet of these insects is distinguished by several parameters that a person can not influence in any way:

  • Body temperature;
  • Blood type;
  • Individual smell.

However, this is not a complete list. The mosquito has a set of 70 receptors that distinguish odor even at the lowest possible concentration.

The brain of a small creature processes the received information almost instantly, and the instinct makes you pursue the victim you like constantly, right up to the bite.

What smells are most attractive for a mosquito:

  • Sweat. More specifically, ammonia and acids secreted by sweat glands. Special substances are also highlighted - attractants of several species that attract insects;
  • Alcohol. The ethanol released by the drinker is extremely pleasing to the animal's receptors. Due to the peculiarities of the effect of alcohol on the body, a mosquito bite is not felt, and in the morning itching and other unpleasant sensations appear. Probably, many went through this after stormy outings;
  • A special purely individual smell. Certain genes in the immune system secrete substances that insects can distinguish. They like some of them, others scare them away. Scientists still have not been able to fully study the work of the body in this aspect, so if you are not lucky, you can only be saved by special means;
  • Bacteria. Each type of simplest formations gives off a specific smell.Not all of them like mosquitoes, but if the set of bacteria on the body is large, then there are certainly attractive ones. Hence the conclusion - in the summer you need to use soap with a summer shower more often;
  • Carbon dioxide. It turns out that in the presence of excess weight, a volatile substance inaudible to our sense of touch is released that has a stupefying effect on small representatives of the fauna. People with fast metabolism are also prone to this. If kilograms can always be lost, then nothing can be done with a genetic trait.

What smell repels mosquitoes? Here it is necessary to separate folk remedies and purchased options. Today, there is a wide selection of both ways to get rid of mosquitoes, and others.

Natural smell

It is not necessary to run to the store before the season of active action of insects and buy all kinds of bubbles in packs there. Mosquitoes can be effectively combated with folk remedies.

Here are some of the most popular smells that will make small animals swoop around your house on the tenth road:

  1. Camphor or valerian (no more than 100 grams). The component is poured into a small metal dish and placed above the burner or candle. Active evaporation spreads a persistent odor throughout the premises. However, first you need to try the method on a small amount of liquid (10 drops) to prevent allergic reactions of the body;
  2. Clove essential oil, basil. You can drip into the fireplace, into a preheated pan, or simply moisten a piece of cotton wool liberally and put it near an open window. This will seem like an unbearable stink to mosquitoes. The Soviet cologne with the aroma of cloves was not in vain enjoyed authority;
  3. Freshly cut elderberry branch or tomato growing in a pot. Both insects do not like terribly;
  4. Cedar oil in a special aromatic lamp or saucer in the sun. In addition to mosquitoes, the house closes the road to flies and cockroaches;
  5. Caucasian (Persian) daisy. The scientific name is feverfew. Dried flowers, stems and leaves with their smell neutralize the nerve endings of insects. If you put a little dried grass in the rooms, then not a single blood-sucking week will fly into the dwelling;
  6. Tea tree oil. The composition is used not only to deter harmful creatures, but also to relieve swelling and itching after a bite. It can be safely used for application to the skin (in the absence of individual intolerance);
  7. Peppermint. Quite not picky and cheap houseplant. Active growth begins in mid-May at the height of the mosquito season. In addition to a pleasant appearance and smell, it has the ability to repel insects;
  8. Eucalyptus. If you have a fumigator in which the liquid ended, you can perfectly get out of the situation with the help of this oil. Pour it into a container, plug the device into a power outlet. Efficiency will not be inferior to industrial fillers;
  9. Smoke. A proven remedy when traveling to nature. At the same time, mosquitoes equally do not like smoke from a fire and cigarettes. Therefore, heavy smokers suffer from bites to a lesser extent. The rest is better to approach the fire and how to "stink."

Purchase Overview

We will analyze the most common options that are sure to be found in almost all specialized retail outlets (from pharmacies to supermarkets). So:

Off. A line of aerosols that are effective. There are a number of advantages:

  • Ease of use;
  • Duration of action;
  • Lack of pronounced unpleasant odor;
  • Effective protection.

But there are disadvantages:

  • High toxicity. Therefore, the instructions recommend applying the product on clothing and not use it to protect children;
  • Relatively high price.

Raid. Very high quality products. There are plates and fluid for the fumigator. It has a number of positive aspects:

  • High efficiency;
  • Lack of smell for humans;
  • Minimal toxicity.It is allowed for use in rooms where children are staying for a long time;
  • Duration of action. A bottle of liquid with rational use can last for almost the entire season.

