Valerian against mosquitoes. Effective folk remedies for getting rid of mosquitoes. Mosquito repellents from your home medicine cabinet: camphor and “Zvezdochka”

Summer is perhaps the best time of year for outdoor recreation. You can walk all night long. But there is one problem - mosquitoes that lie in wait for people everywhere. A wide variety of devices have been invented to combat them. The most popular are repellents with questionable chemistry.

But today we will remember about environmentally friendly products that are available to everyone and tested by our ancestors. In this article we will look in detail at several excellent ways to fight mosquitoes with improvised means. Surprisingly, these simple tips are very helpful in fighting even very evil and numerous hordes of bloodsuckers, not only at home, but also on a lake or in the forest. Sometimes the advertised aerosol gives up within 20 minutes after its use, and the modest and unattractive apple cider vinegar inflicts a crushing defeat on mosquitoes!

So, let's start, perhaps, with the same apple cider vinegar that was mentioned just above. So, it should be taken orally, and not rubbed, as many people think. Take a tablespoon of this vinegar, drink it and do this three times a day. As a rule, mosquitoes don’t even come near you after this! But I don’t recommend doing this often, since vinegar is, after all, not a very useful substance and it is better to pay attention to more gentle means.

The next folk remedy for mosquitoes is vanilla. Mosquitoes simply cannot stand the smell of vanilla and it’s not a sin to take advantage of it! To do this, you need water and vanilla in the amount of a tablespoon: dilute the powder in water and lubricate your skin and clothes with the resulting solution - not a single insect will bother you anymore!

I have long heard that baby cream helps fight mosquitoes. I heard about it, but I didn’t know how to use this cream correctly. Now I know and will tell you in detail:

1. Take a simple baby cream;
2. Vanilla sugar or pure vanilla is added to it;
3. The cream and vanilla must be mixed very well until a homogeneous mass is obtained;
4. Apply the resulting mixture to the skin.

After such manipulations, not a single mosquito will land on you, let alone try to bite you! The method has been tested by many, including me.

Mosquitoes all have their own scent preferences. They like some smells, others not. Since we want these small evil ghouls not to fly closer than a meter to us, we are interested in precisely those aromas that mosquitoes really don’t like. These odors include:

Tobacco smoke. Despite general statements that tobacco smoke is good at repelling mosquitoes, I cannot say that bloodsuckers bite people who smoke less often than non-smokers. Therefore, you should not start smoking just to get rid of the “biters”.

Mosquitoes really don’t like valerian, so you can safely use it as a remedy against blood-sucking mosquitoes.

If there is a need to drive mosquitoes out of a large room, then you should seek help not from a vacuum cleaner, which many people use to suck up mosquitoes before going to bed, but from banal camphor. Just one hundred grams of camphor oil, if evaporated in a regular electric fumigator, will rid you of mosquitoes for the whole night! Moreover, eucalyptus has the same effect, only to combat bloodsuckers you need to use 100% eucalyptus extract.

If you want to prepare your own mosquito repellent, we recommend making a decoction of fresh basil or bird cherry flowers. Not only flowers, but also the leaves of these plants are suitable for this. The roots of the wheatgrass weed are also quite suitable - a decoction is also prepared from it and used against mosquitoes.

Various oils are very good at repelling blood-sucking brethren, such as:

• Basil oil;
• Clove oil;
• Eucalyptus oil (we’ve already talked about it, but it wouldn’t hurt to repeat it!);
• Anise oil.

Try to anoint the exposed parts of your skin with any of these oils and go somewhere where there are a lot of mosquitoes - mosquitoes will shy away from you like hell from incense! You can smear yourself with pure oil, you can add oil to cologne - the effect will always be the same. It would also be a very good idea to soak a cotton pad with oil and put it somewhere in the room overnight - mosquitoes will not bite!

Mosquitoes also don’t like the smell of tea tree oil, but, alas, I don’t know where to get such oil.

The most popular remedy for mosquitoes is a decoction of wormwood roots. To make such a decoction, you need to take the roots of wormwood, chop them finely and add 1.5 liters of plain water (take about a handful of roots). Then they put it on the fire and just bring it to a boil, after which they insist. The resulting decoction is applied to the skin and clothes - the mosquitoes fly away in horror!

If in the summer you spend most of your time at the dacha and mosquitoes annoy you there, then plant an elderberry near the house or create a bed of tomatoes - mosquitoes simply cannot tolerate either one!

