I don’t like using products with DEET or other pesticides as a bug repellent because of health concerns.
It is easy and inexpensive to make your own natural insect repellents because there are some essential oils that are effective bug repellents.
Citronella grass
Citronella is the most popular in its research to ward off mosquitoes, but other essential oils are just as good if not better.
Citronella will work for over half an hour but needs to be applied often. I dislike the smell of citronella so it is not overpowering in my blends.
Other essential oils like eucalyptus give over an hour and a half of protection but needs to be applied often depending on conditions.
Neem oil doesn’t deter bugs like eucalyptus and geranium, but it is a toxin and once ingested it will confuse bugs, making them fly away and even forget to reproduce and eat.
Essential oils for Bug Repellent:
Citronella, Lemongrass, Lemon eucalyptus, Eucalyptus,
All varieties of geranium, lavender, mints,
Use rosemary, tea tree, cinnamon, clove and citronella sparingly in the blend.
Use neem for pest control.
All varieties of basil also help to repel flies.
*Citronella and lemongrass come from the Latin Genus Cymbopogon which is a grass family with several lemon smelling species that are all used in similar ways, so go by the Latin name to be sure what you are getting. Citronella has reddish stems while Lemongrass has greenish pseudo stems which is good to know for cooking and other uses.
There is a variety of mediums to mix the essential oils in depending on what you want. I use a carrier oil and put it directly on my skin. Also I use a witch hazel water spray to spray on clothing and other surroundings. Essential oils do not mix well in water so add another medium like vodka, witch hazel, vinegar or use carrier oil.
ESSENTIAL OIL BUG REPELLENT RECIPE
Use 40% witch hazel or ethyl alcohol or vodka 40 ml
Mix in 60% distilled water 60 ml
For every 100 ml use 50 drops of your choice of essential oil
Put in sprayer bottle and spray on area
ESSENTIAL OIL BUG REPELLENT RECIPE
For every 100 ml of carrier oil of your choice
mix 50 drops of your choices of essential oil
Carrier oils: soybean oil, jojoba, castor oil, raw sesame, olive oil, your choice
Castor oil is very thick and needs another carrier oil to thin it but provides a skin like protection barrier. Mosquitoes also don’t seem to bite when the skin is wet.
Put oil directly on exposed skin.
Wild catnip
USING HERBS:
Use either fresh or dried herbs stewed in a mix of water / vinegar or water / alcohol. This is particularly good for stinky smelling herbs like catnip, which is too smelly to use as an essential oil but is really effective at getting rid of bugs, and everyone else for that matter! I would only use it going into the deep brush at bug time. Use with the other recipe.
TREATING BUG BITES:
If you do get bitten put a mix of baking soda which will neutralize the acid of the bite and mix it with lavender, peppermint or tea tree essential oil as an antiseptic and to help bring down inflammation and swelling. Mixing the oils with witch hazel or adding it too helps.
Caution is advised when using essential oils with children and pregnant and nursing women.
DIY MOSQUITO TRAP
Here is to make an easy, natural, inexpensive mosquito trap and put it far away from your seating areas.
Materials needed:
I sew my own nut milk and herb strainer bags myself out of triangles of cut natural cloth. To strain put the cloth in a strainer over inside a bowl. Put the natural cloth in the strainer and pour the nut or seed milk to filter out the liquid. Pull the ends of the cloth together to wring out the last of the 
