Buzz off
Spring is on its way and that means the return of birds, leaves, flowers…and some less welcome company. Namely, bugs. I live right next to a marsh, and I know within the next month or so the mosquitoes will be zeroing in on our back patio. Or maybe not. Thanks to some recent research, there appears to be a new insect repellant as effective as DEET -- without the risks. Researchers found that a compound from the South American Tauroniro tree keeps mosquitoes at bay. In fact, when they tested it against DEET, the Tauroniro compound actually outperformed -- or I should say outrepelled -- the synthetic insecticide. And not only did it work against mosquitoes, but it also warded off two different types of ticks -- the blacklegged and lone star varieties, both of which are known carriers of Lyme disease. Of course, this research is new – and chances are you don't have any Tauroniro trees growing in your backyard. But there are lots of other natural insect repellants that you can use in the meantime. Garlic and essential cinnamon oil are two of the ones we've discussed in the past. But check your local natural food store for even more options. Source:
"Natural, alternative insect repellant as effective as DEET, study shows," ScienceDaily (www.sciencedaily.com) | 
