Jun 7, 2002 5 min read

One of the many annoyances that every hiker or backpacker has no control over on a trip is bugs. Mosquitoes, black flies, gnats, no-see-ums, etc. are an inevitable circumstance while traveling in the backcountry. And unless it is the dead of winter, then one or all of these little guys will be buzzing around, seemingly with their little bug radar honed in on you. At least that’s what my wife believes. You see, my wife is a mosquito magnet. The little pests just flock to her. Fortunately for me, with the application of a little bug repellant, mosquitoes seem to shy away from my body completely. Rarely will I return home from a backingpacking trip with even one bug bite, even rarer, however, is my wife finishing with less than 10 bites.

I tell her the reason is she is sweeter than I am, but she’ll have no parts of that argument, claiming mosquitoes are little vampires from hell sent directly by the devil to feast on her blood. Yet, despite her utter disgust of the wicked bloodsuckers, gnats cause her the most distress.

“Ugh… I ate another one!”

“Keep your mouth closed.”

“I can’t. I have to breathe or I’ll die.”

Gnats, while they are known to bite, are better known for flying in a head high blanket above the trail, getting into the eyes, nose, ears and mouth. And it seems most repellants have little effect on the troublesome creatures. Time to put on the head net.

Mosquitoes, black flies, no-see-ums and gnats search us out by seeing us and smelling us, as well as feeling our body heat. No wonder we don’t stand a chance.

There is hope, however, at least in the smell category. Numerous studies have shown that insect repellents make you smell odd to many of the biting insects, so they fly away.

DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the unquestionable champion of the insect repellants. So anything comprised of this chemical is going to repel most insects. But it’s also extremely potent and can strip paint and cause a host of unpleasant physiological reactions. In fact, if any of the powerful chemical touches my wife’s skin, a terrible rash breaks out, compounding her misery.

Luckily for her, safer alternatives continue to surface. These products rely on combinations of naturally occurring substances that were known to repel bugs long before DEET was invented.

In most cases, you’ll need to apply more of the organic products than you would of DEET, and more often.

The good news is that Mother Nature’s bug dope has no known negative side effects. So if you are in the same boat as my wife or simply don’t like the idea of spraying potent chemicals on your body, then here is a list of some of the brands I’ve found and are good alternatives to DEET.

Repel Lemon Eucalyptus

Key ingredients include oil of lemon and eucalyptus.

This formula squeezes out white, smells lemony, disappears as you rub it in and feels slightly greasy. In numerous caged tests (in which humans stick their arms into mosquito-infested containers) conducted by the manufacturer, it was found to be active for six to eight hours – as long as a product containing 20 percent DEET, says WPC. For more information, contact WPC Brands Inc. at 800-558-6614 or check out the Internet site at www.destinationoutdoors.com.

Cactus Juice Insect Protection

The key ingredient is prickly pear cactus extract.

This lotion smells like oranges and contains SPF-20 sunscreen. It disappears without much rubbing and doesn’t feel greasy. Cactus Juice debuted in bug-infested Honduras before arriving in North America.

It repels bugs for six hours, the company says. Contact Safe Solutions Inc. at 877- 554-5222 or visit www.cactusjuicetm.com.

Badger Anti-Bug Balm

Key ingredients are extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, beeswax and essential oil of Eucalyptus citriodora.

This balm has a faint aroma of lemons after smearing on. It goes on clear and feels slightly oily. Badger says that tests in the Appalachian and Adirondack Mountains and various backyards revealed that it works well for up to four hours. Contact W.S. Badger Co. Inc. at 800-603-6100 or visit www.badgerbalm.com.

Green Ban

Key ingredients are citronella, lavender, cajeput, peppermint, myrrh and galbanum.

This lotion has a pleasant, unique aroma and spreads easily and quickly.

The manufacturer tested it in Australian rainforests, where it was effective for up to four hours. Contact Kokopelli Distributors at 304-469-9510 or visit www.greenban.com.

Natrapel

The key ingredient is citronella.

The sweet smell of citronella emanates from your skin after applying Natrapel as either a spray or lotion or with the single-use towelettes.

Natrapel goes on smooth and isn’t greasy. The maker, Tender, says it’s effective for up to two hours. Contact Tender Corp. at 800-258-4696 or visit www.tendercorp.com.

This column will appear periodically in Weekend Scene. For any questions about areas or gear mentioned, directions or any other information, email me at michaelpalm@calkinsnewspapers.com or call the Herald-Standard at 724-439-7500 after 6 p.m.