Murray Isman is Dean of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and professor of applied biology
What repellents will help keep the bugs away?
DEET, which contains synthetic chemicals, has been the dominant player for personal repellents with a product use history that’s been relatively safe. Trying to come up with a replacement for DEET has been a holy grail among applied chemists. Soon there will be a lot more choices for consumers to make. Right now, some of the natural alternatives include Citronella, which comes from the oil of lemongrass, and soybean oil, which believe it or not, has also been shown to be effective.
What’s the difference between using synthetic chemicals versus natural oils?
Synthetic chemicals are a little more persistent on the skin, offering a longer window of protection of up to six to eight hours. The natural plant-based oils give two to three hours of protection.
Why do some people seem to be more susceptible to mosquito bites than others?
There are striking individual differences between people. We don’t know how much that has to do with ethnicity or gender. But some scented perfumes, lotions and gels could add to a personal scent that mosquitoes find more attractive. Given that heat is a bug attractant, women have a higher body temperature than men, which may explain why a woman might get bitten more often.