Ozz. This is a spray lotion that leaves no residue on tissue and skin. The absence of a pungent odor, reasonable price, sufficient efficiency (even in places with a high concentration of insects) make the product one of the leaders in this market segment.

Advice!
Taiga. Our proven tool over the years. A rather sharp, but acceptable smell can scare away not only clouds of mosquitoes, but also other similar insects (horseflies, gadflies and so on). The manufacturer promises reliable protection for 3 hours, which is confirmed by practice. However, applying the drug to children is strictly not recommended.

Chicco. This cream is for babies from 3 months. The composition is completely hypoallergenic, therefore completely safe. In the open air, the action lasts about 3 hours, indoors (room) up to 12 hours. The tool is quite expensive, but finding an effective protection for a small child is extremely difficult in principle. Therefore, the end justifies the means.

Gardex. Another product line, which includes:

  1. Spray;
  2. Lotion;
  3. Repellent.

In terms of price and quality, the most acceptable option today. A weak pleasant smell, the absence of marks on the skin or clothing, a safe composition and effectiveness make the products of this manufacturer extremely popular;

Raptor Famous mosquito coils. This is the first effective tool that has appeared in the country, but the safety of use raises many questions.

If there is an opportunity to use other options, then you need to do it. Categorically not suitable for use indoors.

What to do when still bit?

There is a set of recommendations that will help to quickly remove discomfort at the site of a mosquito bite without harm to health:

  • It is strictly forbidden to scratch the bite site. This will increase the itching and lead to the appearance of an open wound with all the ensuing consequences;
  • Wet affected skin with saliva. Suitable for cases when there is nothing else at hand;
  • Freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice helps;
  • You can also use onion juice or attach a chopped clove of garlic to the bite;
  • Parsley, plantain or mint. A proven folk remedy. The leaves of these plants must be wrinkled before the appearance of juice and in this form applied to the skin;
  • The ingredients of future dishes will help - potatoes and tomatoes. Vegetables are cut and applied to the sore spot;
  • Instant relief from itching will provide a solution of half a teaspoon of soda to a glass of water;
  • Alcohol-containing liquids. Vodka, cologne, other options. It is necessary to moisten the bite and grind a little;
  • Sour cream or kefir will also help cope with intolerable itching, especially when chilled.

You can ask for help with the funds purchased at the pharmacy:

  • Fenistil;
  • Boro plus;
  • Psilobalm;
  • Tincture of calendula;
  • Zelenka;
  • Star.

You can protect yourself from mosquito bites and other blood-sucking insects by both folk remedies and purchased products, the main thing is not to be too lazy to take them with you when you go out into the nature or install in the house.

It must be remembered that the chance to catch malaria (although in our latitudes is rather small) with a mosquito bite always exists.

Who is most loved by mosquitoes

Some people are more attracted to mosquitoes and midges than others. We finally found out why: genes and body odors encoded by them are to blame.

Attention!
Mosquitoes have their own preferences. Some of us can sit all evening by the lake without a single bite, while others surround them with whole clouds, leaving dozens of blistering blisters on our skin. Scientists have long been trying to find the main factor that causes some people to attract mosquitoes like a magnet.

Now the riddle is partially solved by scientists from the London Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine under the leadership of James Logan (James Logan). They found that some genes play a key role in our attraction to mosquitoes.

Genes like a magnet

British scientists have studied the relationship between genes and the intensity of mosquito bites during an experiment involving 18 pairs of identical twins with an identical set of genes and 19 pairs of identical twins whose genes are different. (They described the details of the experiment in the specialized journal PLOS One.)

Scientists asked the twins to take turns to put their hand in the tank with mosquitoes, and then watched how often the insects sat on it and bit it. It turned out that in the case of identical twins, mosquitoes behaved similarly: they sat on their hands equally often. But when the opposite twins put their hand in the tank, the behavior of the mosquitoes was different: they sat on one more often, and less often on the other.

This pattern was observed in all participants in the experiment. According to scientists, this means that genes cause a certain smell of our body, and it is these differences that make us more or less attractive to mosquitoes.

The mosquito is looking for a victim, using infrared vision, which allows you to find a warm body, and especially with its phenomenal sense of smell.

Mosquitoes owe their sensitivity to smells to the complex structure of antennae, on which 75 different types of olfactory receptors are located, allowing you to feel the minimum concentration of aromatic substances released, for example, from the sweat of a person or animal.

