A homemade mosquito trap is an inexpensive and easy way to make outdoor summer activities more enjoyable. One of the main issues that keep people indoors during summertime is the abundance of mosquitoes. Not only are the tiny creatures annoying as they buzz around the head and face area, their bites are painful and potentially dangerous.

Several deadly diseases are carried and transmitted by mosquitoes, including several types of encephalitis, west nile virus, zika virus, dengue and yellow fever. Beloved pets are at risk when bitten by a mosquito, heart worms are transmitted to dogs when bitten by a carrier.

A homemade mosquito trap will help protect your health (and the health of your pets) while you and your family enjoy having a BBQ and swimming party in your backyard. Some of the DIY mosquito trap designs are so small that they can be discreetly placed so no one has to be aware that a mosquito catcher is around.

These disease-carrying blood suckers also find their way inside our home, so it’s advisable to build an indoor mosquito trap to work in conjunction with outdoor traps. You will have the best ways to get rid of mosquitoes with these 13 homemade mosquito trap ideas.

1. Soda Bottle Homemade Mosquito Trap

Recycle a soda bottle into an efficient mosquito catcher like this one by askaprepper that will work both outdoors and indoors. The remaining ingredients needed to make this design will cost less than $5.

The water, sugar and yeast in the bottom of the recycled soda bottle create a cloud of carbon dioxide which attracts mosquitoes. Once inside the bottle, the flying pests can’t escape. The black paper around the exterior of the bottle creates an inviting dark environment for the pests while hiding from view the mosquito carcasses inside.

2. Five Gallon Bucket Mosquito Trap

A five gallon bucket has so many uses around the house, including being used as a DIY mosquito trap. Two types of pesticides are used in the making of this best mosquito killer by gardeningchannel for outdoor use. For a few minutes of your time and a few dollars, you can create an effective mosquito killer that will keep your backyard pest free for 90 days. Create one of these at the beginning of summer before the mosquito population become rampant so their numbers will be kept low throughout the warmest time of year.

3. Black Sock Homemade Mosquito Trap

This homemade mosquito killer uses a black sock and bucket to put an end to all those blood sucking pests in your yard. This idea is so easy and inexpensive, yet so very effective. A great homemade mosquito trap by instructables to create for use on large pieces of property. This homemade design is reportedly used on military bases with great success. Military bases located in humid, tropical environments have more than the normal population of mosquitoes plus an increased risk of disease carrying mosquitoes in the area. So if this DIY idea works for the military in overgrown, humid, jungle regions, it will certainly work in your backyard. You will need four of these DIY traps per acre of land, but at less than .50 cents a piece, they are affordable. You may also like to check out plants to repel mosquitoes and flies.

4. Fan and Screen Mosquito Trap

Keep mosquitoes away with this simple solution by instructables that is created from a window fan and screen. Detailed building instructions provide you with a step by step pictorial plan plus a video that will take you through the building process with ease. The fan can be powered by electricity or a battery, so this trap is portable and can go with you on a camping or fishing trip. This design will also reduce the air temperature by keeping the air circulating.

5. DIY Lighted Mosquito Trap

This lighted mosquito trap can be used indoors or outdoors. Easy to follow YouTube instructional video makes building this DIY mosquito trap very easy. Use scrap pieces of wood that you have on hand to save money. The small design makes the trap easy to place in a location where it won’t be visible by house guests. Perfect for recycling small pieces of wood and for use in every room of your home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZygdwbvxpGM

6. Coffee Ground Mosquito Repellent

Save your used coffee grounds and watch this instructional video to discover how to transform those used coffee grounds into an effective mosquito repellent by naturallivingworld. Easy to make, very inexpensive and will keep the blood sucking insects away so you can enjoy your outdoor space without being bitten. As an added bonus, coffee ground also repel other flying insects, like wasps and flies. Use this idea at your next summertime outdoor function so guests won’t be exposed to potential health threats caused by mosquito bites.

