| Scientists Confirm Folk Remedy Repels Dangerous, Annoying Mosquitoes
One way to liven up your yard and distract mosquitoes is to grow a beautyberry plant or two in your garden, a traditional folk remedy commonly used among residents of Mississippi's hill country for more than a century, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Scientists identified three natural chemicals -- callicarpenal, intermedeol and spathulenol -- in the beautyberry plant that repel mosquitoes known to transmit malaria and yellow fever. Who knows, however, if those extracted chemicals will work safely or properly in a mass produced formulation. The second solution offers more in-depth evidence about the value of building a bat house, especially in the humid subtropical climate of central Florida. The reasoning behind building a bat house, especially in high growth areas like Florida: Bats eat as many as 600 insects an hour, but have steadily have fewer places in which to safely congregate. But you may not have a yard with which to grow a beautyberry plant or build a bat house, so you may be tempted to take the easy route: A commercial insect repellant that contains the deadly and potent neurotoxin DEET. The Outdoor Botanical Gel I sell in my Web store, however, contains aloe vera, cintronella, cold-pressed neem oil and geranoil, and no DEET, the active and harmful chemical in most mosquito repellants. If you're looking for a safer alternative to conventional and toxic solution, read this overview about the risks and discover why the Botanical Outdoor Gel comes with my highest recommendation. |
Last month, I told you about a few high- and low-tech