Everyone has experienced it they usually start creeping out of their holes around 4 in the afternoon. Mosquitos, they are perhaps one of the greatest warm weather nuisances. They carry diseases and leave you with a nasty itch when they are gone. My mom used to load me up with bug repellents. Hold your breath as you get the massive super nasty spray down.
Most days I just suffer through the nibbling. I'd rather brave the bites and itches, then have to suffer the massive amount of topical toxins offered during the summer. Recently I discovered the magic of Neem. Neem is an oil derived from the Neem tree, Azadirachta indica, an evergreen which is endemic to the Indian sub-continent.
It has many uses in ayurvadic medicine, but has recently be proven effective as an insecticide and a fungicide. I've created my own bug spray these days using neem oil, rosemary, and rubbing alcohol as a surfactant. The result is a non toxic organic (if you buy organic oils) bug spray safe to use on yourself and children.
Some general cautions when you do projects like this: test the product on a small area of skin first to ensure the user has no allergic reaction to the spray. Beware of over spraying fabric, neem oil is very dark in color, when diluted it shouldn't stain fabrics, but it is always good to do a test before spraying on clothing. Do not drink the solution, rubbing alcohol and neem oil are not meant for ingestion. Consult a doctor immediately if the preparation is ingested.
To learn more about neem check out the following sites:
