natural repellents to stinging insects

**Marina Blomberg blombem@gvillesun.com>**

Well, after lurking all this time, I have finally gotten the nerve to post a message. Since I have learned so much by simply reading the digest each day, I realize there are lots of experts out there in garden writer-land, as well as people who actually do a lot of gardening.

Now this: I am doing a quick-and-dirty (newspaperspeak) feature for Saturday (May 18; in time to warm Memorial Day campers as well) on stinging insects to be encountered in the yard and garden. We're talking Southern garden, now, since I am writing for North Central Florida, so Jeff L may or may not have much to offer — which would be rare...

The usual suspects will be hornets, yellowjackets, sweat bees or yellowflies, blackflies, horseflies and the occasional ticked-off bee. I will also mention  chiggers, scabies and ticks, since we may encounter them, as well as some stinging caterpillars, like the saddleback. Mosquitoes are a whole 'nother story, and will be dealt with separately.

I want to find out alternatives to DEET as a repellent. OFF! now has a plant-based repellent. I know Skin-so-Soft is sometimes recommended (even tho Avon always insists on a disclaimer in there). How about others? Any herbs? Soaps? Citrus peel rubs? Neem oil?

I will be contacting my USDA and University experts, but I like to include anectdotal evidence and even  a little tried-and-true folklore.

You can e-mail me off list, if you want.

Marina Blomberg
The Gainesville Sun
blombem@gvillesun.com

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