7. DIY Vinegar Mosquito Trap

This is a great DIY mosquito trap by theindianspot to use inside the home. It’s an effective trap that is small and uses no chemicals. The sweet aroma of vinegar attracts the mosquitoes (and flies) into the trap, then the dish detergent causes them to sink instantly to bottom so their biting career is over.Use recycle water bottles to create this effective and inexpensive trap, place one in every room of the home, then open your windows and enjoy the fresh air without having to swat at mosquitoes. Because the ingredients inside the recycled bottle are natural, this design is safe to use around children. You may also like to check out homemade fruit fly traps.

8. Bag Fan Trap

For under $1, you can get rid of those pesky mosquitoes like this one by thegoodsurvivalist. Great for use indoors since the fan will kill pests and keep cool air circulating. This instructional video will show you how to make this idea come to life with very little effort or expense. Mosquitoes are sucked into the netting and left to dry out by the wind created by the fan. Protect yourself from the west nile virus, malaria, yellow fever, canine heartworms and a host of other diseases carried and spread by mosquitoes.

9. Homemade Tire Mosquito Trap

The very things that often become a breeding ground for mosquitoes can be turned into a death trap for them. Mounds of old used tires hold stagnated rainwater and attract mosquitoes as an ideal place for them to lay their eggs. This idea will show you how to recycle an old tire to create a homemade mosquito trap like this one by smithsonianmag. The chemical scent in the rubber along with the warmth generated by the black rubber when it’s exposed to sunlight is a strong attraction for mosquitoes.

10. Homemade Mosquito Trap in a Bowl

An old plastic bowl and a 9 volt battery can be transformed into an effective mosquito trap. Inside the bowl are two things mosquitoes finds irresistible – yeast and brown sugar. These two ingredients combine to give off carbon dioxide and attract all the mosquitoes that are in the area. This effective co2 mosquito trap on youtube costs less than $5 and is easy to make with this detailed video. The small size makes them good to use in different rooms of the house so your indoor living space will be pest free. You may also like to check out homemade wasp traps.

11. Homemade Solar Mosquito Trap

This is the DIY trap on youtube you need to create when the mosquito population makes going outdoors a miserable experience for you. Catch and kill thousands of tiny blood suckers each night with nothing more than a fan and a screen. No tools are needed for this DIY project, the screen wire is attached to the fan with magnets and the dead pests are removed by simply shaking off the screen wire each morning. Easy, effective and inexpensive. Follow this YouTube video for all the DIY details and start killing the mosquitoes by the thousands tonight.

12. Low Cost Bait

Use this idea to create low cost bait to place in areas around your home where there may be standing water. Rain barrels, rain gardens, ponds and other yard accessories often contain water. We need and want those accessories, but they are prime locations for mosquitoes to use for breeding grounds. This DIY bait by motherearthnews can help reduce the mosquito population and allow you to keep your water features. This bait has been used with success in underground storm drains and cisterns, and the low cost makes it a good choice to try in your backyard near a water feature.

13. Dry Ice Mosquito Trap

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide is irresistible to mosquitoes. Dry ice is the main ingredient in this homemade mosquito trap by doityourself that only takes minutes to makes and is very effective for outdoor use. This is a great way to keep the pests away during an outdoor event like a birthday party or wedding.

Put on a pair of gloves before handling the dry ice, then tie twine around the packs and suspend them from trees. Create one inexpensive trap for each piece of dry ice and place it near the dry ice. Place them away from areas where people will be gathered. As the carbon dioxide is released into the air, multitudes of mosquitoes will flock in and get caught in the DIY traps, leaving you and your guests alone. You may also like to check out homemade tick repellents.

References:

Medicalnewstoday, “Why do mosquito bites itch and swell up?”, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320979#why-do-mosquitoes-bite

Healthline, “Why Are Mosquitos Attracted to Some People More Than Others?”, https://www.healthline.com/health/why-do-mosquitoes-bite-some-people-more

The trend of homemade wasp trap is growing at a high pace in the recent times, as more and more people are opting to use them instead of buying a wasp trap. The homemade wasp trap can be highly effective in getting rid of the wasps, as you can simply choose what type of trap you want to built. If you’re wondering on how to make wasp trap, there are several ways to build a wasp nest, by making use of everyday items that you normally have in your house. Homemade wasp traps can be made by anyone with little to no skill.

