Crocodile
Herbal Bug Discouragent
by David "El Codo" Eidell
El Codo Tests "Crocodile" Herbal Mosquito Repellent
Which potion would you rather smear all over your body?
N, N-diethyl-m-tolamide?
Or:
An extract of Rosemary, Sage, Feverfew,
Wormwood, Lavender, and Thyme
in Eucalyptus, Canola, and Castor oils?
A few years ago I loaned my body to People's Guide research in order to test Lorena's recommendation of Pennyroyal Oil in concert with a conventional mosquito repellent to thwart the fabled flesh-eating no-see-ums of San Blas..
That test was a rousing success, but I was still left with a feeling of doubt about whether or not I actually needed to have a commercial repellent with DEET. DEET is a potent chemical and human skin is no foolproof barrier against solvents and chemicals.
After seeing a reference on the People's Guide to Mexico website about an herbal based mosquito repellent, I contacted the manufacturer and obtained a 2 fluid oz. bottle of "Crocodile Herbal Bug Discouragent".
Not long after that, I had occasion to travel to some remote beaches in Baja. Summertime in Baja is infamous for mosquitoes, fleas and no-see-ums. I took along the bottle of Crocodile, but I was in a hurry and neglected to obtain my usual bug protections of Pennyroyal Oil or a DEET repellent before I departed.
Sure enough... just at sundown, precisely when the breeze died, no-see-ums started chewing on my ankles. I wiped some Crocodile up to my knees and the biting ceased.
The mosquitoes showed up an hour later and after swatting off half-a dozen of the pesky blood suckers, I finished applying the herbal remedy to all of my exposed skin. Caramba! It worked! The little critters landed for a moment and, after they experienced a whiff of the herbal ingredients, they fled.
I still think I would feel more comfortable if I had an "emergency supply" of DEET "just in case". And I have great confidence in Pennyroyal oil, so I will include a tiny vial of that next time as well. I would rather carry these repellents and never use them. In the malaria prone areas of Chiapas and Yucatan (summer time only), I definitely would take extreme measures to avoid being bitten: Mosquito netting, long sleeve pants, and shirt. But for everywhere else I'll count on Crocodile Herbal Discouragement to take the bite out of the bugs.