Phil (Mt Juliet, Tn) on 09/07/2020
I used to attract Mosquitoes. I had Banana Trees in Kona with big leaves that held rainwater at the leaf stem. When I went near the trees in the rainy season, they would swarm all around me. I used skin so soft to repel them. That works if you put it on your skin every day. I was told about vitamin B and started taking a full complex of vitamin B, two tablets every day. That stopped the Mosquito bites. Some would swarm near, and occasionally one would land. But no bites. After a while, I reduced to one tablet every day. I went about ten years without one bite taking complete vitamin B every day. The only exception was when I was moving recently, I received a mosquito bite before I moved, and after I moved, I received a second bite. Vitamin B is a stress vitamin, and the move was more stressful for me.
Our granddaughter came to Hawaii once a year during the summer, and immediately she was attacked around the Banana plants. We gave her two vitamin B a day for three days. After that, we reduced it to one pill per day. She wasn't bothered again until she went home to Tennessee. After a few bites at home, she started taking vitamin B, successfully deterring Mosquitos.
I know a few tests that have been made discounting the effect. It has worked for me. Good luck.
Replied By Michael (New Zealand) on 09/07/2020
My short dissertation on Mosquitoes follows:
- Ocean cruising sailors departing New Zealand were often encouraged to take a B vitamin supplement every day to ward off mosquito bites that could cause Malaria or Dengue Fever up, in and around the South Pacific Islands. Also, to use something on the skin, of course (some of the old lotions/creams had nasty stuff in them though! ). If the night-time mozzies didn't give you Malaria, then the day-time team would give you the Dengue Fever or maybe you could cop a double whammy!!?? Along with the pesky droning, the annoying biting and itching afterwards, it tended to take the shine off that Dream, South Pacific holiday!
From recall, it could have been the B6 OR the B12 that was touted BUT with the B vitamins, I was given to understand that the combination B's worked better in synergy rather than separately. It seemed to work for some people. Old folklore also suggested that the reason that the EARLY Amazon River natives never got bitten, was because they never ate SUGAR and the mozzies were smart enough to be able to tell and were not attracted?! Strange, I thought a lot of sugar was grown in Brazil! Yes, banana plants (not trees please) and mosquitoes seem to go hand in hand.
But if your neighbour likes to have lots of empty flower pots or dishes lying around in their garden, these will collect moisture and be a great breeding ground for them. Especially old tyres. Oh, do I have a thing with old tyres and mozzies!! If my ankles are exposed, boy do they LOVE me! Yet they get greatly confused by my hairy arms and legs - just saying! So, I have a New Zealand made, external use only, product that has Sweet Almond Oil, Essential Oils of Eucalyptus, Lavender, Pine, Manuka, (I have posted about this one before and not just for the Honey Bees), Tea Tree (ditto)+ Lemongrass. I am unaware of the proportions (if I knew them I would bottle the stuff) but it is good for Sandflies, Mosquitoes, Midges and Black Flies a/c the label. Safe to use on chn apparently (nobody die), 100% natural -- use sparingly and often. Soothes as well as repels - what's not to like? Oh, and did I mention it smells O.K. too! The Good Oil comes at the end (at last! ). Phew!
Cheers from Down Under
Replied By Bessiebearse (Camp Hill, Pa.) on 09/12/2020
I agree. And Brewer's Yeast is high in B vitamins. I used to put it in the dog's food and it repelled mosquitoes from her.
Replied By Snowfox (London) on 09/12/2020
Hi Michael from NZ,What's the brand name of this NZ oil? Thanks.
Replied By Anita (Outside U.S./Canada) on 09/13/2020