Moreover, as a biologist at the University of Notre Dame, Zainulabeuddin Syed, has proven that a huge part of the mosquito brain is engaged in lightning-fast processing of olfactory impulses. Due to this, insects can smell the victim from a distance of 30 meters.

James Logan is now convinced that the attractiveness of smell is genetically determined, and that the smell of some people acts as a natural insect repellent.

Perhaps, thanks to further genetic research, we will find genes that are responsible for whether we attract mosquitoes. Then it will be possible to develop a pill that will enhance the production of a natural mosquito repeller in the body.

Bacteria and blood type

So far, scientists have not been able to identify the genes and the smells encoded by them. There are only certain traces that may serve in the future to develop such a deterrent.

Meanwhile, the researchers found that the HLA genes that control our immune system and which, as it has recently become known, also affect our body odor, may be partly responsible for the scaring or mosquito-attracting scent.

Scientists from the entomological laboratory at Wageningen University in the Netherlands decided to find out how mosquitoes respond to people with different HLA variants. They took odor samples from 40 people, asking them to rub a glass bead on their feet, on which natural aromatic substances, which stand out with sweat, remained in this way.

Then the beads were scattered in the room with mosquitoes, and scientists tracked which of them the insects were more likely to sit on. It turned out that most often they chose traces of the smell left by people with a specific variant of HLA.

Chemical analysis showed that the aromatic traces that mosquitoes liked most had more lactic, 2-methylbutanoic and myristic acid, as well as octanol, while in the odor of people unattractive to mosquitoes, more substance called limonene and several other volatile chemical compounds were found compounds.

Mosquitoes are also sensitive to carbon dioxide, the smell of which a person does not feel. Therefore, insects like people with a fast metabolism: their skin emits more carbon dioxide.

Advice!
A quick metabolism is often caused genetically, as a blood group, which also, as it turns out, is important for insects. Studies have shown that people with the first blood group (0) are two times more attractive to mosquitoes than owners of group A (owners of groups B and AB are in the middle).

Scientists believe that each blood type of a person smells differently for mosquitoes, more or less tasty, but it has not yet been possible to isolate the corresponding aromatic substances. And there may be hundreds of them.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that some of the smells that scare away or attract insects are not produced by our body itself, but by bacteria that are on our skin, and their amount also depends in part on the host genes.

Most of all, as scientists from the Wageningen University have proved, mosquitoes love the skin inhabited by large colonies of bacteria of epidermal staphylococcus, and they are most afraid of the skin, which is dominated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Unfortunately, the set of bacteria on our skin is difficult to change (perhaps this could be done with an ointment with a special composition). It is clear that the more bacteria there are on the skin, the more attractive we become for mosquitoes.

So if in the summer insects poison our lives, it’s worth taking a shower with antibacterial soap even every few hours, which will at least partially clean the skin of bacteria attracting insects and protect against bites.

How to deal with bloodsuckers

Until the doctors make out the mosaic of the odors of our body into the simplest elements and learn how to force our bodies to produce natural insect repellents, we can use chemicals, although they are far from ideal.

Until recently, it seemed that drugs with diethyltoluamide, a compound that masks the natural smell attracting insects, could be effective weapons. Now we know that they act, but not for long. Mosquitoes quickly get used to them.

Attention!
As an earlier study by James Logan showed, insects begin to ignore it several hours after the first contact with the drug. Moreover, mosquitoes appeared that developed resistance to the smell of diethyltoluamide: a mutation occurred in their genes, due to which the receptors of this smell were blocked.

James Logan found such insects among representatives of the species Aedes aegypti - one of the most dangerous, because it carries malaria and dengue fever.

Since mosquito genes can mutate in such a way that the insect loses its sensitivity to certain aromatic substances, it will probably be possible to go the opposite way: “turn off” the genes responsible for excellent sense of smell. This idea came from researchers at Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

They blocked the Orco gene in the mosquito, which is responsible for susceptibility to odors. As a result, much less olfactory neurons formed in the brain of insects than is usually the case, and modified mosquitoes did not respond, in particular, to the smell of carbon dioxide.

But genetics go even further and try to make mosquitoes completely harmless, or, frankly, completely destroy them. This can be achieved by exterminating the females. Such experiments are already underway.

“In the laboratories, mosquitoes breed with a modified gene that encodes an enzyme that violates the X chromosome,” says Professor Ignatovich. - As a result, only males are born. In the wild, they fertilize females, passing on their mutation. In each next generation, fewer females appear, and in the end the whole species dies out. ”

However, in many countries this method causes serious controversy, since it involves the introduction of genetically modified creatures into nature and their reproduction. But there is an easier way.

