FW: [at-l] DEET Alternative.

[jbkramer@afn.org (Bryan Kramer)]

UF and the USDA here have the Mosquito and Fly Research Unit and they
are doing all sorts of tests continuously. They apparently have
developed more effective repellants but no one is interested in spending
the money to get them to market since they would have to undergo the
full FDA testing protocol which costs tens of millions. I found a number
of links:

http://www.discover.com/aug_01/featworks.html

This one should have sent off for some through hiker thorlos

http://www.sciencenews.org/20000422/bob2.asp

I've visited the place and was offered the chance to stick my arm in the
infamous mosquito box but refused.

Bryan


> 
> The only "scientific" test of repellents I've seen was done
> by Consumer Reports. The magazine applied the various 
> substances to human arms and had volunteers insert their arms 
> in containers of black flies and mosquitoes. Citronella
> (natrapel) and Skin So Soft had little impact on the number 
> of bites received. Deet was the only substance that 
> significantly reduced the number of bites. The report was in 
> the June 2000 edition, if I remember rightly.
> 
> The magazine results confirm what I have known for years. I
> live next to a salt marsh, which have the bitingest 
> mosquitoes, and spend many days in the northern woods during 
> black fly season. Only DEET works for me. YMMV.
> 
> FWIW. Compared to what I experience in Maine, the trail in
> 1993 (a dry year) was relatively free of serious insect problems.
> 
>  Weary
> 
> 
> 
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