Herbal Insect and Pest Repellent Recipe

2 1/2 teaspoons total of any combination of the following essential oils (available at health food stores):

basil
cedarwood
citronella
juniper
lemon
myrrh
palmarosa
pine
rose geranium
and/or rosemary

1 cup 190-proof grain alcohol (available in liquor stores)

Place ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously.

Transfer to small bottles for storage.

To use, rub a small amount on any exposed skin (test first to be sure your skin will not be adversely affected by the repellent) or dab it on clothing.

Experiment a little to find which essential oils work best with your body chemistry. If you're lucky, you also will like the way they smell; otherwise, add a few drops of peppermint oil to fine-tune the fragrance.

Source: Mother Earth News

If you are Bitten…

From the backwoods to the back yard, plantain (Plantago, various species) is one of the best herbs to treat bug bites.

You probably won't need to plant this home remedy because it is a very common weed, often growing in compacted soil along sidewalks and driveways. To use the plant as first aid for a mosquito bite, crush a few leaves and rub them on the bite.

Some anti-itch drugstore medicines to use include Calamine lotion or cortisone creams. Doctors generally recommend pain relievers, ice packs and meat tenderizer to treat insect bites and stings. Promptly applying a dab of commercial meat tenderizer directly to a sting can neutralize the allergen.

Adopted by Mother Earth News
From: The Green Pharmacy : The Ultimate Compendium Of Natural Remedies From The World's Foremost Authority On Healing Herbs (Green Pharmacy)

Herbal Insect Repellent