Anyone know of a natural bug spray that WORKS?

Many times while living in the interior of Alaska, on fall moose and bear hunts, I would depend on clothing to keep the biting bugs at bay. Long pants, long sleeved shirts, cotton gloves and a head net. Used duct tape to seal off the pant's cuff, and where the sleeves met the gloves. This outfit became day ware and served as pajamas at night.

But for me, DEET, is the normal thing I use. Every so often I have to change the brand of bug spray I am using as the smell of each gets to be more than I can handle after a month of use. LOL For keeping the critters out of the house or RV, we used to use a product called Buhach, which is made out of a flower, but the company has gone out of business from what I understand. It was sold in a powder and was burned, much like incense. We now use pick coils inside prior to going to bed at night. I will light one in the evenings while we are outside sitting around the campfire and then by bedtime, the bugs are dead.

There are several products people recommend, but most don't work for me, as a bug magnet, which I am. The best bug protection my wife can have is to have me near by and none with bother her. LOL Most of the non DEET products do work but for a much shorter period of time for me. Try the Avon product mentioned above and see it it works for you or not. Most sporting goods shops will have a good selection of products, both with and without DEET.

Sometimes it is difficult for people to really test any bug spray, as they are not camping where there are many/any bugs to begin with. A few years back a guy was telling me how well some non DEET product worked for him while staying at the Rivers Edge Campground in Fairbanks. I had to tell him I had stayed at the same park several times in the past and had seldom seen a mosquito there and I wasn't using any bug spray of any type. Most urban campgrounds just don't have a bug problem.

Now, if someone tells me they camped at Tangle Lakes CG, on the Denali Hwy for a week and some product worked well, I am going to pay attention to what they have to say, as that area has always had a bug problem, for the dozen or so years we fall camped there. The same goes for the campground at Dawson's Peak in the Yukon. Great place to stop, excellent food available but they do have bugs, looking to taste you and me. LOL

It is generally accepted in the scientific community that the two major things that attract mosquitoes to humans are: 1. Carbon dioxide, and 2. Body odor.

Many "repellents" work by masking or hiding body odor. Many products that do not contain any pesticide at all can work. An example is Skin So Soft, by Avon.

As of the Carbon Dioxide, people breathing heavily, as happens with exertion, attracts more mosquitoes. A handy excuse not to exert oneself while camping.

You can always stop breathing. :)

My wife bought this stuff it works it called
Bug Away Deet Free Ayurvedic Aromatherapy
ayurvedicaromatherapy.com