Entomologist Kun Yan Zhu from Shanxi University of China and researchers at the University of Kansas are trying to incorporate nanocapsules with double-stranded RNA, ribonucleic acid, into the mosquito larvae, which can affect the activity of genes in cells by turning them on or off.

Important!
If the chitin production is disrupted, the larvae will not be able to create a chitin cover and die or become more vulnerable to insecticides.

It seems that only such a massive genetic-chemical attack can free us from the annual invasion of bloodsuckers.

3 natural odors against mosquitoes and flies

These annoying insects simply do not tolerate the smell of Mediterranean herbs! With a few herbs, you can refresh the space in your home and get rid of annoying insects.

You don’t need to buy expensive aerosols or odorless pills to deal with annoying flies and mosquitoes. It turns out that these annoying insects simply can’t smell Mediterranean herbs!

Rosemary and bay leaves, laid in decorative plates in different places of the apartment or house, will help, because they have an intense aroma that will not irritate you, but will drive away flies.

25 drops of peppermint essential oil dissolved in a glass of water that you can spray on the room from a spray bottle (for example, from a window washing bottle) will give a soft and pleasant aroma that favorably affects the respiratory tract, but which insects cannot tolerate.

In addition, you can plant several pots of lavender. It is unpretentious, has a pleasant aroma and successfully fights with buzzing and biting insects.

How to get rid of mosquitoes and flies without chemistry?

In the summer we are constantly harassed by mosquitoes and flies. Now there are many chemical insect repellents on sale, but the main thing in the fight against them is not to harm yourself. You can protect yourself from insects without chemistry. Annoying creatures are sensitive to smells. So what smells repel mosquitoes and flies?

Advice!
To protect yourself from flies and mosquitoes, use tomato leaves. Feeling their aroma, insects will fly away. So, by placing several pots with tomato bushes in front of the windows or on the balcony, you will provide yourself with a reliable barrier against insects.

The green parts of this plant have a peculiar specific odor, which in itself is sufficient to keep many pests at a distance.

The mosquitoes are also scared away by the smells of eucalyptus, cloves and anise. Therefore, moisten the cotton with oil from these plants and lay it on the windowsill. You can also lubricate the exposed parts of the body with these oils.

Both mosquitoes and flies with cockroaches cannot tolerate the smell of cedar oil. In this regard, you can lubricate them with kitchen surfaces and draw oil strips along the baseboard.

Protective products include freshly picked walnut, valerian leaves, smoke from slightly dried juniper needles, spruce or pine cones.

In turn, the fresh elderberry branches in your room scare away mosquitoes with their smell. Insects simply do not tolerate their specific smell. Effective and wheat grass. Pour a handful of chopped wheatgrass roots with 1.5 liters of water and boil three times to make the broth become light yellow. With the help of this broth wash your face and hands, and not a single mosquito will fly up to you.

Carboxylic acid is very helpful against annoying insects. At night, it is enough to sprinkle it a little on the wall near the bed and at the head of the bed, and also slightly moisten your hands, face, and mosquito attacks with an aqueous solution of mosquitoes.

The same method can be successfully used while fishing in small lakes and rivers, hunting in swamps and estuaries, where often hordes of mosquitoes poison any pleasure from your favorite pastime.

These are the smells that repel mosquitoes and flies. And most importantly, their excellent effectiveness and absolute safety for health.

Folk remedies for mosquitoes

Folk remedies for mosquitoes are considered the most harmless to the human body. This is especially important when it comes to children. Their delicate skin suffers greatly from the bites of blood-sucking insects - in their place usually appear large red blots that itch and haunt the baby.

For the street

Clove. Buy cloves in the spice department (dried unopened clove flower buds). Pour the contents of a five-gram sachet with a glass of water and boil for 15 minutes.

Attention!
Mix a small amount of broth with any cologne and apply on exposed skin. This folk remedy for mosquitoes promises to protect you and your child from bites for two hours.

Essential oils. The most important weapon in the fight against mosquitoes is the smell that they can’t tolerate, for example, the smell of anise, eucalyptus, basil or cloves. Buy any essential oil of these plants at the pharmacy, add a few drops to any base (cream, milk) and lubricate exposed skin.

Essential oils can also be dripped onto a source of heat or fire - in a house on an incandescent lamp, in an aroma lamp, on a street in a bonfire. Tea tree essential oil relieves tooth and irritation after bites.

