 Nature's
Way
with Alan Hayes
Keeping pests at bay
The warmer weather of spring and summer invariably leads to a greater deal of our time being spent out-of-doors enjoying leisure time activities. It is also an invitation to all those bothersome insect pests, which bite and annoy us, to join in on the activities.
There are many natural ways in which you can make outdoor activities pest-free and more enjoyable. Insects are all repelled by potent essential oils, such as lavender oil. It can be applied neat to exposed skin, if you avoid contact with eyes and mouth. (Apply sparingly, as it may cause photosensitivity in highly sensitive individuals.) Dab on a few drops and massage well into the skin - renew every couple of hours. Other oils, which will repel insect pests, although not as fragrantly pleasant, are eucalyptus and citronella.
You can dilute any of these three oils with an odourless vegetable oil, like cold-pressed sunflower oil or almond oil, provided it remains highly fragrant, to make it spread further. Alternatively you can blend your own personal repellent to have handy whenever you're out-of-doors or insect pests are a problem.
To make your personal repellent dilute twelve drops of lavender essential oil in five millilitres of vodka or methylated spirits, and then mix it with 150ml of warm water. Bottle and use as required.
Stings and bites also present a problem this time of the year when out-of-doors. As a general first aid measure, apply the inside surface of a banana skin to the painful area, or split an aloe vera leaf (Aloe barbadensis) and rub the gel gently over the area.
Neat lavender oil applied to the site of a sting will also give relief. Apply one drop of oil, and then continue to apply a drop of oil every five minutes, or until it can be seen that the drop is being absorbed. Apply no more than 10 drops in all.
You can also get quick relief from the pain of insect bites by applying eucalyptus oil to sore and swollen areas. Repeat if necessary. Mosquito and ant bites can be relieved by the application of a moist bicarbonate of soda paste.
To relieve the irritation of an insect bite itch, apply neat apple cider vinegar to the itchy spot, or add 500ml of apple cider vinegar to a warm bath and soak in it. Lavender oil and tea tree oil are also effective remedies, so keep a bottle of either in the car or handbag on family outings.
On warm summer evenings during outdoor activities, to keep pests away you have the following choices - a personal repellent, insect repellent lighting, and insect repellent candles.
In outdoor entertainment areas install red lights where you eat and cook, as they help to repel insect pests, and a white light some way off will attract pests. Repellent candles or lamps, that burn citronella oil, are readily available from hardware stores and some supermarkets.
Herbs and essential oils are by far a better way of dealing with insect pests, and deterring them from biting, than harmful, chemical-based concoctions.
|
