Mosquito experts break down how to choose and use the best mosquito repellents
Only insect repellants with Environmental Protection Agency–registered active ingredients such as diethyl toluamide , p-Menthane-3,8-diol or icaridin have been scientifically proved to effectively keep mosquitoes away.Mosquitoes are masters of speed and subtlety. Rarely do we catch one on our skin mid-bite.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture developed this synthetic chemical in 1946 for Army personnel deployed to mosquito-infested environments. At that time, it was used in a spray—nicknamed “”—that was 75 percent DEET and 25 percent ethanol. Bug juice irritated skin with scratches or cuts, and it held mosquitoes off for only a couple of hours.
PMD is a strong DEET alternative, Fonseca says, especially for people who are seeking a naturally occurring chemical or put off by DEET’s strong odor and greasy texture. PMD is found in eucalyptus plants and, combined with water and a small amount of ethanol, is sometimes sold under the name “oil of lemon eucalyptus.” Icaridin is another synthetic option, Fonseca adds, noting that the latter is often sold in lower concentrations than DEET and PMD and therefore must be applied more often.
PMD and icaridin are no less mysterious. Many experts believe that, like DEET, these products somehow hinder mosquitoes’ senses and thus their ability to hunt down blood meals. But the exact mechanisms are still unknown—and Gross notes that testing such insect repellents’ efficacy isn’t particularly easy or enjoyable: most trials require a human subject to stick a repellent-treated forearm into a mosquito-filled cage. “I work with a friend who once needed to test a repellent,” Fonseca says.
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