Wasps are essential for the process of pollination and they also perform some other important actions such as controlling parasite and harmful insect population as well. As good as they are for your environment and especially our surroundings, wasps can really be problematic when they start building theirs nests too close to your furniture or when they start stinging you regularly. In such cases, you may probably want to get rid of the whole mess that comes with a wasp net in your backyard or any other area around your house. Wasp control, sometimes can be a hectic job if you don’t have the right tools.

In this article, we will discuss about the eight homemade wasp traps that you can make at your home with minimal work involved. If you’re looking forward to getting rid of wasps, these models can be of great help to you.

1- Homemade Wasp Trap With a Soda Bottle

The first one we are showing you is one of the simplest homemade wasp catcher models by thespruce that you can build at your home with a few simple items. To make this homemade wasp trap model, you need a two-litre soda bottle, knife, Permanent marker, and a piece of wire. Begin with drawing a line at the bottle’s neck which lies below the taper. By using a knife, chop the top side of bottle that you’ve marked earlier. Now, remove the cap and place the top side of the bottle upside down into the bottom part of the bottle and push it in to complete the setup of your yellow jacket trap.

In order to use a bait in the trap, try using a piece of meat or a small piece of hamburger in the spring and if it’s the summers, try using any sweet liquid. Wherever you see wasp activity, place this trap and wait for it to do the thing. You may also like to check out other relevant and interesting articles homemade mosquito traps.

2- DIY Wasp Trap With a Jug

The second wasp trap in our list can be build with use of very basic items like a jug in your home. In order to build this wasp trap model by instructables, assemble a packing tape, razor blade, hot water, sugar, hole punch, and a spoon. Now, begin with cutting off the top third of your jug with the blade. Attach the piece of tape to the jug’s opening. Now, it’s time to invert the top part of the jug and place it in the bottom part of the jug. Once you’ve completed these steps, you now have a homemade wasp trap made out of a jug.

After completing the setup of this wasp trap, you can simply add any sweet item which attracts wasps and place the trap wherever there’s a wasp activity. You may also like to check out other relevant and interesting articles homemade mouse traps.

3- Creamer Bottle Yellow Jacket Trap 

Wasps can be so irritating if they build a nest around our living premises, especially where it’s very close to our house. In order to combat the wasp problem, this homemade yellow jacket trap by kleinworthco can really help you by leaps and bounds. Get a creamer bottle and cut the top part of the lid. Now, invert the top part of the bottle and place it right in the bottom part of the bottle and tape the two parts together. Now, tie a loop of thread or any similar material so that you can hang this homemade wasp trap somewhere you would like to. After the completion of this setup, make sure that you place any type of food item that attracts the wasps.

4- Use Pvc Pipe And Mineral Water Bottle To Make Wasp Trap

Wasp nets can be very problematic, if they were built in our living places, especially if you have kids. Their bites can be allergic to some people for which you need to take care of this issue. Having a homemade wasp trap like this one by dave-cushman can be a great solution if you have wasp nests around your house. Take a mineral water bottle that has a capacity of about five litres, pierce two holes on the two sides of the bottle with a diameter of 2 mm. Now, take a PVC plumbing pipe and cut it down into a small piece and place it through the two holes of the bottle. Also make sure that you place a sweet liquid in the bottle which acts as a bait.

Now, you’ve completed the homemade wasp trap using a bottle and a PVC pipe. In order to attract the wasps, you must fill the trap with a bait. Simply mix some jam in water and fill the trap with this fluid.

5- Wasp Trap With a Bottle and PEX Tubes

This model of homemade wasp trap by dengarden can be simply made with two items which are a two-liter bottle and a couple of PEX tubes. Take a knife and make two sets of holes with each facing the other hole of a set in the bottle. Once you’re done with it, now it’s time to cut down the PEX tube into two pieces that fit the distance between the holes of bottle. If you have any trouble in making the holes, try using a marker so that you can get a clearer idea. Now, fill the bottom half of bottle with any type of bait that attracts the wasps. As soon as you’re done with that part, your homemade wasp trap is ready to use.