Flying bloodsuckers lie in wait for us not only in the garden - they feel great in the forest and near water bodies. As a rule, to ward off mosquitoes, people, when making a fire in nature, throw pine cones or spruce branches into the fire. The smoke from cones and pine needles reliably drives away mosquitoes.

Fish oil repels insects very well: try lubricating your skin with it and see for yourself that mosquitoes will stop biting you.

There is a common belief that mosquitoes are able to distinguish colors and, for some reason, they do not like yellow. Therefore, some people, going to places where mosquitoes reign, wear yellow clothes. According to some people, this really helps...

If it turns out that mosquitoes have already bitten you, then here are a couple of folk recipes on how to relieve the itching and burning of their bites:

Take a small onion, cut it into two halves and apply the cut side to the site of the mosquito bite. Leave for a while so that the onion juice is thoroughly absorbed into the skin.

The well-known Vietnamese balm “Zvezdochka”, which we all know, helps quite well with the unpleasant sensations after a mosquito bite. Moreover, this strong-smelling product can also be used to repel mosquitoes.

Crush the leaf of a homemade aloe plant firmly in your hands until the juice releases and apply to the bite site. To be sure, you can even tie this sheet with a gauze bandage and walk with it for several hours.

Garden parsley leaves are good for mosquito bites - the treatment is the same as with aloe leaves.

Not only parsley is successfully used after bites, you can also use plantain, fresh bird cherry leaves and peppermint. Apply according to the principle described above.

Some people lubricate mosquito bites with yogurt or regular store-bought kefir. They say it helps, but I haven’t tried it myself...

Prepare a highly concentrated saline solution, soak a cotton swab in it and wipe the bites - the itching and burning will quickly go away. The same effect is achieved by a soda solution, for the preparation of which you will need half a teaspoon of baking soda per 200 grams of water.

And further

1. Valerian or camphor

It is enough to place 100 grams of valerian or camphor over a burner or in an aroma lamp to get rid of mosquitoes even in very large rooms or to protect yourself from insects in nature.

2. Rowan

To prevent mosquitoes from attacking on the street, just finely chop fresh rowan leaves and rub them on exposed skin.

3. Essential oils: cloves, anise, basil

5-10 drops of essential oils of clove, anise or basil per glass of water, and lubricate exposed skin with this solution. This is a great way to protect yourself from annoying blood suckers. You can place a container with aromatic liquid on a heated frying pan or over a candle. You can moisten a piece of cotton wool with one of the oils and place it on the windowsill.

4. Elderberry

It is enough to place fresh elderberry branches in the room so that not a single mosquito will fly into the room. The smell of tomato leaves works in much the same way.

5. Juniper

To prevent mosquitoes from bothering nature, it is enough to throw juniper branches into the fire.

6. Cedar oil

The smell of cedar oil can repel not only mosquitoes, but also cockroaches and flies.

7. Wormwood

Not a single mosquito will come close if you wash your face and hands with a decoction of wormwood roots. To do this, add 1.5 liters of water to a handful of chopped roots, bring to a boil, and then let it brew for 20-30 minutes.

8. Eucalyptus

If you run out of liquid for your electric fumigator, there is no need to rush to the store for a replacement unit. You can pour 100 percent eucalyptus extract into the bottle. You can rest assured that mosquitoes will forget the way into your house!

And the most famous DIY trap:

