3 Simple And Unusual Tricks For Repelling Mosquitoes

I'm no experienced hiker, but you don't need to be to enjoy the beautiful trails up in the Adirondacks.  All you need is a sturdy pair of shoes, some comfortable clothes, plenty of water, snacks and tons of bug repellent.  Lots and lots of bug repellent.  The mosquitoes up there are no joke. They literally were waiting for me outside of my car and they're so aggressive.  I actually closed the vents in the Jeep fearing that they would find their way inside.  After talking about how it seemed like we went through half of a bottle of bug spray (on a day that wasn't even particularly humid) some listeners called in with a few mosquito repellent 'life hacks' that provide an inexpensive alternative to the smelly, filmy, chemically enhanced ones that leave you feeling sticky and gross. I've yet to try any of these but our listeners convinced us that they're worth a try.

• Avon Skin So Soft (Yes, Avon Skin So Soft)- Turn dry or rough skin silky smooth and keep those pesky skeeters from sucking the life out of you- oh-  and smell great doing it

• Vicks Vapor Rub - This one was my personal favorite because I love anything mint, menthol, etc and this was interesting because according to one of our listeners (who lives up in the Adirondacks) you don't need to use that much.   A little dab behind the ears, elbows, and back of the knees and you're good to go!

Finally---not exactly sure how to apply this, but one listener swears by:

• Catnip- is an ornamental plant related to mint that grows readily in the US and around the world. Research shows that the essential oil in catnip is ten times better at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, the compound found in many insect repellants.