Winter is gone and the bugs are back! Mosquitoes, flies, gnats, fleas, ticks, and other bugs that bite are alive and well in our world again. Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for all our outdoor activities. Along with warmer weather, beautiful vegetation, long evenings, water sports, hiking and fishing comes the yearly battle with all those pesky insects.

All About Tranquility is proud to announce the release of our answer to those pesky insects, "Stop Bugging Me" spray and "Stop Bugging Me" lotion. We'll talk more about them later.

Let's talk about some proactive steps we can take to reduce the number of these unwelcome guests. A great place to start is with the breeding grounds outside. Many insects love decaying vegetation and piles of yard debris. Standing water from excess rainfall and snowmelt that has collected in old flowerpots, buckets, cans and other places around the house is a big welcome sign to mosquitoes. A quick cleanup of these problem areas is well worth the time and the effort.

It's a good idea to wear protective clothing before heading out on that hike or bike ride. Long sleeves and hats not only protect you from the damaging sun rays but also from those biting insects. Lightweight, loose fitting, light colored, natural fabrics work best. If you are venturing into damp areas, you may even want to consider hats and gear that are readily available with mosquito netting already in place.

Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and some other insects may be dangerous because they can carry diseases such as West Nile, Lyme disease and Malaria. While DEET has long been approved for use as the strongest and best insect repellent, we are more inclined to prefer a more natural method.

Research is showing that there is repellent activity from the use of essential oils produced or synthesized by plants for their own protection against harmful insects, while attracting those who help pollinate the species. A step back into the study of ancient civilizations tells us that many of the very same aromatic botanicals we use today were chosen by these people to ward off insects. They already knew that certain plants had developed protection mechanisms that defended against insects. Lavender, cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, cloves and thyme were dried and strew about the floor of ancient dwellings.

Why do essential oils work so well? We can't explain that without sharing a little bit of organic chemistry. "Essential oils are volatile mixture of hydrocarbons with a diversity of functional groups, and their repellant activity has been linked to the presence of monoterpenesand sesquiterpenes. However, in some cases these chemicals can work synergistically improving their effectiveness.

Several essential oils are showing great promise of repellent action, they are lemon scented eucalyptus, Eucalyptus citriodora, citronella, Cymbopogon winterianus, peppermint, Mentha piperita, catnip, Nepeta citaria [2&3], clove bud, Eugenia aromatica, lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus, rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis and thyme, Thymus vulgaris.These oils have a high repellent activity due to their natural chemical makeup. These constituents include alpha-pinene, limonene, citronellol, citronellal, camphor and thymol.

Since the mosquitoes are attracted to our breath and they don’t like peppermint, I always carry a pack of peppermints while hiking and playing outdoors. Try sucking on a mint when you notice the mosquitoes swarming and see if this works for you too

And now, back to our new blends, "Stop Bugging Me" lotion and "Stop Bugging Me" spray. Our spray is created to spritz your clothing and the lotion is intended for those exposed areas such as our ears, neck, ankles and wrists. We think you will enjoy the refreshing aromas while the bugs have a different opinion, they don't agree one bit. Like any new application using essential oils we strongly recommend a skin patch test to be sure you have no allergies or sensitivities to the blend. To learn more about a skin patch test, follow this link: http://www.AllAboutTranquility.com/category/101/Essential-Oils-Safety-Precautions

A recommendation for using a spray on your clothing and hats is to try spraying the clothes before you get dressed, this way you avoid contact with the eyes. Natural ingredients are safer for our families and for our environment, but be aware of the need to reapply more frequently because of the volatile nature of essential oils, they will evaporate and absorb more quickly.

In closing, I'd like to make and important request: Save the bats! Yes, that's right. Unlike what most people believe, very few are rabid. They eat a variety of foods, from flower nectars and petals to insects and small mammals such as mice. If we were to lose these precious creatures, there would be such an increase of insect population in our world that we'd all be in real trouble.

Bats love to eat mosquitoes which are attracted to our breath and this is why occasionally bats can be seen flying near our heads. They are after the mosquitoes, not us! Bats also help with pollination. Many hardware, pet or bird stores sell bat houses which offer shelter, as well as a place for hibernating, roosting, and raising their pups. A quick search on the Internet will even show you plans for many different styles of easy-to-build bat homes.

A bat that is active during the day, is unable to fly but doesn't appear to have any injuries or broken wings, or is acting out of the normal in any way, may be suspected of having rabies. Rabid bats may become confused and find themselves in situations they generally avoid. Call the nearest animal rescue in your area and have them come out to rescue it without killing it unnecessarily.

All About Tranquility wishes you a safe, healthy pest free summer!