• To protect yourself from mosquitoes, midges, midges, hang several fresh branches of any of these plants in front of the entrance to the room: bird cherry, elderberry, wormwood, tansy, yarrow, sweet clover. When going for a walk, put cotton balls soaked in clove, lavender, and cedar oils in your clothing pockets. You can also lubricate exposed areas of the body with clove, anise or eucalyptus oil. Mosquitoes are less attracted to dark clothing.
• Aconite- For 0.5 liters of alcohol, take 70 g of dry or 50 g of fresh green aconite (grass, stems, roots). Leave for 3 weeks in a dark, warm place. For headaches, apply the tincture from temple to temple. If you rub the bridge of your nose with it in the initial stages of the flu, your nose immediately begins to breathe. Relieve toothache with a cotton swab dipped in the tincture - put it either in a hollow or lubricate the gums on the inside and outside. And if you smear the tooth with aconite tincture before removing a tooth and wait a few minutes, sensitivity to pain will disappear, as after an anesthetic injection. Aconite perfectly heals a dog bite. If the wound is lubricated with tincture, it will heal quickly and without complications, just like a burn. There won't even be any scars left. After frostbite, complicated by purulent inflammation, you just need to lubricate the sore spot - and the more often, the better.
• Aloe- For insect bites, scratches, cuts, fungal infections, wipe the sore spots with aloe juice.
• Balm“Golden Star” - - For insect bites, wipe the skin with this balm.
• Marigolds (tagetes)- Fresh juice from marigold leaves relieves itching and pain from mosquito bites and other blood-sucking insects. Simply rub the leaves in your hands and apply to the itchy area.
• Valerian- The smell of valerian repels mosquitoes.
• Validol- If you are stung by a bee or wasp, after removing the sting, apply a validol tablet, slightly moistened with one side in water, to the site of the bite, and rub the sore spot with the tablet. Itching and pain will decrease, and swelling will not occur.
• Veronica spicata- Hot baths, poultices for viper bites, poisonous spider bites.
• Vodka - For bee, wasp, hornet, and mosquito bites - if a tumor appears, make a compress of vodka.
• Carnation- 1) Clove oil - 1 part, cologne - 5 parts, alcohol - 25 parts: a remedy that protects against mosquito bites; 2) Boil 5 g of dry cloves for 15 minutes in a glass of water, then pour 10 drops of the decoction into a tablespoon with any cologne. To repel mosquitoes, midges and midges.
• St. John's wort- 830 g of St. John's wort flowers, pour 1 liter of unrefined olive oil, keep the mixture in a water bath in a ceramic refractory container for 3 hours, strain. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day. The course is 14 days, then take a break for 1 week and, if necessary, repeat the course (do this until the condition improves). Stomach ulcer. This oil is also used to treat wounds, burns, lichen, bites, and trophic ulcers.
• Toothpaste- Lubricate the bite area with any toothpaste. This measure relieves irritation, itching, prevents swelling, and has a disinfectant effect.
• Iodine- If you are bitten by a sand mite, it is recommended to scratch the bitten area and lubricate it with iodine for 3 days, morning and evening.
• Cabbage - For burns, cuts and insect bites, place a thin layer of sauerkraut on the affected area, and on top - a napkin soaked in cabbage brine. Keep the bandage on for 30-60 minutes. Apply it 3-4 times a day. If a burning sensation appears from the brine, you need to dilute it with cold boiled water in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2.
• Potato - For bee, wasp, hornet, and mosquito bites, apply raw potatoes to the affected areas.
• Kefir -- For insect bites, wipe the skin with kefir.
• Forest bells- Apply lotions made from fresh herb juice or infusion to wounds, abrasions, dog bites, cat scratches, sore spots with rheumatism.
• Lemon- 1) If you are bitten by a mosquito, rub the blister with a lemon peel; 2) When a wasp stings, a slice of lemon will take away the pain.
• Linden- Moisten the sheet with resin and apply to the bite site. The pain goes away and there is no swelling. Insect bites.
• Burdock - Leave 75-80 g of fresh burdock root and 200 g of sunflower oil in a warm place for 24 hours, cook for 15 minutes, strain. Lubricate wounds, as well as bedsores, acne and bee and snake bites.
• Onion - For bee, wasp, hornet, and mosquito bites, apply raw onion pulp.
• Indian onion- For bites from bees, wasps, hornets, and mosquitoes, apply cotton wool soaked in Indian onion tincture.
• Potassium permangantsovka- If a sting remains after a bee or wasp sting, you must first remove it (with tweezers or nails). In the case of all bites - bees, wasps, horseflies - place the bite site under a stream of cold water or apply a cold compress. Then put a cotton swab moistened with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate or water and salt (1 teaspoon per glass) on the bite site.
• Mint- Apply a paste of crushed mint leaves to mosquito bites.
• Ammonia -- For insect bites, wipe the skin with an aqueous solution of ammonia 1:1
• Soap- If you are bitten by a bee, try to remove the sting and treat the wound with soapy water and apply cold. Wasps do not leave a sting when they bite, so soapy water and an ice pack are enough.
• Cucumber- A slice of cucumber when stung by a bee will cool the skin and reduce swelling.
• Dandelion- 1) For insect bites, wipe the skin with dandelion juice; 2) Beat fresh dandelion juice with warm pork internal fat and store in the refrigerator. Use for allergies, skin rashes, thrombophlebitis, eczema, insect bites; 3) Collect dandelion flowers in a glass jar without compacting them. Then fill it to the brim with sunflower oil and let it steep. After a day, place the jar in a pan of boiled water for 40 minutes for sterilization, after which strain the oil through 2 layers of gauze, squeeze it out and lubricate it with sore areas of the skin for rashes on the lips, scabies, boils, burns, insect bites.
• Parsley - For bee, wasp, hornet and mosquito bites, apply fresh parsley leaves.
• Tansy -- For insect bites, wipe the skin with tansy juice
• Baking soda - For bee, wasp, hornet, and mosquito bites, apply lotions: 0.5 teaspoons of soda per 1 glass of water.
• Plantain- When stung by a wasp or bee, chew a plantain leaf and apply it to the bite site.