Coniferous smell. A picnic is usually not complete without a bonfire. Throw fir cones, which are usually easy to find in the forest, or dried branches of conifers, into the fire. Mosquitoes and the trace will get cold.

Fish fat. Lubricate exposed areas with fish oil, mosquitoes do not like this smell, and will not bother you for a while.

Cedar oil. Cedar oil is famous for its wonderful healing properties. It turns out that his benefit does not end there. Mosquitoes do not tolerate its smell, although, in fact, cedar oil does not have a special smell. Lubricate exposed skin with this oil and enjoy a walk.

Folk remedies for home

Indoors, you can use folk remedies for mosquitoes, listed above, but slightly adapted to home conditions. At night, you can lubricate the head of the bed with essential oils, put a cup next to the bed and cloves, or “refresh” the night lamp with a smell that mosquitoes do not like.

One of the most effective means of fighting mosquitoes at home is mosquito nets on the windows. The bloodsuckers simply cannot crawl through the small holes in the net.

Important!
Summer residents often come across such an insidious weed as wheat grass. Rejoice if your site is chosen by this plant. A decoction of wheatgrass roots will save you from mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects.

Elderberry also refers to folk remedies for mosquitoes. Well, if you have the opportunity to periodically bring home fresh elderberry branches, they repel mosquitoes well.

If already bitten

Resign yourself to the fact that none of the funds listed above is 100% mosquito repellent. Of course, they will bite you less, but nevertheless there will be the most mosquito-resistant female to all odors, which will be able to feast on you. From irritation and itching at the site of the bite, such folk remedies will help you:

  • aloe juice
  • onion juice (cut the onion and attach to the bite)
  • parsley leaves
  • very salty water

How to deal with mosquitoes and their bites?

The warm season always invariably entails such a nuisance as mosquitoes. These small, annoyingly buzzing insects make it difficult to sleep, dangerous infections and larvae can infect with their bites, and terribly itchy blisters remain in the place of the bites themselves. In this article, we will talk about how to wage a victory with mosquitoes.

How to deal with bloodsuckers

First of all, protect your house or apartment from mosquitoes. Make sure that mosquito nets are installed on all windows. If it is not possible to close all entrances to the house from insects, then you will have to ensure the mass destruction of pests. This may help:

Insecticidal lamps. This is an inexpensive electrical device that can be placed in a place that you want to protect from a massive mosquito invasion.

Some may be annoyed by the active buzz of mosquitoes that the device destroys, but its effect is so effective that it should be tolerated. After killing insects in the room, it is better to close the windows to prevent the invasion of new ones.

Electrofumigators. Small electrical devices that heat up and spread the smell of plates and bottles inserted into them (it is their aroma that exterminates mosquitoes).

One bottle is enough for a month and a half, and the plates need to be changed every night. True, the windows should be open. Less - a pleasant, but the obsessive smell of aromatic plates can be annoying.

How to scare away insects?

Mosquitoes lie in wait not only in the house, but also on the street, especially in nature, during walks in the fresh air, bike rides, etc. If each such event ends with mosquito bites for you, it is worth taking measures. Indeed, in addition to itching wounds, mosquitoes threaten to bring serious infections.

Advice!
Mosquitoes are attracted to all odors. This is the scent of perfume, the smell of sweat, body, as well as its warmth. To avoid mosquito bites, try to avoid using fragrant cosmetics and make sure that the body is as dry as possible (using odorless deodorant).

Walk in light clothing - the dark one attracts mosquitoes. Whenever possible, wear items with long sleeves and legs. Clothing should not be too tight so mosquitoes cannot bite through it easily.

To avoid mosquito bites, consume vitamin B12 daily. Do not be afraid - there are still no symptoms of satiety with this vitamin. Thanks to vitamin B12, mosquitoes will fly around you on the tenth road. True, there is one delicate drawback - the unpleasant smell of sweat.

It is believed that mosquito extract should be used vanilla - rubbing them with the whole body or using it as a perfume, only in the areas of the pulse (behind the ears and wrists). Some people prefer cosmetics with vanilla flavor, while others require the use of pure vanilla extract.

That is, there are many options for using this repellent mosquito repellent, but only one thing is certain: bloodthirsty mosquitoes cannot stand vanilla.

Garlic. The specific smell of the plant puts it in a number of not the best ways for daily mosquito control, but sometimes it may just be necessary - for example, when you are going to spend the night in tents or a tour of the marshland.

