Experimental 'gummy bear' bug repellent sits unfunded at Navy lab despite promising long-term protection results

At a Navy laboratory, a bug repellent with a "gummy bear" texture sits on the shelf, awaiting funding.

If it moves forward, the material could offer months of protection against pests such as mosquitoes and ticks just as the summer insect season intensifies.

What happened?

Researchers at the Naval Research Laboratory created the material by combining DEET with a polymer, according to the Military Times.

The idea is that it could eventually be built into clothing or used in patches and strips to provide longer-lasting protection.

In tests, the substance continued working for at least 30 weeks.

Instead of requiring the regular reapplication that sprays and lotions usually do, the resin-like material could serve as a lower-maintenance option.

Researchers have said that it may repel not only mosquitoes but also ticks, flies, chiggers, and other biting pests.

Before it could be used by service members or added to uniforms, officials said that the technology still needs more field testing and a demonstration phase.

The concept dates back to the early 2020s and was described in a 2024 study in the Journal of Materials Chemistry B, the Military Times reported.

So far, no funding has been set aside to advance the project.

Why does it matter?

With mosquito season underway and forecasts calling for a bad year for ticks, the issue is also a public health concern.

A long-lasting repellent that can be integrated into fabric or shelters could make protection simpler for people who forget, avoid, or just do not like using standard bug sprays.

Research chemist Javier Jimenez told the Military Times that "a lot of the oily feeling is just really agitating, which seriously leads a lot of people to noncompliance."

Because the material works passively, it could remove that extra step.

The Pentagon's Military Health System recorded nearly 6,000 cases of vector-borne disease over 12 years, with Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever mentioned most often.

Researchers also see possible indoor uses for the material, including in a room diffuser or on a fan blade, where it could form a protective barrier without direct skin contact.

What are people saying?

Captain Randy Cruz, the lab's commanding officer, expressed optimism about the shelved technology, per the Military Times: "We have way too many things on the shelf that need to be moved. A passive, long-lasting insect repellent … when I think about all my Marine friends and all my Army folks in the jungle, this is gonna be fantastic."

Jimenez was more direct about the current status of the project: "It's in hibernation, waiting for funding at the moment."

The research team also pointed to the broader promise of the material, writing: "Future advancements can pioneer a new lineage of insect-repelling materials that can be incorporated into devices void of direct skin contact (e.g., garments or shelters) to mitigate dermal absorption, thus eliminating the associated health hazards of aerosol sprays or topical lotions."

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