I've warned you about the mosquitoes in Alaska, haven't I? You're usually safe (safe being a relative concept) when there's a breeze or you're out on Cook Inlet, but the rest of the time, there are swarms of starving mosquitoes looking for their next meal. There are two reasons to use mosquito repellent. First, it's a major annoyance to have mosquitoes descend upon you and to bite every single square inch of exposed flesh they can find. I don't know if Alaska mosquitoes are especially voracious or not, but I have even been bitten through cloth. Okay. The second reason now, which is becoming more important, is that you don't want to catch mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus. But if you're like me, you always feel a little funny at the alternatives, which are to never go outside or to go outside and cover your body with some awful smelling (and awful tasting) chemical. There is now an alternative, which is a plant-based mosquito repellent called oil of lemon eucalyptus, which comes from Corymbia citriodora, the lemon eucalyptus tree. You can't really get away from the chemicals, but oil of lemon eucalyptus contains a chemical called p-menthane 3,8-diol or PMD. This chemical can be obtained from the lemon eucalyptus or synthesized. I like that it is considered effective not only against mosquitoes, but against no-see-ums, another Alaskan insect which can leave you with some nasty and unsightly bites. PMD is supposed to be very safe for humans and for the environment, but you might want to observe a few precautions. Read the directions. The major side effect is eye irritation, so you are warned not to spray it on your face.

Small children: The CDC recommends not using this on children under the age of three. If you are putting insect repellents on children age 3 or older, you are warned not to put it on their faces, or hands. So you have to work around this somehow.

Adults: For adults, you might want to take a small amount of the repellent, put it in your hand, and smear it on your face and neck. Just be careful how much you put around your eyes and on your forehead. I am always winding up with sunscreen in my eyes--I sure don't want oil of lemon eucalyptus there as well.

How to buy it: The only product I could find with this that was available in the United States is Repel, which in Seattle you can purchase at REI. There may be others--I'll keep looking. The product is supposed to offer up to 6 hours of repelling insects and there is a strong "eucalyptus" smell associated with it.

Minnow's tip: For this to work, you have to put it on, preferably right before you go outside. When we go hiking, we put it on at the trailhead.