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Re: natural repellents to stinging insects

One important thing to remember with insects is the difference between stinging, biting and blood suckers.  No one repellent works on all three.  Also do your research well...the Citrosa geranium which was marketed about six years ago with an alleged trademark and lots of 'field' research was bogus.  The research was never verified or substantiated and no trademark was ever granted.  In the end I think it was just a well financed scam.  Having had Lyme disease twice and Babisiosis once I tend to shy away from the botanical and questionable repellents in favor of DEET...in spite of its drawbacks.  If you make a recommendation for a botanical repellent you owe it to your readers to have some scientifically backed up research to indicate that it works...and for more than a few minutes.  Anecdotal reports can be nothing more than rumors...which don't benef! it the reader or the writer.

Andrew Messinger
The Hampton Gardener
The Hampton Gardener is a Registered Trade Mark  
(Published every Thursday in The Southampton Press)

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