It turns out that you don't have to coat yourself in that smelly, sticky bug spray to be free from mosquitoes. There might just be a plant lurking in your backyard up to the challenge.
The scoop
Gardener Melissa Vines used her Instagram account (@alongthemeadow) to showcase a natural remedy that can help humans take on one of nature's most irritating pests.
The video shows Vines displaying lemon balm leaves from her garden's patch before rubbing one on her arms to ward off mosquitoes.
"Pick off a leaf or two and rub it on me to keep those little blood suckers away!" Vines instructs. "Works every time!"
Vines calls the plant a "super effective mosquito repellent," which is welcome news to anyone tired of being itchy.
How it's helping
This hack can help you save money and stay safe. Mosquitoes are not just itchy; they can also spread diseases like malaria, dengue, and West Nile fever to unlucky recipients of bites.
Keeping up with your bug spray supply can be a financial pain. It's definitely not just your imagination that seemingly more vicious mosquitoes continue to emerge.
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There are also chemicals in most store-bought options. Some might be deemed OK for human skin, but others with pyrethrins are bad for pets, local wildlife, including pollinators, and can negatively impact human health in large doses. There are also the benefits of not spraying chemicals into the air.
Lemon balm avoids these pitfalls and joins other chemical-free remedies like Kreopik. There are other at-home hacks like mosquito dunks and dropping rosemary into a bonfire to keep the bugs away.
As a bonus, lemon balm has a host of other potential uses beyond taking on mosquitoes. It's appropriately lemon-tasting, which means it works well in salad and tea nicely when it's not working its magic against unwanted bugs.
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Majorly 😥 What everyone's saying
Users liked Vines' hack, and some offered up their own natural remedies if you do happen to get bitten anyhow.
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"If you do get bitten, grab a plantain leaf - broad or narrow leaf plantain both work - crush it up and rub it on the bite," a viewer wrote. "INSTANT relief."
"Ah the plant that just keeps on giving," a fan of lemon balm declared.
"Get bunches of it and steep them in water (or vodka, you might wanna Google that) then use it as a repellent whenever you need it," a commenter suggested while touting the plant's citronella.
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