EL PASO, Texas – You don’t have to travel far to find someone who’s been bitten by mosquitoes this year. The active monsoon season we experienced resulted in additional vegetation and stagnant water, allowing mosquitoes to multiply easily.
But over the past few weeks, the mosquito repellant used to defend our skin against insect bites has been hard to come by.
The bug spray has been sold in many El Paso stores and is only now starting to hit the shelves. This is good news for those who have been “eaten” by the pesky insects. Yet mosquitoes are out and not going anywhere anytime soon.
Joel Arce, mosquito specialist and integrated pest management officer who works for the Texas A&M Agrolife Extension Service, said the peak period for mosquitoes is from early spring to late fall, but they can stay even during winter. Unless there is a “good frost,†which Arce describes as a time when temperatures drop below 32 degrees for at least 4 hours, mosquitoes can stay all year round.
He also says that the active ingredient in most insect repellants, DEET, is perfectly healthy to apply to your skin. The only age group to avoid use is that of newborns. He recommends that if you use insect repellant with DEET on children, avoid getting it on the hands and near the eyes; a rash may develop. If so, he says to clean up the spray and stop using.
For those who don’t want to use chemical-based sprays, there are also homemade products that you can make as well. Using a recipe from the Old Farmer’s Almanac, here’s one you can easily make:
- 2 cups of witch hazel
- 1.5 teaspoon lemongrass oil
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- Mix it and put it in a spray bottle. It is certainly spicy.
For other recipes to combat these pesky insects, you can visit this website: https://www.almanac.com/homemade-bug-spray-recipes.