Since there’s a need for the bait here, a good solution is to create one to use. Try mixing apple juice, white vinegar, sugar, cat food morsels, and hot dog slices with the warm water in appropriate quantities. You may also like to check out other relevant and interesting articles homemade fruit fly traps.

6- Plastic Cups Homemade Wasp Trap

In order to build this model of diy wasp trap by creativehomemaking you would need several items which are two plastic cups, duck tape, one water bottle, and a knife. First of all, make use of the knife by cutting down the bottom part of the two drinking cups. Now, take the top parts of both the cups and tape them together. The next step is to cut down the top part of the water bottle. Now take the top part of the water bottle, invert it and place it down the cup. The homemade wasp trap is now complete and it’s time for you to place the bait in the trap to use it.

It’s important to note that wasps get attracted to different types of baits depending on the seasons. You can either use sodas like mountain dew or you can use several types of meat as well. You may also like to check out other relevant and interesting articles  homemade pesticides, and  mosquito and fly repellent plants.

7- Wasp Trap With a Water Bottle

If you’re having a trouble at dealing with the wasp problem around your house, you may really need to try out creating a homemade wasp trap like this one on  youtube. This model of diy wasp trap can easily be created with a water bottle. Take a knife and cut the top part of the water bottle and place it heads down in the bottom part of the bottle. Now, boil a cup of water and add a cup of sugar to it. Once you get a fluid solution, take to some for it cool down and pour it in the wasp trap you’ve made. Place this wasp trap anywhere you have a wasp problem.

8- DIY Hornet and Wasp Trap

If you’re wondering how to make a homemade wasp killer like this one by sereneswede of the simplest models of homemade wasp traps that you can build at your house. You would need a few things to build this wasp trap, which are, a Mason jar, funnel, and a tape. Fill your mason jar with bait and place the funnel through the jar and tape them together. Now you have a homemade wasp trap that’s ready for the use.

No matter how much time we spend in the garden doing battle with unwanted pests, we will never win the war.  There is no such thing as a perfect pest free garden. What we all have to do is learn the best way for pest management through the use of natural, organic and homemade pesticides.

The first thing to do is learn to distinguish between beneficial insects and those that do damage. Here is a basic list of “good guys” that we like to see in the garden:

Ladybugs:  Attack any number of slow moving, soft shelled pests.

Fly Predators:   Parasitic wasps that kill flies in their immature stage.

Green Lacewing:  Their larva do the real work, killing hundreds of pests per week.

Praying Mantis:  A ferocious killer that will attack any insect.

Whitefly Parasite:  Excellent for killing white flies common in greenhouses.

Mealybug Destroyer:  If you have a mealybug problem, the Destroyer is a very effective organic solution.

Predatory Mites:  Great for attacking pest mites found on the underside of plant leaves.

Hover Flies:  These look like bees, but they are really flies whose larvae feast on aphids.

Here is a partial list of the most common garden pests that we need to manage:

Aphids:  Soft bodied insects that infest peas, beans and others.

Spider Mites:  These look like tiny 8 legged spiders that dwell on the undersides of leaves and extract the sap from your garden plants.

Mexican Bean Beetle:  Hard bodies insects, yellow/brown with 16 black spots. They remove leaf tissues between the veins giving your plants a skeleton like appearance.

Seedcorn Maggots:  These maggots emerge as brownish colored flies in the spring and can damage seeds and seedlings, especially in moist environments.

Leaf Miners:  These are flies whose larvae (maggots) can do serious damage to tomatoes, cucumbers, peas and beans.

Whiteflies:  Piercing/sucking mouthparts will remove plant sap and leave honeydew behind which can transmit diseases.

Colorado Potato Beetles:  A round black and tan beetle with black stripes, this beetle attacks potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.

Cutworms:  These are caterpillar pests that will cut the stem of tender young seedlings.

There are many more garden pests out there so do your own research for your particular area and learn which pests must go and which are beneficial.

There are many good organic homemade pesticides on the market today, but make sure you target the pests you are going after.  Most homemade pesticides will kill both beneficial as well as harmful insects, so don’t randomly spray entire plants without carefully observing who is living on the undersides of your leaves.  It would be a shame to destroy a bunch of ladybugs when all you may have on your plants is a couple of potato beetles.

