«If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito». Dalai Lama
This year the mosquitoes on Paros seem to be particularly huge and animated. I was told it’s because, due to lack of funding, the annual disinfectation did not take place this year.
I generally don’t have any problems with mosquitoes biting me because of the huge quantities of garlic and pepperoncino I eat. But they still come around zizzing totally disrupting my biorhythms.
Mosquitoes are bothersome and useless. Spiders, frogs and lizards may nourish themselves eating them but there are other edible insects as well. Plus mosquitoes not only bite and make you itch, they also can cause malaria.
Looking for a natural repellent, I read that the smell of an orange is repulsive to a mosquito and will keep it away. So you can rub orange peel on your skin and/or burn the peels. To burn the peels, you can make orange candles or use those plug in devices but, instead of the toxic strips, use orange peels cut into rectangles. I also have been spraying around the house a mixture of white vinegar and water that really seems to help.
Recently on Facebook, I’ve been seeing instructions on how to make a mosquito trap so I made one yesterday – will update as to whether or not it works. But this evening, the house seems to be relatively mosquito free!
p.s. Jo of CRANKY CERAMICS suggested using carnivorous plants to fight mosquitoes. Sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about these plants but will check the net for additional info.
The Narrative Within 
In Australia we eat vegemite. Apparently the Vitamin B oozes out our pores and repels them. But I am like a magnet for them so I get invited to barbecues as bait. Something to do with preference for mauves and blues. Carnivorous plants at the back door help and they are stunning. I like your idea of orange peel rectangles.
Thanks, Jo, for the info! I din’t know about the carnivorous plant–any in particular you suggest? Will take a look on the net now. It would be a great solution!
Ciao! / io ho provato con quella trappola per i mosquitos ma.. non ha funzionato. Allora utilizzo homeopatia (ledum palustre) che metto qualche goccina in acqua e poi me la spruzzo. / La nonna diceva di mettere un po’ di “colonia” (profumo con essenze di arancia) sul cuscino prima di dormire, e che cosí non disturbabano la sera. Adesso io ne ho una pianta carnivora Nephentes qualche insetto mangia. Bisogarei avere un po di piú di queste. Comunque se ti serve qualcosa di carnivore chiedimi.. qualcosa ne so. Mio fratello li riproduce e al Messico ne abbiamo un vivaio di queste “bunny” ne sa, qualche volta é andato ad aiutarci. (http://www.plantascarnivoras.es/ ) ecco un link cosí puó vedere alcune delle spezie. tanto mangiano tutte insetti. Alcune piú delle altre.
Ciao Faby, mille grazie per l’info. Questa sera metterO essenze di arancia sul mio cushino! Ma te dice che “Nephentes” è la pianta adatta? Ora guardo il sito….besitos
I have a bit of a thing for carnivorous plants and they seem to like where they are especially the hanging pitcher plants and sarracenia pitcher plants. It gets a bit cool here at this time of year and my venus flytraps don’t like it so I just count them as slightly more expensive than a bunch of flowers and get new ones in the spring. You could find yourself getting pretty hooked on them.
I think this is EXCELLENT
Thanks!
great
Thanks!
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is it safe to burn orange peel if you have baby? Does the smoke of orange peel harm lungs?