Common Insect Repellents
- Birch tree bark is traditionally made into tar. Combined with another oil (i.e. fish oil) at 1/2 dilution, it is then applied to the skin for repelling mosquitos
- DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide)
- Essential oil of the lemon eucalyptus (Corymbia citriodora) and its active compound p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD)
- Icaridin, also known as picaridin, Bayrepel, and KBR 3023
- Nepetalactone, also known as "catnip oil"
- Citronella oil
- Permethrin
- Neem oil
- Bog Myrtle
- Dimethyl carbate
- Tricyclodecenyl allyl ether, a compound often found in synthetic perfumes.
- IR3535 (3--aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester)
- Ethylhexanediol or "6-12 repellent," discontinued in the US in 1991 due to evidence of causing developmental defects in animals
- Permethrin is different in that it is actually a contact insecticide.
- A more recent repellent being currently researched is SS220, which has been shown to provide significantly better protection than DEET.
Read more about this topic: Insect Repellent
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