Bushcraft insect reppelent!

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Hi just gave my 2p to the toiletries thread!

here are two british natrual insect reppelents!

Dougalas Fir, stand beneath Dougalas Fir, and you will notice there are less flys than normal!
Basically the Dougalas Fir's sap smells like citronelle!
take a branchlet, crush the needles and rub it on!
i've used this for a year now and it works very well!
you can also make a refreshing lemoneyish tea with it!

Elder
take fresh Elder leaves crush and rub on exposed skin!
smells awful but it works a treat!
(it will leave very faint green stains on skin that will wash off easily!)

for less mozzies around camp, take a few branches crush the leaves and hang the whole branch on or near your shelter!

other things you can do with Elder!:

Elderflower tea/cordial
elderberry jam/juice

the branches have an easily removable pith center, so it's a good resource for making whistles or tubes/pipes!


Caution:
though the berries and flowers are edible
the leaves, bark, pith and flesh are poisonous!

 

[Phantom]

Garlic is also a very good repelent... but some people prefer to be bitten rather than the smell

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Phantom

oh yeah elder flower wine is also nice... but i dont know the recipe i'll ask around though

 

[BOD]

Garlic is also a very good repelent... but some people prefer to be bitten rather than the smell

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Phantom

How do you use it? Crush the cloves and rub it all over or chew it and breathe on the bugs?

Seriously, I'll give it a go. Just let me know what to do.

 

[Phantom]

all you need to do is get the juices (by crushing the cloves or the flowers) and apply them to your skin... wild garlic also works well

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Phantom

P.s. or you can just rub the flowers straight into your skin