Bites and stings

Bites and stings from mosquitoes, noseums, spiders, bees, wasps, jellyfish, man-of-war, and venomous land reptiles can ruin a perfectly good vacation.

Just say no to DEET! Regular use can cause respiratory, neurological and skin problems. Unless you’re on a jungle safari or canoeing at sundown in a swamp, a plant-based repellent should be sufficient.

The most effective natural repellents contain essential oil of catnip, lemon-eucalyptus and/or citronella. You may need to reapply every 20–60 minutes, but the message to insects will be clear: “buzz off!” Save