So I had a brain storm. . . I would go into business for myself. Now at least I get to work those long hours and make that money “on my terms.” I own a business I have bragging rights to! Through last 20+ years I have learned a few things. Some are things that make sense and can be duplicated and some can only work for certain personality types.

When you are in your home environment, there are many things you can to to stop mosquitoes from invading your space. When you are away, on camping trips, traveling, or for other outdoor activities away from home, you need to be armed with a good repellant. Most over counter products contain DEET, a powerful and effective repellent. Many people prefer to stay away from using DEET. DEET, while effective, is still toxic to humans and incautious use may have negative health consequences. While Center for Disease Control and other governmental authorities recommend its use, many medical experts caution against it. Instead, consider using a natural mosquito repellant. Like rest of us, mosquitoes find certain scents attractive, and some repel them. Natural mosquito repellants have been around much longer than their manufactured chemical counterparts. And, it is safe to say that what works for one person will not work as well for another. When applying natural mosquito repellants, keep in mind that, because of their gentler nature, they will probably have to be applied with greater frequency, generally at least once per hour, and after heavy perspiration. There are many, many different "home remedies", so experiment with all of them to see which natural mosquito repellants work best for you.

CATNIP OIL One of most promising new natural substances for repelling mosquitoes is catnip oil. The active substance in this oil, nepatalone, is 10 time more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET,according to a recent study at University of Iowa. Catnip oil repellant can be obtained in three ways. First, you can grow your own, crush leaves and rub it on your skin. Catnip is very easy to grow and is a short lived perenneal in most of United States. The second way is make your own infusion. You can take two or three large handfuls of stalks and leaves, cover them with olive or canola oil, heat very gently for 15 minutes and let sit overnight. Then strain solids out, and refrigerate oil. Or, if you are not inclined to grow and bottle your own, you can buy essential catnip oil from a limited number of herbal oil suppliers.