3:38:00 AM
People are more and more adverse to adding to the pollution of the planet - and further endangering their own health - by using chemical insecticides. Still, we all prefer to go about our daily routine untroubled by pesky bugs. Fortunately, essential oil insect repellent is effective and lets us have our cake and eat it, too, without uninvited guests!
At first, chemical pesticides were hailed as miracle tools in the fight against hunger and disease. DDT almost wiped out bedbugs, saved the apple trees from the coddling moth, and destroyed malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Other poisons were developed for pests and widely used.
However, we now know that many of these chemicals harm fish and birds, leave toxic residues in our food, threaten vital pollinators like bees and butterflies, and may be destroying our soil and our water supply. Bird populations that had declined sharply, like the ospreys, have recovered since DDT and some other pesticides have been banned. It was discovered that birds who ate poisoned insects laid eggs with shells too thin to protect the babies inside.
People are still concerned today, as bees are disappearing around the world and chemicals like DEET are found to be carcinogenic. Essential oils, in contrast, are natural volatile oils that can be safely extracted from plants and that are very effective against pests. They are safe to use in your home, garden, and barnyard. They are safe for all the beneficial insects, the birds, the fish, and the animals around us.
Essential oils should seldom be used full-strength. For insect sprays, you can add up to fifty drops of one or a combination of oils to a mixture of one part witch hazel to two parts water. You can also add the oil to water mixed with vodka. (Alcohol can be drying to the skin, so you could also add half an ounce of jojoba oil.) Leave room in the spray bottle for the shaking which is necessary before every use, since the oils will separate out.
Oils that make good carrier solutions are coconut, sunflower, extra virgin olive, and apricot kernel oil. Using an oil makes sense if you need a long-lasing effect or if you are applying it to a dog - as in a flea or tick repelling mix. If you have dry skin in the summer, a little fragrant oil on arms, hands, and legs is nice.
Mosquitoes are repelled by almost all fragrant oils. Horseflies hate tansy, peppermint, thyme, and cedarwood. Lemon eucalyptus is good for keeping almost any bug away. For fleas, try lemongrass, cedarwood, lavender, tea tree, thyme, and oregano. For gnats, eucalyptus and citronella are good, as are the mints. Get a citronella candle to help keep insects away at night. You can also rub a bit of lemon balm, catnip, or mint on your face when you are gardening; add a few sprigs to your hat, too, to keep the gnats away.
The volatile oils in plants attract pollinators while repelling pests. Check out the other oils you can use: grapefruit, clove, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, and lemon. A few drops of peppermint oil keeps spiders out of basement corners. With use, you'll find your favorite natural bug repellents.
At first, chemical pesticides were hailed as miracle tools in the fight against hunger and disease. DDT almost wiped out bedbugs, saved the apple trees from the coddling moth, and destroyed malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Other poisons were developed for pests and widely used.
However, we now know that many of these chemicals harm fish and birds, leave toxic residues in our food, threaten vital pollinators like bees and butterflies, and may be destroying our soil and our water supply. Bird populations that had declined sharply, like the ospreys, have recovered since DDT and some other pesticides have been banned. It was discovered that birds who ate poisoned insects laid eggs with shells too thin to protect the babies inside.
People are still concerned today, as bees are disappearing around the world and chemicals like DEET are found to be carcinogenic. Essential oils, in contrast, are natural volatile oils that can be safely extracted from plants and that are very effective against pests. They are safe to use in your home, garden, and barnyard. They are safe for all the beneficial insects, the birds, the fish, and the animals around us.
Essential oils should seldom be used full-strength. For insect sprays, you can add up to fifty drops of one or a combination of oils to a mixture of one part witch hazel to two parts water. You can also add the oil to water mixed with vodka. (Alcohol can be drying to the skin, so you could also add half an ounce of jojoba oil.) Leave room in the spray bottle for the shaking which is necessary before every use, since the oils will separate out.
Oils that make good carrier solutions are coconut, sunflower, extra virgin olive, and apricot kernel oil. Using an oil makes sense if you need a long-lasing effect or if you are applying it to a dog - as in a flea or tick repelling mix. If you have dry skin in the summer, a little fragrant oil on arms, hands, and legs is nice.
Mosquitoes are repelled by almost all fragrant oils. Horseflies hate tansy, peppermint, thyme, and cedarwood. Lemon eucalyptus is good for keeping almost any bug away. For fleas, try lemongrass, cedarwood, lavender, tea tree, thyme, and oregano. For gnats, eucalyptus and citronella are good, as are the mints. Get a citronella candle to help keep insects away at night. You can also rub a bit of lemon balm, catnip, or mint on your face when you are gardening; add a few sprigs to your hat, too, to keep the gnats away.
The volatile oils in plants attract pollinators while repelling pests. Check out the other oils you can use: grapefruit, clove, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, and lemon. A few drops of peppermint oil keeps spiders out of basement corners. With use, you'll find your favorite natural bug repellents.
About the Author:
Find a list of the benefits you get when you use an essential oil insect repellent and view our selection of essential oils at http://www.paulopolis.com/product/petitgrain-orange-essential-oil-2-oz now.
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