Insect repellent

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An insect repellent is a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourage insects (and arthropods in general) from landing or climbing on that surface. There are also insect repellent products based on sound production, particularly ultrasound (inaudibly high frequency sounds) or the sounds of natural enemies of various insects.

Common insect repellents include:

• citronella
• DEET
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Picaridin or icaridin (a piperidine derivative)

Some insect repellents, particularly permethrin, are insecticides. Other insect repellents work instead by masking human scent, or by using a scent which insects naturally avoid.

Insect repellents help prevent and control the outbreak of insect-borne diseases such as malaria, Lyme disease, bubonic plague, and West Nile fever. Insects commonly serving as vectors for disease include fleas, flies, mosquitos, and ticks.

External links and sources

• [List of insect repellents], from the "Compendium of Pesticide Common Names" maintained by Alan Wood
• [Best Insect Repellent for Mosquitoes], a 2003 Consumer Reports article hosted by WebMD
• [CDC Adopts New Repellent Guidance] a 2005 press release from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

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