Citronella is toxic to pets
Citronella candles and oils are a popular mosquito repellent, but the citronella plant is toxic to pets. Use caution when using citronella products around your pet, and make sure they don't have access to any citronella plants in your garden.Method: The candle (or other devices) puts off a citronella odor that is repellent to mosquitoes. Does citronella work? In areas of limited air movement, the citronella can keep mosquitoes away.
Oil of citronella is a naturally occurring insect and animal repellent distilled from two grass varieties. It is yellow to brown and has a grassy/floral smell. However, the main components are citronellol, citronellal, and geraniol. Oil of citronella is also commonly found in foods and beverages as a flavoring agent.
Plants like citronella, eucalyptus and tansy are known for their pest-repelling properties, but they are also toxic to dogs and cats. You can still repel pests safely and naturally with pet-safe plants.
Does the citronella lose potency over time? Is there an expiration date? No, this candle burns completely and always has its scent. Just keep the lid on.
Oil of citronella, which is derived from several species of lemongrass plants, has long been known and used as a natural insect repellent. One of the most common applications is as an ingredient in outdoor candles to ward off flying pests.
The oil is used in soap, candles and incense, perfumes, cosmetics and also as a plant-based insect repellent. Citronella candles and torches pose a serious fire hazard. Never keep a lit candle near or on a flammable surface such as wood or plastic.
Oranges, lemons, lavender, basil and catnip naturally produce oils that repel mosquitoes and are generally pleasant to the nose – unless you're of the feline persuasion. The odor that mosquitoes most hate though is one you might not have heard of: Lantana.
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is a proven mosquito repellent, indoors and out.
- Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray – Here. Our top choice for most yards.
- EcoGuard Plus – Here.
- Terminix All Clear Mosquito Bait & Kill – Here.
- Thermacell Mosquito Lantern – Here.
Does citronella work? In areas of limited air movement, the citronella can keep mosquitoes away. However, according to NDSU, the candles, and other citronella-emitting devices, have been shown to be ineffective in open areas.
Read on to see which natural repellents work best.
- Lemon eucalyptus oil. Used since the 1940s, lemon eucalyptus oil is one of the more well-known natural repellents.
- Lavender.
- Cinnamon oil.
- Thyme oil.
- Greek catnip oil.
- Soybean oil.
- Citronella.
- Tea tree oil.
Many birds will eat mosquitoes. The more important among these are purple martins, swallows, waterfowl (geese, terns, ducks) and migratory songbirds. Bird predators usually eat both the adult and aquatic stages of mosquitoes. Goldfish, guppies, bass, bluegill and catfish prey on mosquito larvae.
The Best Bug Repellents
- Our pick. Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent. The best bug repellent.
- Runner-up. Natrapel Tick and Insect Repellent. Effective formula, messier application.
- Also great. Cutter Backwoods Dry. The best DEET-based repellent.
- Also great. Sawyer Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent.
Rosemary.
Though you'll want to plant an herb garden for cooking, rosemary repels flies and mosquitoes. It also has a pungent scent that drives away other bugs, including cabbage moths. It does well in hot dry weather, and thrives in containers, so you can set it in various places around the garden.Unfortunately, I've never found any research showing that plants can effectively be used to repel mosquitoes. The plant most commonly sold as the mosquito plant or citrosa is a lemon-scented geranium. However, burning or boiling the herbs may help repel mosquitoes from an area.
11 Plants & Herbs That Naturally Repel Mosquitoes
- Citronella. Chances are, you've heard of this one before- it's one of the most common ingredients in most mosquito repellents.
- Lemon Balm.
- Catnip.
- Marigolds.
- Basil.
- Lavender.
- Peppermint.
- Garlic.
Basil – Flies hate the smell of basil. Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too. Apple cider vinegar – Flies love the smell of apples and vinegar.
Citronella oil is used to expel worms or other parasites from the intestines. It is also used to control muscle spasms, increase appetite, and increase urine production (as a diuretic) to relieve fluid retention. Some people apply citronella oil directly to the skin to keep mosquitoes and other insects away.
In this article, learn about the best natural mosquito repellents and how they work.
- Citronella. Share on Pinterest Dose for dose, citronella can be as effective as DEET.
- Lemon eucalyptus. Lemon eucalyptus essential oil contains 85% citronellal.
- Clove.
- Peppermint.
- Lemongrass.
- Basil.
- Neem.
- Eucalyptus.
Citronella is best known as a mosquito deterrent, but it also repels fleas. These beautiful flowers put off a natural chemical called pyrethrum that repels fleas, ticks and other insects.
When applied to the skin: Citronella oil is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when applied to the skin as an insect repellent. It might cause skin reactions or irritation in some people. When inhaled: It's LIKELY UNSAFE to inhale citronella oil. Lung damage has been reported.
Pests that Lemongrass Repels
Citronella is the most effective in repelling mosquitoes. However, it is also found to be useful in deterring insects like: Flies. Ticks.Lemongrass is LIKELY SAFE for most people when used in food amounts. However, there have been some toxic side effects, such as lung problems after inhaling lemongrass and a fatal poisoning after a child swallowed a lemongrass oil-based insect repellent.
Cymbopogon, also known as lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, oily heads or fever grass, is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family.
Citronella Geranium
They are called the mosquito plant, and they give off a scent mosquitoes don't like. And they are effective in repelling mosquitoes in small areas.Citronella Grass
This low maintenance plant does best in large planters because it cannot withstand frost, but in warmer climates, can be planted directly a sunny area in the ground.Because the plant releases its smell when touched, it is thought to work best as a repellent when the leaves are crushed and rubbed on the skin as mosquitoes are supposed to be offended by its citronella scent.
Citronella mosquito repellents are becoming extremely popular these days. Citronella is an essential oil that is obtained from leaves and stem of one of the plants of the lemongrass specie. There are different varieties of eucalyptus but most of them work very well in repelling mosquitoes.
Citronella oil is an essential oil obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon (lemongrass). The oil is used extensively as a source of perfumery chemicals such as citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol.