Many diy pest control remedies make very effective organic pesticides.  Here are a couple of proven winners.

Homemade Pesticide Recipe #1

1/2 cup chopped hot peppers

2 cups of water

2 tablespoons of bleach free dish soap.

Puree all the ingredients and let sit for 24 hours.  Pour into a spray bottle and apply to infected plants.

Homemade Pesticide Recipe #2

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of dish soap (no bleach)

2 tablespoons of baking soda

2 quarts of water

Combine all these ingredients and pour into a spray bottle and apply as needed.

Homemade Pesticide Recipe #3

A simple cure for slugs is to set out a shallow container filled with beer and the slimy critters will just crawl in and drown.

Also, here are seven links to natural and homemade pesticide recipes.  They all contain the basic ingredients of water, soap (with no bleach), repellent additives like garlic, peppers, onions, etc.  As with any new pesticide, it is always a good idea to try them out on small section of your garden or even on an individual plant in order to observe the results. Here are some homemade pesticide recipes.

1- Natural homemade Pesticide recipe

2- All purpose organic insesticide

3- Multiple homemade Pesticide Recipe

4- Natural pesticide recipe

5- Homemade Pest Control Recipe

6- Homemade Bug Repellent

7- Homemade Pesticide- Organic Garden Pest Control

Of course one of the best methods of garden pest control is to eliminate the pests by hand.  Most pests are nocturnal, so killing them at night is your best option.  Take a flashlight out in the dark and carefully check your plants, especially under the leaves where most pests live and work. Pick off and destroy the culprits and it won’t take long to rid your garden of most of the damaging insects.

Lastly, think about the health of your soil. Good soil produces strong plants which thrive on proper ratios of various nutrients. Poor soil produces undernourished plants and thus too many carbohydrates, which pests thrive on.  The practice of organic gardening will also help with your battle against pests.  Natural biological control of your garden is good for the environment and confusing to pests. Keep good garden records about what plants grow well for you and which ones don’t, which pesticides work best against which insects, and trust your own experiences (not necessarily relying on the advice of others).

We’ll never get rid of all the pests in our gardens, but we can certainly manage them better with a little diligence, research and commonsense applications.

Fruit flies (also known as Vinegar Flies) are common in households. Generally harmless, a fruit fly infestation is pretty disgusting, and for great reason. They use ripening and softening food (mostly fruit) to lay their eggs in, where the young larvae (they look like little white worms) crawl through the food and eat it as they grow. Of course, they poop in the food as they grow too. They can be brought home in many ways, but are usually brought in the home from the grocery store on produce or other food. You can’t get sick from fruit flies and their eggs and larvae, but again, the whole idea of them living in the food you eat is repulsive for many.

Homemade fruit fly traps have been made and improved upon for years as an alternative to chemicals for getting rid of flies. Homemade fly catchers are very effective. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or time ridding yourself of your swarm of fruit flies. Here are 10 of the best, quick, easy, and cheap DIY fruit fly catcher ideas that you can make at home. Also if you have some garden area you can grow these plants that repel flies.

1- Suck them up with this diy fly trap!

A homemade motorized fruit fly trap by instructables like this one attracts the flies with a smelly bait that they like (like vinegar), and literally sucks them into the trap with a motor and fan. Never again will a smart fly or two get away!

2- Fruit fly catcher made from common household stuff

This homemade fruit fly trap by insects.about employs stuff that every single house has. A piece of plastic, a rubber band, and a container of any kind makes up this homemade fly killer. If you’re that much of in a pinch, you could probably find all of the makings of this trap discarded out on the street in many places.

3- Super simple yet very effective homemade fly catcher 

This simple idea combines the same sort of bait that fruit flies can’t resist (vinegar) with a cone that’s easy to fly into but not fly back out of. Fruit flies fly into the hole of the bottom of the paper funnel cone and can’t fly back out- where you can drown them in the vinegar. Passive, yet extremely effective. This natural fly killer by getridoffliesguide is also non-toxic and safe to use in a home with a family.