• Sagebrush- 1) Not a single mosquito will touch your hands or face if you wipe them with a decoction of wormwood roots: pour a handful of chopped roots into 1.5 liters of water, bring to a boil, leave, heat twice more, then strain; 2) To reduce itching from a mosquito or midge bite, lubricate the bite site with the juice secreted from a broken leaf or flower shoot.
• Purslane- Succulent, recumbent stems with small oval leaves and yellow flowers. In our country it grows as a weed, in some countries as a valuable vegetable plant. Fresh herbs are added to salads, soups, seasonings, marinated like mushrooms, and added to wine. An infusion of the herb is used for diseases of the kidneys, liver, diabetes, paralysis of an infectious nature, arthritis, gonorrhea, dysentery, as an antidote for snake and insect bites: 1 tbsp. Brew a spoonful of chopped herbs with a glass of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, leave for 1-2 hours, strain. Take ¼ cup 3-4 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals for 3 months. Hypertensive patients can use purslane in small quantities - no more than 50 g per day.
• Curdled milk -- For insect bites, wipe the skin with curdled milk.
• Chamomile- 1) Hang gauze bags with dry Dalmatian chamomile indoors; 2) Chamomile oil: Fill a liter jar halfway (or a little more than half) with chamomile inflorescences, fill it to the top with good sunflower oil (unrefined, cold pressed) or high-quality olive oil, close the container tightly, place in a dark place for 15 days, shaking occasionally. Filter the finished oil through cheesecloth and squeeze out the flowers. Store for up to 1 year in a cool, dark place. Instill chamomile oil into the nose (1-2 drops in each nostril) for a runny nose with pus, sinusitis, and sinusitis. Take in a mixture with honey (2 drops of chamomile oil per 1 teaspoon of honey) 2 times a day for a week for decreased immunity, poor appetite, gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers (not exacerbation), menstrual irregularities, menopause . Chamomile oil can be applied in its pure form without dilution, but applied pointwise to problem areas with a cotton pad soaked in oil for 10 minutes. This is done for eczema, dermatitis, skin inflammation after exposure to the sun, thermal burns (at the healing stage), insect bites, poorly healing wounds and ulcers on the skin, acne, acne, fine wrinkles, rosacea, ingrown toenails (at the tissue healing stage after surgical treatment), baldness, dandruff (in this case, the oil is rubbed into the hair roots for 30 minutes, then washed off) Apply chamomile oil externally for 7-10 days in a row. Contraindication: Pregnant and lactating women and children under 6 years of age are prohibited from using chamomile oil for internal use.
• Fish fat - To protect yourself from mosquito bites, lubricate your face and exposed parts of the body with fish oil.
• Earwax- When stung by a bee or wasp, lubricate the area with earwax.
• Salt- To eliminate unpleasant consequences, lubricate the bite site with a solution of salt in water or a mixture of salt and honey. Regular implementation of such procedures helps reduce swelling and itching of the body. For bee, wasp, and mosquito bites.
• Soda- 1) 1 teaspoon of baking soda per glass of water. Wipe exposed areas of the body with this solution several times a day. Mosquitoes are reluctant to land on such a “soda coating”; 2) Mix warm water with baking soda (3 parts baking soda to 1 part water) or activated carbon (open 2-3 capsules with charcoal and add a few drops of water). Apply the paste to the bite and press it in with your finger, then cover with gauze or plastic wrap to retain moisture. These home remedies will not only reduce pain or swelling, but will also help neutralize some of the toxins found in insect venoms.
• Spiraea- When bitten by a snake, apply crushed freshly cut root of the plant to the affected area.
• Crassula- To stop the pain and itching, moisten the bite site with the juice of the houseplant Crassula arborescens (money tree). Bite from mosquitoes, bees, wasps.
• Dill- Apply fresh dill to the bite sites.
• Vinegar- 1) mosquitoes do not like the vinegar smell, so you can wipe the skin with table vinegar diluted with water (1:1); 2) For insect bites, wipe the skin with table vinegar.
• Apple cider vinegar - periodically moisten the affected areas with undiluted apple cider vinegar. Staphylococcal infections, burns, ulcers, various skin rashes, insect bites, contusions, bruises.
• Urine - For bee, wasp, hornet, and mosquito bites, make compresses from urine.
• Tripartite sequence- If after a bee or wasp sting there is a sting left, then it must be pulled out. Apply fresh crushed leaves of the tripartite series, which has antiallergic properties, to the bite site.
• Garlic- If you are stung by a bee or wasp, thoroughly moisten the bite site with garlic or onion juice. The pain goes away quickly and the swelling goes down.
• Wool- In case of a dog bite, sprinkle the wound with ashes from a burned piece of fur from the dog (if possible, the one that bit).
• Echinacea- 1) Take 25-25 drops of echinacea tincture in a glass of water 2 times a day 15 minutes before meals, course 5 days; 2) 2 tbsp. Pour a glass of boiling water over spoons of fresh echinacea herb (or 1 tablespoon of dry herb), keep on low heat for 5-7 minutes, leave for an hour, strain and add boiled water to the infusion to the original volume. Take 1 tbsp. spoon of decoction 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals. Course 5-7 days. To improve the condition of the victim. Bites, (scratchings) from a stray cat or dog
• Ointment: 2 parts of sunflower oil in which the onions were fried, 1 part of beeswax, put in an enamel pan and put in a water bath. Stirring, heat the mixture until the wax is completely melted. When the mass becomes homogeneous and elastic, remove the saucepan from the water bath and cool. Spread the medicine on a beet or cabbage leaf, or burdock leaf. Rinse the sheet well first. In winter, gauze can be used instead of leaves. Place the “sandwich” on the sore spot. You can also heal any wounds on the skin: abrasions, insect bites, boils.
• Mixture: To scare away midges, the following remedy is suitable: pour into 1 tbsp. spoon a little cologne and add 5-10 drops of clove or anise oil, or valerian tincture, or ammonia-anise drops. Wipe exposed skin with this solution.

