Subject: bug repellant

From: [email-masked] (Todd S. Andrews)
Date: 10 Sep 1995 14:48:32 -0400

hi there
it's been awhile i asked for bug repellant ideas at the begining of the 
summer and in return i promised a listing of what i got, so here goes

Peppermint (soap)
Citronella (Candles) or (1:5 with another oil)
Citrus oils
Pennyroyal
1/2+1/2 sulfur and cream of tartar (ingested)
Mosquito net over the bed
Lavender

i didn't get to experiment nearly as much as i wanted to...but i did try 
citronella...it didn't work, i burned a candle and all it did was attract 
the mosquitoes on the muggy bug prone nights...sorry citronella
easiest solution i found was keep moving...worked well to tire the 
campers out too....OFF Skintastic was a flop...Skedaddle seemed to work 
well though...i regret that i don't know the ingredients.

jstarskey said:

Consumer Reports did a big article a few years ago where they compared
different kinds of bug sprays.  They also looked at some herbal stuff. 
Citronella (and other citrus stuff) worked as well as distilled water, that
is to say not at all.  You can buy bug sprays with low chemical doses
(check for "kids" bug spray).  People use things such as pennyroyal, but
that works only occasionally.  

contributors:

Peg [email-masked]
[email-masked]
[email-masked]
"Viljoen, CB, Christine" <[email-masked]>
Graham Sorenson <[email-masked]>
"Jennifer B. Jakiel" <[email-masked]>

thank You for all You information!

Peace, Love, and Joy,
tod