[YEA]  09/01/2009: Brenda from Converse, Tx: "Mosquitos get me really bad, and I used to finish those Anti-itch creams having to re-apply every time. My dad heard this somewhere and though it sounds weird, it really works!. Just cut about an inch or so of clear tape (yes the kind you use for paper) and stick it right on the insect bite. Within a minute or two the itch is gone and there is no need for more tape. I use this site all the time, it is the first place I look for help. Thank you Earthclinic and all the people that provide feedback."

09/01/2009: Doug from Show Low, Az replies: "Even better for mosquito bites is vitamin B1. Insects hate the smell it makes your skin have. although it is not noticeable to humans."

09/02/2009: Connie from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA replies: "Do you apply it or ingest it?"

EC: Typically you would ingest it.

09/04/2009: Paula from London, England and Poitiers, France replies: "I tried B1 for insect bites but it did not agree with me. The most incredible treatment for them that I've EVER used is fresh lemon juice it immediately removes the pain and itching. If the bite is big you may have to reapply but it works amazingly on other spots and cuts etc.as well. i found that oil pulling with olive oil seems to stop one being bitten."

07/01/2012: Dara from Cork, Ireland replies: "What is clear tape? Is that like Sellotape or Scotch tape, I don't know what you call it in the States? The clear sticky strips for sticking things to the wall for example?"

EC: Yes, what people seem to be talking about in this home remedy is any sort of see-through, plastic-like tape. It would go by many names and come in different qualities, but any kind of tape made out of polypropylene or cellophane should do the trick.

[YEA]  09/13/2009: Gramma from Raymond, Alberta, Canada: "My husband and I use coconut oil as a rub for aches and pains. Hubby had his right shoulder replaced 10 years ago and coconut oil keeps him pain free. I need back surgery but am too old so I use coconut oil to relieve pain. We also use it to rub arthritic knees, hips, elbows and hands. We were in Majuro for 18 months five years ago and were introduced to coconut oil by the natives when I stepped onto a red ant pile and was severely bitten all over my legs. Instant relief from coconut oil. We don't measure, we just scoop out a little and rub it on. It has to be 100% pure coconut oil to work."

[YEA]  06/12/2010: Scooter from Mississippi replies: "I used pure coconut oil for dry itchy menpause skin head to toe, even on scalp. Conditioned my skin and hair and kept mosquitoes off like a dream! Use liberally/rub in. Great hair detangler. Tiny drops rubbed into hair with hands is all it takes to detangle and avoid split ends. Mine was food grade."

06/13/2010: Francisca from Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France replies: "Do you rub the oil after drying your hair or before?"

[YEA]  06/16/2010: Sp from Nashville, Tn replies: "Hi Kylie, I read your post and decided to use the virgin coconut oil I already had. I rubbed it on my skin. It really did keep the mosquitoes away from me. Thank you for sharing."

[YEA]  08/02/2009: Lindar from Treorchy, Rhondda Wales Uk: "CUECUMER FOR INSECT BITES! My 10 year lod woke up to find 2 gnat/mozzie bites on her ankle this morning. She put Ttiger Balm on it and it worked well, but hours later while we were out they started to really itech and irritate. Needless to say I didn't have anything on me. BUT we did have the remains of our picnic salad. In desperation I told her to rub it with a piece of Cuecumber, to keep her occupied more than anything. Well it worked a treat, and now several hours later it stil doesn't itch and the swelling has gone down!"

[YEA]  07/11/2010: Ranjana from Arlington, Tx replies: "I got bitten by something all over my arms. Sprayed Benadryl, did not control the itching and swelling. Looked up this post and dabbed all the bites with a cucumber slice, immediate relief. Thanks."

[YEA]  03/29/2008: Joyce from Joelton, Tn: "Hi Tracy,

I have a couple of suggestions for your mosquito problems. I have read (but haven't checked out) that using a shallow white dish, fill it with water, add a few drops of Joy liquid dishwashing detergent. The one giving that hint said it kills the mosquitos, usually within 10 - 12 feet of getting a drink from it. Makes you wonder how safe it is to eat from dishes washed in it, doesn't it?

Another great bug repellant that doesn't kill them, cook with lots of garlic, it makes you less tasty to mosquitoes, ticks and chiggers.This does work- I went from averaging 15 to 25 tick bites per day to none at all last year. I have started filling empty gel caps with garlic powder and taking 2 or 3 of them each day, however your kids probably won't like them that way but probably won't object to garlic cooked in the food.