Photo: Christine Schneider/Cultura/Getty Images

1. Deterrents include the smell of valerian and tobacco smoke. 100 grams of camphor, evaporated over a burner, will get rid of flies and mosquitoes even in very large rooms.

2. In the old days, a decoction of wheatgrass roots, one of the most common weeds, was used to repel mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects.

3. You can use finely chopped fresh leaves and flowers of bird cherry or basil.

4. The smell of cloves, basil, anise and eucalyptus also repels mosquitoes. Any of the oils of these plants can be used for protection - just lubricate exposed skin or drop the oil into cologne (5-10 drops), as well as on a fire source - in a fireplace, fire, on a candle or a heated frying pan. Soak a cotton swab with the oil of these plants and place it on the windowsill.

When you run out of liquid for your electric fumigator, don’t rush to the store for a replacement unit. Pour 100% eucalyptus extract into an empty bottle. Mosquitoes will forget the way to your house.

5. Tea tree oil can also be used as a repellent and helps relieve itching after bites.

Photo by Getty Images/Tetra images RF

6. If you live in a country house or spend the night at the dacha, plant elderberries under the windows or arrange a tomato bed. Bring fresh elderberry branches into your rooms; they repel mosquitoes in the same way as the smell of tomato leaves.

7. If you decide to sit in nature, boil a samovar on pine or spruce cones or throw lightly dried juniper needles into the fire.

8. An old folk remedy against mosquitoes is Persian, Dalmatian or Caucasian chamomile (aka pyrethrum). Dried inflorescences, stems and leaves of these types of chamomile, crushed into powder, affect the nerve cells of insects. It is enough to place a few bouquets of chamomile around your apartment or house, and you will be free from mosquitoes for a week.

9. The smell of cedar oil repels not only mosquitoes, but also flies and cockroaches.

10. Not a single insect will touch your face if you wash your face with a decoction of wormwood roots. It’s easy to prepare a decoction: a handful of chopped roots are poured with one and a half liters of water, brought to a boil and left to infuse.

If you've already been bitten

Itching from a mosquito bite can be relieved with a solution of baking soda (0.5 teaspoon per glass of water), ammonia (half with water) or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Bite areas can be lubricated with kefir or yogurt.

Lightly mashed fresh leaves of bird cherry, plantain, parsley or mint relieve pain and itching from a bite.

