7 Natural Ways to Beat Mosquitoes

Summer is a time for the great outdoors. Camping, hiking, swimming, BBQ’s and entertaining outdoors. What do you do when mosquitoes and other biting bugs invade your al fresco fun?! Read on for 7 Green Mama Approved tips to battle bugs without harsh chemicals.

1. Lemon juice rubbed directly on the skin makes you an undesirable landing spot for bugs.

2. Diffuse citronella essential oil.

3. Eat your bug repellent. a garlic rich diet supposedly wards off pesky bugs.

4. Stay indoors or wear covering layers during dawn and dusk

5. Apply oil, such as olive, coconut, or sesame,  to your skin . Mosquitos don’t like landing on oily skin.

6. Make a DIY Bug Spray

   (Recipe via Brittany Wood Nickerson’s Herbal Homestead Journal)

   1.5 oz lemon verbana or mint tea
   1 Tbsp Olive Oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil
   1 Tbsp Witch hazel
   1 Tbsp aloe vera gel
   7 drops lavender essential oil
   10 drops citronella essential oil
   7  Drops tea tree essential oil
   7 drops rose geranium essential oil

   Combine in a 2 oz spray bottle. Shake well before using. Store in a dark place.

7. Make up some Plaintain oil to soothe bites incase all the above fails.

   (Via Melissa Corkhill’s Self-Sufficiency Natural Remedies)

   1.tightly pack a clean jar with plantain leaves (harvested on a sunny dry afternoon) and fill with olive oil to cover.
   2. place jar out of sunlight and store at room temperature for 3 weeks (top up oil to make sure leaves are completely submerged)
   3. strain oil and apply to itchy irritated skin / bug bites

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