A remedy for annoying mosquitoes can be pasta with grated garlic and water. Rub the product with the place where the pulse is most felt - wrists, under the knees, on the ankles, behind the ears and a little on the face (be careful that the garlic paste does not get into your eyes!).

It would also be nice to eat a couple of cloves of garlic before a walk - your body will have a light specific aroma that repels the bloodsuckers. Attention: do not resort to garlic if you are looking for a romantic walk.

Attention!
Essential oils. A more pleasant mosquito repellent is that it has a pleasant aroma and can even enhance mood, soothe, etc. - depending on the selected oil.

Mix your favorite essential oil with vodka or distilled water, and sprinkle your body and clothing onto the mixture. You can also drip a few drops of essential oils in baby or massage oil, and rub it into the skin of the body.

Here is a list of oils that mosquitoes fear:

  • citronella essential oil;
  • lavender oil;
  • catnip oil;
  • Eucalyptus oil;
  • peppermint oil;
  • tansy oil;
  • basil oil;
  • thyme oil;
  • Cedar oil;
  • peppermint oil;
  • tea tree oil.

If you don’t have essential oils at hand, but some of these plants grow on the plot, you can rub them in your hands and then rub your skin on the body.You can also brew strong tea from these plants, let it brew, and then spray yourself with it like a spray. The following herbs are suitable: basil, tansy, catnip, lavender, swamp mint, tansy, marigolds.

Wear special bracelets on your hands - water-repellent strips saturated with the smell of essential oils.

If you do not like folk remedies, take an interest in ready-made repellents in the household chemical departments. They come in the form of creams and sprays, and protect against mosquitoes for 2-4 hours.

Not many people know that special ultrasonic charms also scare away mosquitoes. They can be purchased online.

Additional tips:

  • Mosquitoes feel the lactic acid produced by our body, carbon dioxide and the smell of sweat.
  • Experts say that in the mosquito season, it is better to avoid consuming bananas and other foods that are high in potassium, as they attract bloodsuckers.
  • Mosquitoes do not tolerate cigarette and any other smoke.

How to relieve itching from mosquito bites?

First of all, remember the unshakable rule: refrain from combing the places of bites! Scratches can cause irritation, and you can also get an infection at the site of the bite.

Important!
Vinegar. It helps relieve irritation and disinfects. To get rid of itching, soak a cotton pad in wine or apple cider vinegar and attach it to the bite for a few minutes. Refrain from scratching.

Salicylic acid. A weak alcoholic solution of this acid works wonders. Disinfects, relieves irritation and redness, eliminates itching. Apply to a cotton pad, which then apply to a bitten area. In case of severe irritation, repeat from time to time.

Ointment or gargle. Lubricate the bite site with an anti-allergic hydrocortisone ointment. You can also wipe the itchy area with antiseptic gargle.

Baking soda paste. Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply the mixture to the skin immediately after a bite. If you don’t have soda at home, peppermint toothpaste will also help to eliminate irritation - apply it to a bitten place directly from the tube.

Tea tree oil. This essential oil will not only help scare away mosquitoes, but also get rid of itching and redness.

Ibuprofen. If you are severely bitten by mosquitoes, then buy ibuprofen or an antihistamine in the pharmacy, which will ease the feeling of discomfort.

Mosquito repellent plants

Mosquitoes cause a lot of troubles to a person: they disgusting buzz and bite. Moreover, mosquito bites can cause allergies. In addition, small bloodsuckers are carriers of many dangerous infectious diseases (up to West Nile fever and viral encephalitis). Therefore, people strive to protect themselves from harmful insects.

Advice!
In our time, there are special mosquito exterminators, but not everyone is aware of them. Therefore, many people use chemical insecticides, despite their harmfulness. Although there are completely natural remedies that can save a person from the attention of flying bloodsuckers.

As a rule, natural remedies repel insects, i.e., have a repellent effect. They can be seen in almost every yard.

Although many people doubt that plants can save a person from excessive "attention" of mosquitoes, they are mistaken. Plants can serve as deterrents, you just need to know which of them can help in the fight against insects.

Many decorative (even indoor) and wild flowers, herbs and shrubs scare away insects. Plants are indispensable helpers of a person: these are amenities, and decorations of a garden or home, and even a mosquito repellent. Many of them are integrated. Which ones are most effective?

Is it possible to fight mosquitoes with decorative flowers?