And don’t forget about the good old “Star” balm. By the way, it also repels mosquitoes very well.

Yellow color - no passage!

Some fighters against flying bloodsuckers claim that mosquitoes hate the color yellow. So, when going to the dacha, to the forest, to the river, find yourself clothes in a suitable color.

As soon as it became warm outside, annoying mosquitoes immediately began to appear in the apartments. Until the end of summer, these insects will not give us a quiet life - with rising temperatures they will only become more numerous. True, not everyone suffers from them equally: some are avoided by mosquitoes. And for some reason, on the contrary, they “love” other people. Is it true that some citizens are more attractive or “tastier” to insects? How to protect yourself from the bites of these annoying bloodsuckers? The famous pediatrician Oleg Bubnov spoke about this.

“Ah, red summer! I would love you..."

“...If only it weren’t for the heat, the dust, the mosquitoes, and the flies,” Alexander Pushkin once wrote. I completely agree with the poet, especially regarding annoying blood-sucking insects. While relaxing in the evening by the river, at the dacha, and now in the city, we become targets of mosquito attacks. These creatures are omnivorous and give no mercy to anyone. But it turns out that even they have their own preferences. Experts from the University of Florida (USA) confirm this. According to their data, in a group of tourists or summer residents, mosquitoes will have about 20% of their “favorites.”

Another interesting data on this matter was provided by Japanese scientists in 2004. They proved that mosquitoes bite people with the first blood group more often; those with the second group suffer half as much trouble from these insects. In addition, when searching for prey, insects very accurately calculate the increase in carbon dioxide concentration. Carbon dioxide is found in the air we exhale. It is logical to assume that larger people, who exhale more CO-2, are more likely to be victims of their attack. They also very accurately identify areas of the body with elevated temperature.
Now imagine yourself after playing volleyball in the hot summer air. Introduced? Congratulations, get ready for a visit from a group of hungry mosquitoes, among which only females drink blood.

Flock to beer

“Komarikhs” are especially fond of beer lovers. The same Japanese found that just one bottle of beer drunk makes a person a desirable dish for these insects. What does this say about some Samarans who, in their appetites for dried fish, can absorb monstrous doses of their favorite foamy drink. Japanese participants in the experiment drank only 350 ml of beer, containing 5.5% alcohol, and still the number of mosquitoes landing on these people increased significantly compared to the group that did not drink beer. It was not possible to determine exactly what attracted the mosquitoes: the alcohol content or the increased skin temperature. But the fact that a person who drinks an intoxicating drink is attractive to female mosquitoes has been proven, although the mystery of this phenomenon has not yet been solved.

The attractiveness of “homo sapiens” to mosquitoes is also influenced by the presence of bacteria living on our skin. This was discovered in 2011 by a large group of scientists from the Netherlands, the USA and Germany. Also, the bodies of individual people can secrete repellents (substances that repel insects) along with sweat. This group includes two substances: 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and geranylacetone.

As true predators, mosquitoes, in addition to their sense of smell, also use their vision when going out to “hunt”. Even the color of your clothes plays a role. Those people who wear black, dark blue or red clothes have the greatest chance of becoming a victim of mosquitoes. Keep this in mind.

A special delicacy for mosquitoes are expectant mothers. They get on average twice as many mosquito bites due to the combination of the two factors described above. A pregnant woman's exhaled breath contains 21% more carbon dioxide, and her average body temperature is approximately 0.6°C higher.

Protective herbs

— Now a few words about protection. When going outdoors, don't forget to take proprietary repellents with you. Their assortment today is very large. Skin creams provide protection for 2–3 hours, and aerosols that are applied to clothing, protective nets, and tents can last for a month if items treated with repellent are not washed.

But when using synthetic products, it is important to remember that they may be less safe. The toxic substances contained in repellents are not harmless to humans or pets. According to doctors, 12% of people suffer from an allergic reaction to insecticides.

Along with patented products, there are many traditional recipes for mosquito repellent. Since ancient times, people have been fighting bloodsuckers, mainly with the help of pungent odors that mosquitoes cannot tolerate. The following can repel mosquitoes: camphor or valerian, evaporated over a burner, candle or lamp. But this scent is not for everyone. These annoying insects do not like the smell of fresh elderberry branches and tomato leaves.