4- Takes 30 seconds to make this homemade fly killer!

This is another incredibly simple DIY fruit fly trap by instructables that uses more very common household things that hide in junk drawers. There’s some really great bait suggestions in this DIY instruct-able too. Simply use what you see the flies attracted to like over ripe fruit on the kitchen counter. You may also like to see homemade tick repellents.

5- Use yeast to combat fruit fly infestation!

There are several species of fruit flies, and sometimes some fruit flies may be attracted to different baits than other flies. This yeast fruit flies trap by lancaster.unl.edu will attract All species of fruit flies, by offering a substance in a trap that the flies really enjoy laying their eggs into. Again, the ingredients for this homemade fruit fly trap are all very simple and easy to make.

6- Fruit fly traps to catch the vermin in style!

This blog idea is chock full of methods of capturing flies that might appeal to the more cultured. Try using wine, alcohol, or incense. There’s even a homemade fly catcher idea by stylemepretty that’s quite appealing to the murder-minded. Simply try completely destroying fruit flies right out of the air with a hair dryer! Might be fun on a rainy day…

7- Built to last

This is tough and attractive homemade fruit fly trap by curbly that will last a lifetime. Made from a simple mason jar and lid, you can find all of the makings of this trap from the same place you probably brought them home from- the grocery store.

8- A double whammy to get rid of the fruit flies fast!

This method of ridding your house of the fruit loving pests requires a very active and aggressive first step of manually capturing flies. The second step cleans up all the buggers you missed with a trap that lures them in. You could potentially rid your home of all of your flies with this one by husbandhood in a day with these two combined methods.

9-   Super simple, easy to make and fast trap!

Another passive method of trapping and drowning flies, this trap employs a pop bottle and some form of liquid attractant that also drowns the hapless flies that make it into the trap. And yet another great idea in this article for bait, there are many kinds of baits that work great for killing fruit flies like this one by briellesavalon!

10- Several natural ideas to kill your fruit flies

Here are some more ideas for trapping and killing fruit flies by everydayroots using rotting fruit and other similar ingredients, but check out the recipe for a spray that works as a direct attack. Lemongrass and hot water kill the bugs on contact- so if you have a few fruit flies that are too stubborn for traps, this spray will pick them off in a flash. Oh, and it smells nice too! You may also like to see homemade pesticides.

11- Have paper, a cup, and a piece of apple? Now you have a trap!

Here’s a final example of how effective homemade fruit fly traps like this one by apartmenttherapy can be made with the simplest of ingredients. Try using some ripe and juicy apple with vinegar to lure in and drown those buggers once and for all. A simple homemade cone with paper and tape finish off the deadly assembly. You may also like to see mosquito and fly repellent plants.

Conclusion

Fruit flies are pretty unsightly, but they’re easy to get rid of. Try some of these fantastic ideas for traps and your flies will be gone in no time!

When you make homemade bug spray you will know the exact ingredients that go into the product. There will be no fear of harmful chemicals that may cause illness to your children or pets, or cause damage to plants and/or furniture.

The recipes for these homemade bug sprays contain natural ingredients, like essential oils and beeswax, that will repel bugs naturally while leaving a refreshing scent in the air. If you are looking for a natural way to rid your home, landscape, and garden of harmful pests like mosquitoes, ants, and flying insects, check out these homemade bug repellent recipes.

1- Essential Oil Homemade Bug Spray

The fragrance of the essential oils in this DIY bug spray by abetterwaytothrive is effective at repelling pests and fill the air with a pleasing aroma.  This pest repellent is not a spray but a natural bug repellent in a solid form and has the texture of lip balm. Beeswax, cocoa butter, coconut oil and castor oil are natural ingredients that solidify and help to create this DIY pest repellent that is easy to take along with you.

