The strong fragrance of herbs keeps many biting insects away.
Mosquitoes, flies, fleas and mites are common biting insects in the yard, especially in spring and summer. Biting insects are absent in winter and scarce in the fall. Yards are most populated by biting insects in early morning and late afternoon into evening. During the mid-day they stay out of the direct sun and wind. Insects that bite are more active just before summer storms. There are several plants that repel each type of biting insect. Does this Spark an idea?
Mites
Mites are a member of the arachnid (spider) family and cause skin irritation when they bite. They reproduce quickly and are able to produce up to 16 generations per season. Chiggers and clover mites are two types often found in landscaped areas. They overwinter in the soil and like the hot, dry conditions of summer. Grow herbs with strong fragrance such as dill and coriander to keep mites under control. They are also repelled by alder trees and rye or wheat mulch. Ladybugs and green lacewings are the natural predators of mites.
Mosquitoes
The chemical compounds in many common garden plants can be used to repel biting mosquitoes in the yard. Each plant exudes the compounds naturally but gives more effective relief if crushed or infused into an oil or alcohol base to be rubbed on the skin. Catnip, peppermint and lemon balm are plants that spread easily and provide bug protection from many types of biting insects. Citronella grass forms clumps that reach 5 to 6 feet in height and has grayish-green flat leaves. The oil in its leaves is highly repellent to backyard mosquitoes. Native plants in the Artemisia family, such as mugwort, sage and wormwood, are also effective insect repellents.
Flies
Deer flies, horse flies and black flies sometimes cause itchy allergic reactions when they bite. Plants that have chemical compounds that biting flies do not like include pine trees and the herb basil. Citrus peel can be used in a pomander hung in doorways to discourage flies from entering. Strong-scented herbs of many types will help keep the fly population down. Herbs such as rosemary, catnip, lavender, pennyroyal, rue, peppermint, garlic, tansy and Artemisia provide natural insect controls.
Fleas
The herb pennyroyal is also known as fleabane because of its effectiveness in dispersing fleas from the yard. It is the smallest member of the mint family, growing 3 inches to a foot in length low to the ground. Other mints such as spearmint, peppermint and catnip also provide backyard relief from biting fleas. Taller plants such as rosemary, sage, sweet bay and lemon grass have chemical compounds that fleas do not like. Using any of these plants as a rub or infused into a spray can provide protection from biting fleas.
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