To repel mosquitoes, you can wash your face in the morning and evening with a decoction of wormwood roots. To do this, pour a handful of chopped roots with 1.5 liters of water, bring to a boil and leave for 20-30 minutes. Essential oils can help: cloves, basil, anise, eucalyptus, cedar, which are applied to exposed skin (5-10 drops per glass of water). Soak a cotton pad with this oil and place it next to your pillow. It will not be superfluous to rub the skin with pre-chopped fresh bird cherry or rowan leaves.

In nature, juniper branches in a fire, if the fire situation allows, will also help protect yourself from unpleasant guests.
In addition, during a walk or picnic, proper clothing will provide universal protection against both mosquitoes and ticks. Wear light, thick clothing with long sleeves and a hood that covers exposed areas of the body as much as possible.

Final advice: try to protect yourself from mosquito bites by all available means, because no one has canceled the diseases that these insects can transmit from one person to another.

Good to know if you have allergies

In some cases, a mosquito bite leads to a severe allergic reaction, including anaphylactic shock, the symptoms of which include fever, redness and itching, headache, choking, swelling of the larynx, dry cough and convulsions.

In this case, to avoid death, assistance must be provided within an hour after the mosquito bite.
So, if the bite site turns red, first treat the wound with antiallergic gel or cream. Take an antihistamine right away to help prevent more severe allergy symptoms. Be sure to apply a cold compress or ice to the itchy bite area and periodically moisten the mark with a soda solution (a teaspoon per 1/2 cup of water).

Vladimir Yudin, Samara Izvestia

Mosquitoes can easily ruin a long-awaited vacation by the lake, a hike in the forest, or harvesting. Modern creams and sprays are quite expensive and often have contraindications. In this case, folk remedies for mosquitoes, which have long proven their effectiveness, can come to the rescue.

Insects, including mosquitoes, are very sensitive to unpleasant odors. It is this fact that is taken as the basis for finding effective ways to combat them.

One of the options for folk remedies for mosquito bites are essential oils with pronounced aromas. Their advantages lie in their natural origin and convenient use. And their smell often has a calming and relaxing effect.

Not all types of oils will help solve the problem. Moreover, different smells are suitable for repelling different types of insects. In the case of mosquitoes, the most effective are:

• Citronella;
• Thyme;
• Rosemary;
• Carnation;
• Lavender;
• Eucalyptus;
• Basil;
• Geranium.

To enhance the result, you can mix several types with each other. Examples of such combinations might look like this:

• 5 drops each of lavender and peppermint;
• 5 drops each of lavender, cloves and peppermint;
• 5 drops each of lavender and cedar;
• 5 drops each of lavender, clove and tea tree.

The mandatory use of lavender is due to its softening effect and pleasant aroma. And it is this that is allowed as a folk remedy against mosquitoes even for small children, but in this case it must be applied not to the skin, but to items of clothing or, for example, a stroller. For adults, on the contrary, applying oil to exposed areas of the body will be most effective.

A contraindication may be an allergic reaction, which usually manifests itself in the form of a skin rash or shortness of breath.

Vanillin is an effective repellent against mosquitoes and midges.

Every housewife has used vanillin at least once when baking pies, but few people know that it is one of the representatives of folk remedies for mosquitoes and midges. It is important not to confuse it with vanilla sugar available in stores, which, on the contrary, can attract annoying insects even more.

To prepare the product you will also need water and a spray bottle. Vanillin is poured into a warm but not hot liquid at the rate of 1 sachet per liter. If you use boiling water, the effectiveness of the product will decrease. The prepared solution is poured into a spray bottle. You don’t have to buy a new one; any left over used cosmetics will do. Using it, the product is sprayed onto clothing, furniture, or even a stroller.

The effect of vanillin expires after about half an hour, so for long walks it is better to prepare a larger volume. Shelf life – 2-3 days.

Vanillin is a fairly safe product, but it is still not recommended for use in children under 2 years of age and people suffering from asthma and skin diseases.

Herbal decoctions to repel mosquitoes

Decoctions based on herbs with pronounced odors are the most popular folk remedies for mosquitoes in nature. In order to prepare them, you will have to spend some time, but they usually have an effect.

Sagebrush

This herb is known for its bitter, pungent odor. In order to use it for your own purposes, just pour 1.5 liters of boiling water over one fresh bunch and put it on the stove to boil for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can use its root instead of the herb itself. The finished solution is infused for at least 5-6 hours, after which you can begin using it, namely wiping open areas of the body or washing your face.

