I first made this natural repellent when my grandchildren were small and we were going to 'park out' on blankets to watch Fourth of July fireworks. None of our family was bitten, and everyone around us was slapping and whirring their hands all evening. Well, we did finally share our secret gel with the ones close around us.

Recipe for natural bug repellent:

Buy a natural aloe vera gel product from your local store. I like the uncolored type, a clear gel that comes in wide clear plastic bottles. For the recipe we will use two cups of the aloe vera, and this goes a long way.

Mix in a glass bowl or large glass jar. I prefer mixing with a wooden spoon or handle, but it will absorb some of the essential oil odor, which is fresh and clean smelling. This is not harmful.

2 cups clear aloe vera gel *vital component

2 teaspoons tea tree oil *vital component

2 teaspoons citronella essential oil *vital component

1/2 teaspoon rosemary essential oil *optional component

1 teaspoon lemonbalm or lemongrass essential oil *optional helpful component and adds to the light fresh scent.

1/2 teaspoon honey. **Very optional. Honey is a healing agent and also gives a creamy moisture ability to the repellent gel. It does not make gel sticky.

Pour aloe vera gel into bowl or jar. Add the essential oils --I do not actually measure them out, just approximate amounts if you wish. Stir in oils thoroughly, and as you do, the mixture will turn translucent rather than clear.

For use, just slather it on arms, legs, neck, face and ears, even clothing if you make sure it will not be affected by the oils. It would probably irritate the eyes although it is actually a healing gel too.

May pour into jars like baby food jars for storage. It will last a long time. I have some that is two years old and still viable, thought slightly faded in scent.

The common commercial repellent, DEET is actually a diluted poison in a lotion or creme base. It works well as a bug repellent. It is still a poison, and its effects particularly on the vulnerable small child is maximized in their small bodies as it absorbes into the bodily systems through the skin.

Hubpages has excellent writings published on natural mosquito protection, tips to control mosquito reproduction, life cycle and alternative repellent suggestions. Take a while to read them and adjust your natural repellent recipe here to what you prefer. It really works!

 Ms. Mosquito needs nutrients in blood to form her eggs to maturity.  She seems to prefer some humans over others, but any mammal will do for food. 

Mosquitos transmit viral illness, possibly mycoplasms and prions, other negative ingredients in their deadening pre-bite solution.  Malaria is probably the best known classic illness bourne by mosquitos, but West Nile is the more recent commmon one. 

Some researchers believe flu viruses are spread specifically by mosquitos whatever other means the flu virus expands.  Perhaps we should investigate the making of vaccines from mosquitos?