This is not a medical site. Information on this page is provided on a
"best efforts" basis for interest only and does not constitute
personal advice.
It is essential that you discuss medical matters with your doctor.
Please read the site terms of use.
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There is a long history of using garlic to
get rid of many insects, from slug to mosquito.
In particular garlic has a reputation for protecting
people from mosquito bites - some think that
this could be the origin of the belief that vampires are scared
of garlic. There are a number of commercial garlic sprays on the market,
these effectively coat an area and produce a natural mosquito barier.
Garlic is more effective at repelling some species of mosquitoe than others. For this
reasons many of the commercial preparations available include
a number of different repellent ingredients such as catnip and soy
as well as garlic.
Why Does Garlic Repel Mosquitos?
It's not clear why garlic should be an effective mosquito repellent.
It would seem that
the powerful compounds such as allicin which garlic releases are inimical to mosquitos. They
have therefore evolved to avoid garlic. Another possibility is that the strong smell
of garlic overwhelms the mosquito's sense of smell and prevents them from
finding their prey (us!).
Whatever the mechanism, garlic's ability to repel a variety of pests has been
proven scientifically. Its effect against mosquitos specifically is less well documented
however there is much anecdotal evidence to support it.
If you wish to protect an entire area such as your garden, you could treat it with one of
the commercially available garlic based sprays you can buy. For individuals, studies (1) have shown that coating the body with a jelly based compound including garlic can
keep mosquitoes away for some time. Obviously such a method, whilst effective against
bites, has fairly major social side effects! (Warning: the allicin in garlic is
very strong and can result in skin problems and allergic reactions. Consult your
doctor)
Fortunately you probably don't have to go that far. There is strong anecdotal evidence that
simply consuming more garlic can help to prevent mosquito bites.
This is not simply a case of mosquitos being averse to garlic breath!
If you eat a large amount of garlic then it actually seeps out through the pores of your skin.
Some people think that this invisible layer of garlic oil might create a natural barrier
cream. Any mosquitoes which do find you will think twice before taking a bite.
Given the possible dangers from mosquito bites (West Nile virus etc) I don't recommend you rely on
garlic alone!
Midges
Readers in Scotland will probably suffer from the infamous Scottish biting
midges. Since many mosquito traps and sprays are also sold as midge repellents,
and the famed mosquito magnet has been adapted as a "midge magnet",
it's possible that garlic could also help to prevent in midge control.
For more information, see:
The Scottish Biting Midge
External Links:
1 Coloado State University News Release
Garlic Central is not a medical site. Information on this page is provided on a
"best efforts" basis for interest only and does not constitute
personal advice.
Always discuss medical matters with your doctor.
Please read the site terms of use.
| 