Do flowers grow near the porch, porch or pergola? Or do you have a flowerbed? This is wonderful because they not only create a pleasant atmosphere in the courtyard and serve as decorations, but also can cope with small winged bloodsuckers! Especially useful:

  1. chrysanthemums;
  2. long-flowered flower;
  3. citronella;
  4. allium (decorative bow).

Repeller plants: properties

How to use citronella? In America, citronella is often used to control various insects. Moreover, despite the doubts of skeptics, it acts. The fact is that mosquitoes do not tolerate its smell. Actually, the second name of the plant is a mosquito flower.

Geranium citronella is an excellent mosquito repeller both in a room and in open space. People like its aroma, reminiscent of the smell of lemon, but mosquitoes do not. The flowers of the plant are somewhat similar to lavender.

Citronella can be grown in the flowerbed, in the garden or even in a flower pot. However, it is not customary to use it for commercial purposes (scented candles or mosquito sprays are not made from it).

Citronella needs a soil that passes moisture well and the sun. This plant is planted as an annual, but you can also save the roots dug in the fall in order to plant them again in the spring. It is a tropical plant and can be found in open ground all year round only in 9, 10 and 11 agronomic zones.

What is allium?. Alliums are grown from frost-resistant bulbs. The grown decorative onion blooms in blue, pink, yellow, and purple on erect stems. The flowering season is spring.

Attention!
It turns out that mosquitoes are ready for “combat readiness” and “weapons against them”. Decorative onions can be planted not only in spring or early summer, but also in autumn. Needs sun and shade, as well as good soil drainage.

Allium can be sown both in flower beds and in the garden. In the latter case, the owners will forget about cabbage worms and aphids, as well as slugs, and not just mosquitoes. The fact is that insects do not like its smell.

The plant is suitable for a wide range of agronomic zones (especially 3 to 9). Some owners prefer to sow it, but it is better to purchase bulbs. To get the color from a plant grown from a seed, you have to wait 4 whole seasons. While the bulbs during the first season begin to bloom and exude a mosquito-hating scent.

A few words about chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums are good because they bloom for a long time and do not require complicated care. They fight mosquitoes very well. They are best planted in sunny areas. You can plant them around the perimeter or put containers with chrysanthemums next to the veranda or gazebo.

The height of annual chrysanthemums reaches a meter. Flowers resemble daisies or daisies; they come in red, pink, white and yellow. Flowering begins in spring and ends in freezing.

In perennial chrysanthemums, flowers also look like daisies of various colors, but these are shrubs, not grass, unlike annuals. Flowering continues in the summer and ends in early autumn. Suitable for 5 of 9 agronomic zones.

Chrysanthemums can scare away not only mosquitoes, but also various other arthropods:

  • fleas;
  • ants;
  • ticks;
  • spiders.

Therefore, you can plant them if you are tired of pests in the garden

Calendula against mosquitoes. Not everyone is delighted with the smell of calendula, and mosquitoes generally hate it. This is an unpretentious plant that needs sunlight and moisture.

Advice!
Annuals usually have vertical stems, covered with a huge number of colors of orange, yellow and red-rusty shades. They can also be framed or grown in containers. In addition, it is permissible to plant them together with other flowers on a lawn or flowerbed.

The calendula is about 60 cm high; it blooms in summer and autumn. It copes with mosquitoes, nematode worms and aphids, however it is not too loved by domestic rabbits, as well as other rodents.

What is ageratum? Ageratum grows in America (the local popular name is “mouline flowers”). This is a beautiful annual plant with white-pink, purple or pale blue. And the flowers.

Dense soil with lumps is suitable for ageratum. Therefore, it can grow even along paths or at the borders of suburban areas. They can grow in different climatic zones, but need sun.

Therefore, they are not planted under trees or even on the north side. Flowering lasts from spring to autumn.

You can drop it next to the terrace, barbecue area or porch. So in the evenings it will be possible to admire the flowers and not think about mosquitoes.

Predatory plants - insect killers

Predatory plants, unlike repelling ones, attract mosquitoes, and when they come across, they immediately destroy them. So they provide themselves with the necessary nutrients for growth and development. These are wonderful natural traps for insects.

Gardeners are often curious to see the process of catching careless mosquitoes, so they breed predatory plants. The insectivorous flower will feel great in a hanging basket or flower pot (you only need a high stand).

Attention!
The most common North American representative of predator plants is the pitcher. Its flowers are shaped like an open cobra hood. They are green, covered with red veins.

