Flies
Lemongrass Oil based spray – mix ½ cup of hot water with 20-25 drops of lemongrass essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray along the windows, doors and other areas where flies reside. Lemongrass is a strong insect repellent and will keep the flies away. You can also soak cotton pads into the oil and place them around the house. And you can also use Lavender Oil which you don’t have to dilute in water. Don’t use the oils directly onto the skin though because they are too strong and can irritate it.
Herbs – basil plants, lavender, mint or rue repel flies. You can plant them next to the doorway or in window boxes and take advantage of their anti-insect powers.
These solutions work because the scent they emit is just too strong, so the flies avoid it.
Ants
Here’s what ant exterminators recommend:
- Strongly scented sprays best repel ants. You can create a vinegar spray – 1:1 white vinegar to water and spray it onto their trails;
- Essential oil spray – mix 25 drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil and a cup of water; use it to spray where you see ants as well as near entrances to the house. Re-spray once the scent starts to fade away which is usually in a day or two.
These solutions work miracles because they interfere with the chemical signals ants use to communicate. Ants use special pheromones to trail their way to food so when they pass through a sprayed area, their trails get disrupted. Moreover, passing ants get covered with the spray solution and they bring it to their colony, spreading it all over which, in result, confuses all of the remaining ants as well. This way you can keep them at bay.
Mosquitoes
Lemon Eucalyptus oil is proven to be effective against pesky mosquitoes. Again, you can soak cotton pads and place them around your home, or even outside if you’re having an outdoor evening. Other essential oils also prove effective, although they have a shorter protection time in comparison to repellents that contain DEET. This only means that you need to apply them more frequently but they are still at least as effective as DEET products.
Things that are tested and proven to NOT work:
– Citronella candles
– Bracelets that contain herbal extracts
– Sonic mosquito repellers
There was a study published by the Journal of Insect Science that tested some of the most popular means of repelling mosquitoes. The study found that the above mentioned products aren’t effective at all and do not drive mosquitoes away. Now, the study didn’t investigate the reasons why some products didn’t work but my best guess as a professional who operates with insecticides is because these particular products have too little of the active ingredient that repels mosquitoes. If you’re curious, I can send you the study by the Journal of Insect Science.