Natural Bug Relief

There are bugs out there that can bite us all year around. Mosquitoes in the warm weather and fleas in any weather. Even bees pack a pretty nasty punch when it comes to stings. Whether you are searching for a repellent to keep the bugs away or something to soothe the bites that you have already gotten, here are some natural home remedies to keep the bugs and the itching and swelling away!

Repellents

One of the ways to keep the bugs away is to use the herb neem oil. Neem oil is from the neem tree in India and is often used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is a bitter odored herbal oil that chases the bugs away.

For an easy to carry around bug repellent mixture just mix 40% rubbing alcohol with 60% water. Add 30 drops of citronella oil, 15 drops each of lavender, eucalyptus, rose and geranium essential oils. Put the mixture in a small spray bottle for convenience.

Itch/Bite Relief

Apply diluted peppermint oil to a bite to help reduce irritation. The menthol helps to increase circulation moving the "poison" from the bite through the system faster. You can mix a drop or two with hand cream or some Vaseline.

Another great way to draw out the toxins from bug bites is to soak in a bath of oatmeal. Oatmeal helps to draw out the toxins and it helps stop the itch. If you do not want to take a bath in it (which is as simple as filling the bath with warm water and dropping a cups worth of instant oatmeal wrapped in a cheesecloth in to soak) you can also make a poultice with it. Just add a small amount of water to the oatmeal and put it on the bite. Leave it on until it flakes off naturally.

Calendula, which is an herb, can be mixed with aloe and put on the bite. The herb can be used in essential oil form or in dried and crushed form. Calendula helps to fight infection in the bite, as it is antimicrobial.

Use alum to reduce redness by dissolving just a pinch of it in a tablespoon of water and dabbing it onto the bite with a cotton ball or swab.

To get rid of the swelling from an especially bad bug bite take a supplement containing quercetin with bromelain and vitamin C. Quercetin as a natural anti-inflammatory.

Reference: The Complete Illustrated Book of Herbs, Reader's Digest