Sweetgrass, Mosquito Repellant
Hierochloe odorata
Anthoxanthum nitens
Traditionally used by Native Americans, sweetgrass contains chemicals that repel pesky insects. Some Natives wore woven braids of sweetgrass around their necks or adorned their homes with the aromatic plant to repel mosquitoes. Mosquitos are disease vectors for malaria, West Nile Virus, and yellow fever. Mosquitoes kill more humans than murderers.
When tested in the laboratory, sweetgrass plant oil performed as well as DEET, an effective mosquito repellant chemical with strong environmental concerns. The University of Guleph, tested by Cantrell. broke down sweetgrass oil to discover the components responsible for the plant's repellent powers are coumarin and phytol.
Sweet grass is also called holy grass, manna grass, Mary's grass, seneca grass, vanilla grass. It is an aromatic herb native to northern Eurasia and North America.
Where to Purchase Sweetgrass?
This product, a braid of sweetgrass, from amazon got good reviews. It is a braid of sweetgrass that can be hung around the neck.
Sometimes hikers use invisaband to prevent mosquitos from biting. Invisaband contains: No mess, No Spray, No Deet. No plastic. No BPA. Putting an invisaband around your wrist can be a good way to enjoy the outdoors. The natural active ingredient is geraniol oil which disrupts a mosquito's ability to sense a body (making you almost invisible to them).
Here is a startup company making a product called KITE that is a patch that is mosquito repellant.
