I'm going to quasi recommend an oil for the mosquitos that plague you. Neem oil. It hands down works and is safe. The quasi part comes in because it does NOT smell good. The closest I can come to describing it is sort of onion-y, but not. My dad had a friend that had anaphylactic reactions to mosquito bites (and living in Florida, uh huh) and swore by the stuff. I use it for other purposes, and it's easy enough to mask the smell with other oils (lavender, mint, whatever). Neem is pricey, but you don't use it full strength (unless you're me and have had it up HERE with ants in the house), and it's safe around animals and on food (I use it instead of pesticide in the garden). It's pressed from the neem tree, indigenous to India.
Mosquitoes bite me, but I don't get the itchy welts afterward. However, I remember the plague-like, black clouds of mosquitoes I saw in northern MN in summer and you have my full sympathies. I have never before, or since, seen clouds of mosquitoes like that. ::shudder::
I suspect any unpleasant, strong smelling oil will keep the mosquitoes at bay. I found a 'natural' insect repellent that has stinky oil pressed from chrysanthemum's and a few other essential oils. Another "natural" insect repellent has lemon grass, citronella and tea tree oil. All these have a "NO DEAT" label.
I'm trying it, I'm a little more sensitive to smell than most but I'm trying it, lol. I don't go into anaphylactic shock (I can't believe he survives in FL) but my bites swell up between a nickle size and dates a day after being bite and they itch like mad. The mosquitoes are awful here, especially last three years, I honestly don't go out near water unless I can be covered up head to toe and even then they find me.
Citronella candles are useless around me for some reason, it was like I made a summoning circle with myself as a sacrifice in the middle. I've also tried the plant thing on our deck, which I think one was lemon grass and lavender, they were cautious at first and maybe the bite amount was down but they still came for me. Any bug spray I've used doesn't really work, they'll swarm above my head for a while and then a brave one will swoop down and try, succeed, and then I guess tell all their buddies.
I just fell down a rabbit hole, poking around google to see if the article my dad wrote about neem is still around (it was at least 15 years ago), and I found it! It's geared almost entirely towards orchids, but he did mention the woman with the mosquito allergy, and that my sister used it on her dog for a bad bout of hair mites (mange?). Anyway, I forgot all about (oops) the need to store it in the refrigerator, and only mix what you'll use that day - Neem's effectiveness will break down over time and in the heat.
Most instructions say to mix it with water, but since you want to use it on your skin, I'd use a carrier oil, (olive, jojoba, avocado, whatever) and something to offset the smell of the neem. Water would work, but you'd have to add a drop of liquid soap to emulsify it and that might make it feel weird on your skin, maybe?
Anyway, good luck! Let us know if it does work, or if I should stop recommending it because the mosquitoes laughed at the onion-y garnish and feasted anyway. :|
Try basil plants. You can break a few leaves off and rub it on you. The plants don't work unless you brush against them or break some foliage. I have also experienced the non-effect with citronella candles and oil lamps. Looks like the mosquitoes have become immune to citronella.
There is also a book titled "Biomimicry" by Benyus. The paper quality of the book leaves much to be desired, and there are no pictures which is a real shame, but it's the first general public book on the subject.
The book titled "Shark's Paintbrush" by [can't remember] is more about the author's various business startups than biomimicry so I don't recommend it.
"Frankenstein's Cat" by Emily Anthes; and "Atoms Under the Floorboards" by Chris Woodford (boring first chapter) are not bad either.
I nearly tossed the book half-way through the first chapter - think it was on forces and why your house stands up or something like that. I kept wishing the author would just write out the equation instead of using metaphors. But the rest was ok.
Mosquitoes bite me, but I don't get the itchy welts afterward. However, I remember the plague-like, black clouds of mosquitoes I saw in northern MN in summer and you have my full sympathies. I have never before, or since, seen clouds of mosquitoes like that. ::shudder::
Citronella candles are useless around me for some reason, it was like I made a summoning circle with myself as a sacrifice in the middle. I've also tried the plant thing on our deck, which I think one was lemon grass and lavender, they were cautious at first and maybe the bite amount was down but they still came for me. Any bug spray I've used doesn't really work, they'll swarm above my head for a while and then a brave one will swoop down and try, succeed, and then I guess tell all their buddies.
Most instructions say to mix it with water, but since you want to use it on your skin, I'd use a carrier oil, (olive, jojoba, avocado, whatever) and something to offset the smell of the neem. Water would work, but you'd have to add a drop of liquid soap to emulsify it and that might make it feel weird on your skin, maybe?
Anyway, good luck! Let us know if it does work, or if I should stop recommending it because the mosquitoes laughed at the onion-y garnish and feasted anyway. :|
For the itchy welts, try some anti-allergy cream.
This line sold me. I may even have to Google this because I'm madly curious about this
The book titled "Shark's Paintbrush" by [can't remember] is more about the author's various business startups than biomimicry so I don't recommend it.
"Frankenstein's Cat" by Emily Anthes; and "Atoms Under the Floorboards" by Chris Woodford (boring first chapter) are not bad either.