Wheatgrass

Many summer residents are actively fighting this weed, not knowing that it can be successfully used in the fight against mosquitoes. You just need to pour the crushed dry root of the herb into 1.5 liters of boiling water and put it on the stove. Boil the broth 3 times until its color turns light yellow. The finished liquid is cooled and filtered, after which it can be used to wipe the face, hands and other areas of the skin.

Valerian is not a well-known, but quite effective way to protect against mosquitoes. In order to make a decoction, you need to pour 4 tablespoons of the crushed root into 1 liter of boiling water and simmer over the fire for 25 minutes. The strained product is also rubbed onto areas of the body.

Mosquito repellents from your home medicine cabinet: camphor and “Zvezdochka”

If you have products such as camphor ointment and “Star” balm in your first aid kit, you can safely use them as protection against mosquitoes. These folk remedies have a specific, rather pungent odor that insects do not like at all.

If we talk about camphor, its effect is much stronger than many other remedies. The downside is that the smell is too strong, which if it gets on clothes can ruin them. Therefore, you can turn your attention to camphor oil. It can be used to protect premises from insects, such as a country house or even a tent. It is enough to drop a few drops of the product onto a hot frying pan and walk with it along the inner perimeter. The smell will quickly dissipate and not a single mosquito will risk flying in.

Camphor is also part of the famous “Star” balm. Its effect is enhanced by ointment components such as menthol, eucalyptus, mint and cloves. It is enough to apply it to the skin in a thin layer, but you should avoid sensitive areas, as the product may cause a burning sensation.

Cologne “Carnation”: the best of alcohol-containing means of protection

Cloves are not only a beautiful plant, but also an excellent folk remedy for mosquitoes and midges. Its sharp, special smell literally blinds nearby insects. The older generation remembers the good old “Carnation” cologne in a glass bottle with a red cap. This cologne is suitable for protection against mosquitoes; just apply a small amount to your skin or clothing.

If it is not possible to find it, you can use a simple base cologne, adding a few drops of purchased clove essential oil or a prepared decoction. In order to make a decoction yourself, you need to boil 5-6 grams of herbs with 200 ml of water.

What to do if mosquitoes have already bitten you?

If you cannot avoid a mosquito attack, and the resulting bites are very bothersome, you should take action. First of all, the bite areas should be washed with water and wiped with a clean cloth. This will prevent infection and contamination. Methods to soothe itching may include:

• Apply a cold compress for 10 minutes. The procedure must be repeated several times with a break of 1 hour;
• Mix 3 teaspoons of baking soda with a teaspoon of water to form a thick paste. Apply the product to the bite and remove when it is completely dry using warm running water. You can repeat the procedure several times a day. This method is suitable even for small children and pregnant women;
• Essential oils of tea tree, mint or eucalyptus can relieve itching and swelling. They must be applied in a thin layer and rubbed into the skin with light movements without effort. Usually the effect lasts quite a long time;
• Aloe juice has a good soothing and regenerating effect;
• You can apply a piece of cotton wool soaked in ordinary medical alcohol to the bite. Cologne or vodka will also work. For children, this option is undesirable, since they have very sensitive and delicate skin;
• Unusual methods suggest rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana peel or applying a small amount of toothpaste to it;
• If you have dry milk on hand, you can dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:2 and apply it to the bitten area;
• In nature, plantain can help out; it must be ground into a paste before application.

And, of course, the easiest way is to use special anti-inflammatory drugs. They can always be purchased at the pharmacy. If the swelling at the site of the bite becomes severe, then it is better to play it safe and take an antihistamine. These can be ointments, tablets, drops. They will have a quick calming effect.

What not to do if you are bitten by mosquitoes

Mosquito bites should not be rubbed or combed, no matter how much you might want to do so. The result of such actions can be not only the appearance of scars due to skin damage, but also an increased risk of infection or the development of an allergic reaction.

Most often, medical attention for mosquito bites is not needed, and it is enough to endure the unpleasant itching sensation for a couple of days. But there are exceptions when it is necessary for a doctor to assess the condition of the bite site. These include:

• If the number of bites is very large and they cover most of the body;
• The spots are quite large, their diameter exceeds 5 cm;
• The lesion is located very close to the eyes;
• Swelling of the skin and severe itching do not go away within several days, even with the measures taken;
• Due to the mosquito attack, the body temperature rose;
• Severe headache bothers you;
• The general condition of the body began to deteriorate.

Each of these signs may indicate an allergy to mosquito saliva or the development of mosquito encephalitis. Therefore, failure to seek qualified help in a timely manner can cause damage to your health. This is especially important when the above symptoms appear in children under 5 years of age.