They can grow up to 130 cm in height. Both the sun and the shade are well tolerated, but they need moist soil. The ideal for them is wet wetlands. If the jug is planted in a container or pot, it should be watered often.

Also, the yard can be decorated with a sundew (the smell is similar to Octenol used in mosquito mosquito magnet systems). The plant secretes acid, which dissolves trapped insects.

Venus flytraps grow in the tropics - they absorb all kinds of insects, especially mosquitoes. One flower eats several mosquitoes per week.

By the way, people planting insectivorous flowers get the opportunity to tell their children a lot of interesting things about the plant world and even show carnivorous plants. By the way, they grow well indoors.

What herbs drive mosquitoes away?

Herbs with specific odors are both spices for food, and a way to drive away midges and mosquitoes from a house or site. Flying bloodsuckers do not tolerate the smell of seasonings. So they can be used in the fight against small bloodsuckers. Especially good for this:

  • Lavender;
  • Mint;
  • Rosemary;
  • Basil.

How to use rosemary? Rosemary gives a spicy taste to meat dishes, but it can also drive mosquitoes away. From it you can make a fence along the borders of the site or grow in the house, only for this you will need a frame and hanging baskets.

The leaves of the plant are small, pale blue. Leaves are spiky, spiky. Such a plant will look original in the garden.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Rosemary is able to grow year-round in 8, 9, and 10 climatic zones. To the north of them it can be bred as an annual, and the tropics are too hot for rosemary.

A few words about mint. People love mint, but mosquitoes, fortunately, cannot stand it. It is a perennial grass. Usually it is used as a seasoning or medicine. Of course, many people like its appearance - small pink flowers and unusual variegated leaves.

It can grow up to 91 cm in height. It grows in 8 to 10 climatic zones. Unfortunately, peppermint is susceptible to invasive effects and contagious plant diseases. Flowering time is summer. Mint needs alternating shade and sun.

Basil against mosquitoes. Basil is an excellent addition to Italian dishes, decoration of the landscape and a wonderful mosquito repeller. Its smell averts winged bloodsuckers.

Important!
This is an annual shrub. Very appropriate on a flower bed, near a gazebo, porch or patio. Also suitable as a houseplant in pots and flowerpots. The main condition is good soil drainage and the sun.This is an annual plant, so it will take root anywhere in the world.

Good old lavender. The smell of lavender is pleasant to humans, but not insects. Despite frost resistance, it is an annual plant. She is very beautiful. As a rule, it is used as a kind of hedge, planting a plot around it around it. It can also be kept in ordinary flower pots.

She has special lilac or blue flowers with a strong aroma that delights the hosts and guests, gives a lot of unpleasant sensations to mosquitoes.

Suitable for climatic zones 5 - 10, although it is allowed to breed it almost everywhere as an annual.

Lavender needs sunlight, but any soil will do. It blooms almost the whole spring and the whole summer.

Other repellent plants. Of course, there are other repellent plants (insect repellents), for example:

  • clover;
  • Melissa;
  • garlic;
  • thyme;
  • Lemongrass (a relative of citronella).

All these herbs perfectly drive mosquitoes and reduce their number where people gather. Although repelling plants are best combined with other means.

What are mosquito spray stations?

These are high power atomizers equipped with timers. As a result, arthropods have a selective poisonous effect, although animals, people, and plants do not suffer from such sprays at all. They are attached with nozzles to the fences or tops of specialized poles.

Suitable for home and yard. Unfortunately, the disadvantages of spraying stations are:

  1. the product is harmful not only for harmful insects, but also for human insects, for example, for bees;
  2. chemicals are unsafe for people and animals;
  3. some products, such as permethrin, even kill fish if particles enter the pond;
  4. mosquitoes can be immune to insecticide, so all the efforts of the owner will be in vain.

Here are the recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency, how to replace pesticides:

  • eliminate places of stagnation of water so that mosquitoes do not breed;
  • plant repellent plants;
  • use special protective equipment, for example, sprays with death.

Of course, these tips are good from the point of view of ecology and safety of people, but are ineffective in terms of combating insects that spread infectious diseases. It is best to use mosquito traps because they trap and destroy small bloodsuckers without damaging the ecosystem.

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1 Comment

  1. I thought that these insects are not afraid of anything. And it seems that over time they develop immunity to various sprinklers. From my personal experience I will share how I escaped from mosquitoes when I was in the country. We had wooden windows without mosquito nets in order not to be tempted to come up with something urgent. I cut a lemon, stuffed a lot of cloves there. And you know it helped. We slept soundly and the children too.

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