•  40 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus oil is an ingredient which is often used in store-bought pest repellent because it contains a chemical called p-menthane-3,8-diol
• 10 drops each of Citronella, Lemon Grass, and Lavender oils, all of which are commonly used in pest-repellents and be can grown in a home garden
•  5 drops of Peppermint oil that contains menthol which bugs hate the smell of
•  5 drops of Geranium oil is a natural pest-repelling flower that if often planted in home gardens to keep plants pest-free
•  1/4 cup of beeswax, coconut oil, and castor oil
•  2 tablespoons of castor oil

Place all ingredients except essential oils in a large bowl and microwave until all are melted. Allow mixture to cool then stir in essential oils. Pour into small containers and allow to solidify. You may also like to check out Homemade ant killers.

2- Witch Hazel Homemade Bug Spray

Witch hazel is a plant that has long been used for medicinal purposes and is gentle on skin. Bugs hate the scent, and when it’s mixed with vanilla extract you’ll create homemade insect repellant like this one by livesimply that’s powerful, yet safe for kids to use.

•  1/4 cup witch hazel
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1/4 cup distilled water
•  1 tablespoon olive oil
•  85 drops Plant Therapy’s Shield Me Essential Oil

Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. Spray on skin and surrounding areas. Shake before each use.

3- Bug Spray Repellent Balm

Herbs do more than flavor food, they also repel bugs naturally and safely. This natural bug repellent by gardenista will show you how to get rid of bugs without chemicals by using herbs and flowers.

•  1 cup dried calendula flowers to prevent skin irritation
•  1 cup fresh rosemary to repel bugs
•  1 cup dried catnip to repel mosquitoes
•  1 cup olive oil
•  1 cup coconut oil
•  1/4 cup beeswax.
•  10 drops each of lavender and lemon essential oils

Place the rosemary, calendula, and catnip in the top bowl of a double boiler and cover with olive and coconut oil to completely submerge the herbs. Simmer 30 minutes.

Strain through cheesecloth, pour strained oils back into double boiler and add beeswax. When beeswax is melted add essential oils. Pour mixture into small containers. Apply to skin when going outdoors.

Bug repelling balms are easy to carry with you in a pocket or backpack and they provide long-lasting protection after being applied to skin.

4- Fresh Mint and Herb Bug Spray

Mint and herb plants are easy to grow in a home garden and perfect for making homemade bug spray like this one by dontwastethecrumbs. This recipe uses fresh ingredients right from the garden to keep bugs away

•  2 tablespoons of fresh mint that has been finely chopped. Use spearmint or peppermint leaves
•  6 tablespoons finely chopped herbs. Use catnip, citronella, cloves, rosemary and/or lavender
•  1 cup distilled water
•  1 cup witch hazel or rubbing alcohol

Bring water to boil, then add fresh mint and herbs. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool. Add witch hazel or rubbing alcohol. Pour into spray bottle and spray on skin and surrounding areas when you go outdoors. You may also like to check out homemade pesticides to keep garden pests at bay.

5- Vinegar Homemade Bug Spray

This is an ancient recipe that is used for many things, including as a homemade bug spray like this one by nourishedkitchen. The fragrant vinegar keeps pests away, and is also good for cleaning and disinfecting hands and surfaces.

•  2 tablespoons each of rosemary, mint, sage, marjoram, lavender flowers, and anise hyssop – finely chopped
•  4 cloves crushed garlic
•  4 cups white wine vinegar

Place all ingredients in a glass jar, seal and allow to marinate for 10 days. Strain mixture and pour into spray bottle. Spray on skin when going outdoors. Keep away from eyes.

Vinegar and distilled water, mixed at a 50-50 ratio, creates an effective homemade bed bug spray. Add a few drops of lavender oil for a soothing scent.

6- Tea Tree Oil DIY Bug Spray

This is an ideal organic bug spray by blog.daveasprey for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. The tea tree oil in this homemade bug spray kills ticks on contact and it’s gentle on skin.

•  10 drops each of tea tree oil, citronella oil, and lemon eucalyptus oil
•  5 drops each of lavender and geranium oil
•  1/2 teaspoon light cooking oil
•  1/4 cup each of distilled water and witch hazel

Combine all ingredients in a dark glass spray bottle and give it a good shake before each use.

7- Homemade Tick and Bug Spray

This natural bug spray by wholefully works to kill and repel a wide variety of outdoor pests, including disease-causing ticks. Keep mixture in a dark glass spray bottle to prevent sunlight from breaking down the oils.

