Midge repellent

[Ananke]

We were having our lovely sunny day at the plot ruined yesterday by the dreaded Scottish Midge. Then I remembered that i'd read somewhere that mosquitos didn't like the smell of basil and wondered if maybe the midges wouldn't like it either.

Off to the greenhouse I went and picked a few basil leaves, crushed them and rubbed them on my arms and legs and sprinkled the used leaves on the table and patio. They didn't come back near us for the rest of the day, of course it could just be that they had had their fill and headed home but I will be trying this again and if it works i'll be building a small greenhouse just for basil.

Thought I'd share for any members who are bothered with them.

[rustylady]

Good tip!! Apparently Avon's Skin so Soft is a good repellant too.

[Ananke]

I heard that years ago too rustylady, i've never tried it though.

[Alison]

The Avon stuff does indeed work, ask any forest guy up there, they all smell of it

[Bren In Pots]

We always use Skin so Soft when we're camping or out walking and it doesn't smell girly either.

[perkin]

We always use Skin so Soft when we're camping or out walking and it doesn't smell girly either.

My BiL swears by that stuff - though he makes me order it for him as an account with Avon might affect his rock and roll image...

[Ananke]

I must get myself some of this stuff, plus i'll be putting pots of basil around the patio (belt and braces approach)

[Corris]

You can order it five at a time off ebay (it works for horses too, I don't bath in it).

[taff]

I used it last year, had two bites when I'd usually have 20. A friend of mine makes her own with essential oils, lemon balm, geranium and something else i think, mixed with e45.

[Aberdeenplotter]

The Avon stuff does indeed work, ask any forest guy up there, they all smell of it

Army uses it as well they say when on exercise on the Scottish Moors.. Mind you, I kinda find that hard to believe because it pongs and the enemy would smell them before they saw them.

[FionaH]

Having camped at the side of Loch Long and been bitten to death I would try anything!

[Ananke]

Taff, I'd be really interested in your friend's recipe, I made my own cold sore treatment earlier this year and it was a real success. I like the idea of natural, homemade treatments.

[taff]

found it...
"basil, geranium, citronella, lavender, tea tree 1 in 10 dilution i usually put it in coco butter they hate basil you can get everyone but basil from holland and barret"
oops, it wasn't e45...but mine is

[Shadylane]

A couple of Scots told us last week (when we were camping at Loch Lomond) that the midges are now immune to skin so soft. They absolutely leathered us the 2 days we were there (the midges not the Scots). Vitamin B1 is supposed to be good, me dad swears by it and it worked for me one year when I used it (dunno about Scottish midges though). Plus I doubt it would stop them swarming round you - just put them off taking a nibble.

[Ananke]

Thanks for that Taff

Interesting about the Vit B1 Shadylane but yeah, its the swarming around that really gets to me, I don't get bitten too much, definately not as much as OH does, the basil seemed to keep them well away.