Insect repellent
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Commercial insect repellents. |
An
insect repellent is a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourage
insects (and
arthropods in general) from landing or climbing on that surface. There are also insect repellent products based on sound production, particularly
ultrasound (inaudibly high frequency sounds) or the sounds of natural enemies of various insects.
Common insect repellents include:
*
citronella*
DEET*
Oil of
lemon eucalyptus*
Picaridin or
icaridin (a
piperidine derivative)
Some insect repellents, particularly
permethrin, are
insecticides. Other insect repellents work instead by masking human scent, or by using a scent which insects naturally avoid.
Insect repellents help prevent and control the outbreak of
insect-borne diseases such as
malaria,
Lyme disease,
bubonic plague, and
West Nile fever. Insects commonly serving as
vectors for disease include
fleas, ,
mosquitos, and
ticks.
*
List of insect repellents, from the "Compendium of Pesticide Common Names" maintained by Alan Wood
*
Best Insect Repellent for Mosquitoes, a 2003
Consumer Reports article hosted by
WebMD*
Insect Repellent Reviews of various insect repellent products by Repellent Review
*
CDC Adopts New Repellent Guidance a 2005 press release from the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
