Catnip's powerful pong repels mosquitoes

Mosquitoes hate the aroma of common garden catnip, new research shows. And not only are the extracts safe, they are more effective than Diethyl-m-toluamide, or DEET, the chemical used in most commercial insect repellents.

Catnip is one of several plants used in folk medicine to ward off insects, but most people turn to DEET when they want serious deterrence. Now researchers at Iowa State University, Ames, have shown that a relatively weak solution of catnip extract repels mosquitoes as effectively as a DEET solution ten times more concentrated.

Source New Scientist