Catnip (Nepeta cataria) ** Skeeters

[Guest guest]

Butch Owen <butchbsi

Wed, 11 May 2005 15:03:54 -0700

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) ** Was: Nasty

Little Biters!

 

 

Hi Patricia,

 

> Hi All, I have been following the solutions you all offered for bug

> bites and boy here in S. Alabama I really need some better ideas than

> continually fogging myself with the dreaded Deet!!

 

Even in the Appalachian Mountain area where my wholesale/retail outfit

is located .. in Friendsville, MD .. near the WV line .. in the Deep

Creek Lake/Resort area .. there are lots of Skeeters. Last year we made

up dozens of 1 oz bottles of Skeeter repellent and after the first few

customers began spreading the word we had to make up a few dozens more.

 

> Butch makes sense as always when he says that it is not necessary to

> put the lotions or sprays actually on the skin, but I have a question

> for you all...what about staining the clothes you are wearing? Oil

> stains are hard to get rid off, but yet they say you can't mix EO's

> with water.

 

Fractionated Coconut! It is stainless .. it washes out easily .. it has

no odor .. and it NEVER goes rancid .. has a shelf life of something

like forty-leven zillion years. Nobody can disprove this cause nobody

has lived long enough to see a bottle of it go bad. ;-)

 

Its also good for perfumers .. it can be substituted for alcohol. Its

light as a feather .. can be sprayed through pump sprayers.

 

Its not greasy and its not costly.

 

> I would really like to try your catnip Butch, believe me I don't give

> a darn what the stuff smells like. I just want to be left alone

> [didn't somebody else say that?] and can I out it on Winnie [my sharpei]

 

Patricia .. I don't think Catnip smells all that bad. Olfactory

interpretation and appreciation are as individual as are tastes in foods

or tastes when it comes to choosing a spouse. I'm not the only person

who believes its not bad smelling .. though there are some who do think

it is. But some folks think that things that are not sweet are bitter

and things that don't have a pleasant odor have a bad odor.

 

Catnip can be spruced up with a bit of Lemon Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus

citriodora) .. there is proof now that Lemon Eucalyptus is also a fairly

effective agent against Skeeters .. so its a good choice. Also Lemon

Tea Tree (Leptospermum petersonii), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia),

Atlas Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) or

Geranium, Bourbon (Pelargonium graveolens) can be used if someone wants

to mask the odor. Wouldn't take but a tad of any of them. And remember

that the Catnip is effective at a 5% dilution .. though I'll admit to

using around 8% in my own mixtures.

 

As for some EO staining fine fabrics .. that might be the case .. I

haven't worn any fine fabrics when I was out and about and using a

Skeeter repellent .. I don't like to show up at formal or even semi

formal functions smelling like the Orkin Man. ;-)

 

In time (but not this year) we'll see patented Skeeter repellents on the

market .. with a base of Catnip. They are being worked on now.

 

There are some concoctions on the market now but they are not patented

and the prices are steep .. but some folks think price indicates quality

so they scarf it up in a heartbeat.

 

WebMed, Science Daily, the American Chemical Society and many other

agencies have reported on the effectiveness of Catnip. Those who will

claim it should not be used for various reasons either know something

these folks don't know .. or they have vested interests in seeing folks

buy something else. ;-)

 

American Chemical Society .. http://www.av-at.com/catnip.html

 

WebMed .. webmd.com/content/Article/34/1728_87713.htm

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/010828075659.htm

 

The above URL discusses the effectiveness of Catnip against Skeeters,

Cockroaches and Termites.

 

More on Cockroaches here ..

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/08/990827071500.htm

 

More on Termites here .....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/03/030326073708.htm

 

> Thank you all.Patricia

 

Y'all keep smiling. :-) Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

 

Wholesale/Retail GC Tested EO, Rose Otto, Tested Hydrosols, CATNIP and

other nice things sent from our store in Friendsville, MD. Pop: 597

[Guest guest]

Thanks Butch!

 

Here is a recipe from Washington herbalist

Ann Lovejoy.

 

CATNIP MOSQUITO SPRITZ

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

 

a.. 2 cups catnip, stemmed

b.. 3-4 cups mild rice vinegar

Rinse herbs, roll lightly with a rolling pin, then place them in a clean quart

jar and cover with vinegar. Seal jar and store in a dark cupboard for two weeks.

 

 

Shake jar lightly every day or so for two weeks. Strain into a clean jar, seal

and refrigerate for up to 6 months unused.

 

 

To use, spritz on exposed skin and around outdoor dining area.

 

 

 

CATNIP AND ROSEMARY MOSQUITO CHASING OIL

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS.

 

 

a.. 2 cups catnip, stemmed

b.. 1 cup rosemary, cut in 6-inch sprigs

c.. 2 cups grapeseed oil or any light body-care oil

Roll herbs lightly with a rolling pin and pack into a clean jar. Cover with oil,

seal jar and place in a cool, dark cupboard for two weeks.

 

 

Shake jar lightly every day or so for two weeks. Strain into a clean jar, seal

and refrigerate for up to 8 months unused.

 

 

To use, rub on exposed skin.

 

 

 

 

 

Ann Lovejoy, a free-lance garden and food writer, can be reached via mail at:

9010 Miller Road N.E., Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. Her latest books are " Ann

Lovejoy's Organic Design School: A Guide to Creating Your Own Beautiful,

Easy-Care Garden " (Rodale, 280 pages, $35) and " The Sage Garden: Flower and

Foliage for Health and Beauty " (Chronicle Books, 144 pages, $17.95).

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

As catnip and catmint are same family are they interchangeable? I am not sure

which one I have, it has purple flowers. Thanks for the recipes

Anne

 

Here is a recipe from Washington herbalist

Ann Lovejoy.

 

CATNIP MOSQUITO SPRITZ

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

 

a.. 2 cups catnip, stemmed

b.. 3-4 cups mild rice vinegar

Rinse herbs, roll lightly with a rolling pin, then place them in a clean quart

jar and cover with vinegar. Seal jar and store in a dark cupboard for two weeks.

 

 

Shake jar lightly every day or so for two weeks. Strain into a clean jar, seal

and refrigerate for up to 6 months unused.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Catmint has purple flowers, catnip has white. EZ

 

Ellen Zimmermann

www.ezherbs.net

Sharing the wisdom of the plants

512-301-5838\\

-

Garden

 

As catnip and catmint are same family are they interchangeable? I am not sure

which one I have, it has purple flowers. Thanks for the recipes

Anne

 

Here is a recipe from Washington herbalist

Ann Lovejoy.

 

CATNIP MOSQUITO SPRITZ

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

 

a.. 2 cups catnip, stemmed

b.. 3-4 cups mild rice vinegar

Rinse herbs, roll lightly with a rolling pin, then place them in a clean

quart jar and cover with vinegar. Seal jar and store in a dark cupboard for two

weeks.

 

 

Shake jar lightly every day or so for two weeks. Strain into a clean jar,

seal and refrigerate for up to 6 months unused.