•  80 drops each of rose geranium oil, thyme oil, lavender oil, and citronella oil
•  40 drops each of peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and cedar oil
•  20 drops each of clove oil and basil oil
•  4 ounces witch hazel
•  Distilled water

Combine all ingredients, except distilled water, in a spray bottle. Finish filling bottle up with distilled water. Shake well before each use. Spray on skin, clothing and surrounding areas when outdoors.

8- Aloe Vera Bug Spray

We know the soothing and healing benefits aloe vera provides to our skin, and this natural ingredient also works well as an ingredient in homemade bug spray like this one by momtastic.

•  Fill a small spray bottle two-thirds full of distilled water (boiled and cooled tap water can be used)
•  2 tablespoons of witch hazel to the water
•  1 teaspoon of liquid aloe vera
•  1 teaspoon citronella oil
•  1/2 teaspoon each of grapefruit oil and lemon oil (tea tree and eucalyptus can be used instead of grapefruit and lemon oil)

Shake well to combine all ingredients. Shake before each use. Safe for use on children.

9- Homemade Bug Spray for Kids

Kids enjoy spending a lot of time outdoors in the warm weather when bugs are most active, making them a prime target for biting and stinging bugs. Keep your kids safe from bug bites and chemicals with this effective homemade bug spray by steampoweredfamily.

•  15 drops each of lavender oil, citronella oil, lemongrass oil, and patchouli oil
•  3 drops Argan oil
•  1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
•  1/4 cup witch hazel
•  1/4 cup distilled water

Combine all the oils in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add distilled water and witch hazel and stir until combined. Pour into spray bottle and spray all over kids (including hair and clothing) before they go outdoors. Shake before each use.

When using a new skin product, especially on kids, it’s best to test on a small area of skin to determine if there will be an allergic reaction before applying it all over skin. You may also like to check out homemade mouse poison.

10- Smell Good Homemade Bug Spray

In addition to keeping bugs away, this homemade bug spray by theseamanmom will make you smell good so you can apply it for any outdoor function without having an embarrassing chemical odor.

•  20 drops each of lemon oil and peppermint oil
•  1 teaspoon of organic castile soap
•  4 ounces distilled water (boil tap water and allow to cool instead of using distilled water)
•  witch hazel

Place all ingredients, except witch hazel, in a spray bottle and shake to combine. Top of with witch hazel and shake bottle again. Spray a light mist all over hair, skin, and clothing ( avoid eyes) before going outdoors.

11- All Purpose Homemade Bug Spray

There are many pests to avoid when enjoying the great outdoors and this all-purpose homemade bug spray by almanac will help keep all pests away.

Mosquitoes hate citronella, lemon eucalyptus, cinnamon, geranium, and catnip. Ticks and lice hate eucalyptus and geranium. Ants and flies hate mint and basil, and annoying gnats hate citronella, lemongrass, and rose geranium.

•  2 cups witch hazel
•  20 drops each of the essentials oils that repel the pests that are living in your area.

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle, shake well and spray all over hair, clothing, skin and outdoor area.

Fresh or dried herbs can be substituted for essential oils.

12- Lavender Oil Homemade Bug Spray

Lavender oil is an effective pest repellent and can be applied to skin undiluted. It’s safe to apply to children, elderly and expectant mothers. The lavender scent is calming and soothing to humans, but pests turn and go in the opposite direction when they smell it.

Lavender oil can be used as-is or mixed with other lotion before applying to skin as a DIY bug repellent like this one by livestrong.

Before applying any substance to skin it’s always best to consult your physician to ensure the safety of the product or potential drug interactions.

DEET is the main chemical ingredient used in store-bought bug sprays. DEET is effective in killing a wide range of pests, however, there are harmful side effects to humans. Humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors and shortness of breath.

Children are more susceptible to subtle brain changes caused by chemicals in their environment because their skin more readily absorbs them. Also, their still-developing nervous systems are more potently affected. Symptoms from DEET or other chemicals may not be evident for months or even years after exposure. You may also like to check out homemade mouse traps.