April 28, 2005

Zzzzzzztttttttt Slap!

It's that time of year again.

While we were out on our bike ride the other day, whenever we would pause, we were quickly swarmed by black flies. They weren't biting yet, but it's just a matter of time. And after black flies, comes mosquitoes.

I don't like the idea of chemical insect repellent, but I've resigned myself to the comfort and health safety of using DEET sprays when doing outdoor stuff throughout the season.

Now the CDC has blessed a new substance that sounds interesting. Picaridin, the oil of lemon eucalyptus. AP via Yahoo! News:

After years of promoting the chemical DEET as the best defense against West Nile-bearing mosquitoes, the government for the first time is recommending the use of two other insect repellents.

Repellents containing the chemical picaridin or the oil of lemon eucalyptus offer "long-lasting protection against mosquito bites," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, adding that repellents with DEET remain on the agency's recommendation list.

Posted by jackhodgson at April 28, 2005 09:58 AM