Another one that works for my family - Put about 1-2 cups ACV to the kids bathwater each day, or even rub them down with straight ACV (careful around the eyes as even the fumes can make them burn) and let them dry off before dressing and going outside. This even works against those dratted brown flies in Florida (August) that look like our black house flies but are brown and love to bite you. This only works as long as the vinegar is on - if they play in water, or otherwise wash the vinegar off, you'll have to reapply the vinegar."

08/11/2012: Erica from Saint James City, Florida: "To repel No-See-Ums I use a DEET free plant based insect repellent containing Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. I recently moved to SW Florida and am extremely sensitive to the bites... Itching, swelling and fatigue. I even have scars from scratching in my sleep! I haven't found anything to alleviate the itching, so for me prevention is the best medicine."

08/30/2012: Renee from Bergen Co., Nj: "I caught poison ivy from a bar of fels-naptha that my husband had used for his previous case of poison ivy. The oils evidently weren't completely broken down on the bar and then were transmitted to me later. I use fels-naptha for mosquito bites - highly effective!! - but after his poison ivy use, I ended up getting poison outbreaks on several mosquito bites where I applied the fels-naptha. I had mosquito bites from the same day for which I didn't apply the fels-naptha, and these areas did not develop poison, so I know it was the fels-naptha.

If I ever use for poison again, I will cut off a piece of the bar and use it and then toss it. (It did seem to help my husband's poison ivy. ) I threw this bar away and will buy a new one for mosquito bites (& laundry use)."

[YEA]  08/04/2008: Robbie from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: "This is going to sound hideous... and it is, but it does the trick.

When ever I have a cold I have a number of remedies I use.

In Scotland we have a thing called a hot toddy which is basically whiskey, cloves, honey and lemon made into a tea.

However, my other remedy (and this is the disgusting one) I have used and it works... is blend some garlic cloves and water into a blender. Then gulp down some of the brew at night. I normally just try to drink the whole thing. I don't really bother with measurements, Just play about till you find something that works for you. It's the garlic your eating, the water just helps it go own. Plus it's broken up and therefore absorbed into the body quicker and easier.

I also do the same as a mosquito repellent. Blend the garlic and water together and pour through a siv. The pulp I place in plant pots on my pation and the water garlic solution I place in a squeezy bottle and go around spraying my windows and door frames. All blood eating creatures hate garlic.

You can also use Listerine which surprisingly mosqutios hate for some reason. I use a combination of the two."

[YEA]  06/04/2010: Sp from Nashville, Tn: "I read that Geranium essential oil is a good to repel mosquitoes.

I tried this out and it really works! It also smells good. In the summertime, I always get eaten by these blood suckers and hate spraying chemical on myself. I cup my hand and filled it with water and mix in a drop or 2 of the Geranium essential oil. Rub it on my arms/legs/neck. You can buy Geranium oil at a health food store."

06/06/2010: Anaïs from Paris, France replies: "Another essential oil against insects: lemon oil is a great ant repellant. I make a line dropping it in front of our garden door once a month, and they stay away!"

11/06/2010: Henry814 from Valdosta, Georgia, Usa: "After getting mosquito bites, put an ice-pack on the affected area for 20 minutes. You will not be itching afterward."

[YEA]  11/02/2008: Susan from Northern, IL: "When I get bites, they swell and itch horribly. After trying lots of tricks over my lifetime, I just discovered that iodine works great. I have the kind w/o additives, but storebought would be OK for this purpose. Recently tried this on bites I'd scratched open, and it took the itch away quickly. Didn't scar as bad as usual, also."

[YEA]  09/05/2007: Sal from East Haven, CT: "After 2 days of itching above my ankle, from a multiple mosquito bite cluster, in which I found relief for only brief periods using aloe vera and jewelweed, I got another eruption while mountain biking. Spotting some Joe Pye weed by the side of the trail, I decided to experiment. I plucked the flowering pink head and crushed it to confirm the vanilla-like fragrance and rubbed it on the bite cluster and rode off. Within minutes the itching stopped, never to return."

[YEA]  06/04/2010: Sp from Nashville, Tn: "Lavender essential oil works great to relieve the itchiness of mosquito bites. Dab a drop directly on the area and a few minutes later the itchiness is gone. It gets rid of the swelling also."